For the first time in more than two years, EuroLeague basketball felt normal again in Tel Aviv. Maccabi Tel Aviv returned home, fed off the noise, the hugs, the rain-soaked anticipation, and beat ASVEL Villeurbanne 92–84 in a night that was about far more than the final score.
The win pushed Maccabi to 5–10 in EuroLeague play, but standings barely mattered. What mattered was the building, the crowd, and the sense that something long paused had finally restarted.
A Night That Felt Bigger Than Basketball
The walk up to Yad Eliyahu told the story before tip-off.
Fans lined the streets early, some carrying scarves they hadn’t worn since 2023. Others just stood there, smiling for no reason at all. It felt like a reunion, loud and messy and a little emotional, you know.
When the Maccabi bus arrived, people pressed forward for photos and autographs, even as rain slicked the pavement.
Villeurbanne’s arrival didn’t go unnoticed either.
The French side was greeted with cheers, applause, and thank-yous, a rare sight in elite European hoops. They were, after all, the first visiting EuroLeague team to play in Israel since the long stretch of “home” games exiled to Belgrade.
Inside, the arena buzzed early.
Fans grabbed snacks, argued lineups, and sang over pounding drums as the familiar yellow-and-blue playlist echoed through the corridors. Strangers greeted each other like old friends, because in a way, they were.
Walker and Sorkin Set the Tone Early
Once the ball went up, the emotion didn’t slow Maccabi down.
Lonnie Walker wasted no time reminding everyone why he was brought in. He scored from everywhere, attacking off the bounce, pulling up from deep, and finishing through contact. By the end of the night, Walker had 29 points, many of them coming in momentum-shifting bursts.
Roman Sorkin matched that urgency.
The Israeli big man played with force, finishing inside and punishing switches. He dropped 26 points, and several came when ASVEL looked ready to make a run.
ASVEL didn’t roll over.
Nando De Colo was sharp early, scoring from the perimeter and finding space in the lane. Melvin Ajinca chipped in as well, keeping the visitors close despite the noise.
After ten minutes, Maccabi led 21–19.
It was tight, physical, and loud in all the right ways.
Momentum Swings, Dunks, and a Crowd That Wouldn’t Sit
The second and third quarters turned into a grind.
Jimmy Clark brought energy off the bench, while Jaylen Hoard attacked the rim with authority. His dunks brought the crowd to its feet, again and again. Marcio Santos added a soft jumper that felt oddly calming in the middle of the chaos.
ASVEL kept responding.
De Colo stayed composed, and the French club leaned on disciplined offense to stay within reach. There was no panic, no wild stretches. Just good basketball, played under heavy noise.
Maccabi’s edge came in short spurts.
A Walker three here.
A Sorkin post move there.
A defensive stop that turned into a fast-break finish.
The crowd reacted to everything.
Every whistle drew a reaction. Every loose ball felt personal. Even routine rebounds got applause. That’s what two years away will do to a fan base.
By the Numbers: How Maccabi Pulled It Off
The box score backed up what the eye test suggested.
Maccabi didn’t dominate one single area. They did enough across the board and avoided the late-game mistakes that had hurt them earlier in the season.
Here’s a snapshot of how the teams compared:
| Category | Maccabi Tel Aviv | ASVEL Villeurbanne |
|---|---|---|
| Final Score | 92 | 84 |
| Leading Scorer | Lonnie Walker (29) | Nando De Colo |
| Second Scorer | Roman Sorkin (26) | Melvin Ajinca |
| Turnovers | Lower | Higher |
| Home Crowd | Deafening | — |
One stretch midway through the fourth quarter told the whole story, basically.
-
Walker hit a contested jumper
-
Sorkin finished through contact
-
ASVEL missed two clean looks
-
The arena exploded
That sequence created just enough breathing room, and Maccabi didn’t give it back.
More Than a Win for Oded Kattash’s Group
Oded Kattash tried to keep things calm afterward, but even he couldn’t hide what the night meant.
This wasn’t just another December game.
Maccabi has played EuroLeague basketball “at home” without being home for more than two seasons. Belgrade did the job, sure, but it wasn’t Tel Aviv. It wasn’t Yad Eliyahu. It didn’t smell the same, didn’t sound the same.
Players felt it too.
Several spoke about feeding off the energy, about how defensive possessions felt easier when the crowd rose as one. You could see it during timeouts. Less staring at shoes. More eye contact. More belief.
The record still shows work to do. A lot of it, actually. But nights like this can steady a season that’s been bumpy.
What Comes Next After the Homecoming
Maccabi’s EuroLeague slate doesn’t ease up.
Road games are coming, tough ones at that, and consistency remains the big question. The team has flashed promise before, only to slip the following week.
Still, this night matters.
It gives the locker room something real to point at. Proof that when things click, even briefly, this team can hold its own. And doing it in Tel Aviv, in front of a crowd that waited patiently through uncertainty and distance, made it hit harder.
ASVEL left with respect earned.
They played clean, professional basketball and absorbed an atmosphere that would rattle plenty of teams. De Colo’s calm stood out, and Villeurbanne never lost shape, even late.
