Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv captured the EuroCup championship on Friday night, earning a coveted place in the 2025–26 EuroLeague.
The team sealed the victory with a 103–94 win over Gran Canaria in Las Palmas, Canary Islands, Spain, sweeping the best-of-three series 2–0 and becoming only the second Israeli club ever to lift the EuroCup trophy—joining Hapoel Jerusalem, which won it in 2004.
From the opening tip, Hapoel took control with an exceptional shooting performance, breaking a EuroCup Finals record by sinking 15 of 26 attempts from three-point range (57.7%). Shooting guard Antonio Blakeney paced all scorers with 27 points, while Finals MVP power forward/center Johnathan Motley added 26. Point guard Yam Madar contributed 16 points in a dominant offensive showing that left the reigning champions struggling to keep up.
“This is a special night for our club,” said head coach Dimitris Itoudis, as quoted by the Sports Rabbi site. “We played with heart and intensity, and I’m incredibly proud of this group.”
With the win, Itoudis joins a select few—Dusan Ivkovic, David Blatt and Ergin Ataman—who have coached teams to both EuroCup and EuroLeague titles.
Hapoel’s championship triumph caps off an impressive season characterized by team chemistry, strategic depth and relentless effort. Club owner Ofer Yannay called the achievement “a landmark moment” and confirmed that the team is actively working toward securing a long-term EuroLeague B-license, aiming to solidify its place in Europe’s top-tier basketball competition.
With a EuroLeague wild card confirmed, Hapoel is turning its focus to strengthening the squad ahead of next season. Reports suggest the club is targeting high-caliber players such as Serbian point guard Vasilije Micić, Nigerian power forward Chima Moneke, Dominican point guard Jean Montero and Canadian center Mfiondu Kabengele.
“This was our dream from the start,” said Madar. “Bringing a championship home after 52 years means everything to us and our fans.”
As a result of this win, the EuroLeague will feature two Israeli teams next season, with Hapoel joining longtime powerhouse Maccabi Tel Aviv in representing the country on European basketball’s biggest stage.