Maiden win for Hapoel HaEmek

Hapoel "Gilat Telecom" HaEmek claimed their first league win of the 2026/27 season, beating Maccabi "Tapuzina" Rishon LeZion 80-60 away from home to improve to 1-1. Golan Yablonovsky guided the side from Gan Ner at Beit Maccabi and recorded his first career win as a head coach in the Winner League. In the next round, the northerners will look to make it two wins in a row and move to a positive record for the first time this season, when they host Ironi Ness Ziona at the Haim Ohayon Arena.

Scoring for Hapoel HaEmek: Malik Hall (13 rebounds) 30, Niv Misgav and Karl Guzman 12 each, C.J. Elleby 8, Christian McCuvello 6, Gil Nuyovitz 4, J.J. Caplan and Roi Netzia 3 each, Rafi Menco 2.

Scoring for Maccabi Rishon LeZion: Justin Tillman 20, Ron Tzipper 8, V.J. King and Quay Grant 7 each, Josh Freund and Or Cornelius 5 each, Chauncey Jenkins 4, Idan Zalmanson and Michael Brisker 2 each.

Beyond the team achievement and Yablonovsky's personal milestone, this was above all Malik Hall's evening. The American forward excelled with 30 points on 13 of 16 from the field, 21 of them after the interval, setting a new career high in the Winner League. In doing so he improved by a point on his previous best, which he set last season in the colours of Ironi Kiryat Ata against the very same opponents. Hall's outstanding display, to which he added 13 rebounds, six of them on the offensive glass, helped the visitors win the second half 50-27, after they had let slip a 13-point lead during the second quarter. Niv Misgav and Karl Guzman were the other two HaEmek players to reach double figures, with 12 points apiece.

Rishon LeZion made a poor start to the game, but managed to regroup in the second quarter and, with the help of a 15-2 run, turned the scoreline around and even went into the break three points to the good. However, the orange side could not carry that momentum into the second half, in which they scored just 27 points. Justin Tillman, who finished with 20 points, was the only man in the home ranks to reach double figures. Guy Caplan's side suffered a particularly poor shooting night from beyond the arc, with just 5 of 29, and 20 turnovers also made life difficult for them. Rishon LeZion, who dropped to 0-2 after a second home defeat in a row, will look to bounce back in the third round, when they host again - this time Maccabi Tel Aviv.

The orange support created a warm home atmosphere in the best of traditions (photo: Oded Karni)

The visitors from the north were also represented in the stands (photo: Oded Karni)

How the game unfolded

The hosts in orange started with Grant, Jenkins, V.J. King, Freund and Tillman, while the visitors in white went with Misgav, Guzman, Elleby, Caplan and Hall. The first quarter was clearly controlled by Hapoel HaEmek, who opened on an 8-0 run led by Hall and later went in front by a high of 13 points (21-8), after good minutes from Guzman and McCuvello. At the other end, Brisker and Zalmanson managed to limit the damage slightly for Rishon LeZion. 21-12 to the side from Gan Ner at the end of the quarter. HaEmek stretched their lead to 12 points early in the second quarter, but from there the orange side went on a 15-2 run led by Tillman to complete the turnaround. 33-30 to Maccabi Rishon LeZion at the end of the first half.

After scoring just nine points in the second quarter and letting a 13-point lead slip, Hapoel HaEmek took control of the game once more after the interval. Hall scored 12 points in the third quarter, and a Misgav three-pointer moments before the buzzer gave the visitors a double-digit lead once again. 58-48 to the visitors heading into the final ten minutes at Beit Maccabi. The pattern did not change in the fourth quarter either, with the side from Gan Ner stretching their lead to as many as 22 points, after another two from Hall, who finished a superb evening with 30 points and 13 rebounds. In the end, Hapoel HaEmek beat Maccabi Rishon LeZion 80-60.

Hall. Unstoppable in the second half (photo: Oded Karni)

Misgav celebrates one of his two three-pointers in the game (photo: Oded Karni)

Tillman. Led a 15-2 orange run in the second quarter, which ultimately was not enough (photo: Oded Karni)

Yablonovsky. Recorded his first win as a head coach (photo: Oded Karni)

Jenkins. Rishon LeZion lost at home for the second time in a row (photo: Oded Karni)

Guzman. HaEmek celebrated in the second half at Beit Maccabi (photo: Oded Karni)

Netzia and Misgav. The side from Gan Ner claimed their first league win of the season (photo: Oded Karni)