Even with nearly two months remaining in the regular season, Wolves Twinsbet Vilnius’s 104-100 comeback win over Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv on Wednesday night could become a pivotal moment in their BKT EuroCup campaign.
After a rocky start with three straight losses, followed by five consecutive victories, the Lithuanian team seemed to be repeating its cold-hot-cold pattern by losing in both Rounds 9 and 10. Heading into Wednesday’s game with Hapoel, Wolves were in danger of falling behind in the battle for a top-four finish in Group A.
A loss would have left Wolves two games behind three teams tied for third place, with both Buducnost VOLI Podgorica and Dolomiti Energia Trento lurking just one game further behind. The pressure was on, and the stakes were high.
A Character-Building Win
When Dimitris Itoudis’s Hapoel team jumped to double-digit leads in the first half, it was a massive test for Wolves. This game could have been a defining moment for the team—a make-or-break situation that could shape their season.
However, Wolves rose to the challenge, overcoming adversity to secure a thrilling victory. The 104-100 win leaves Wolves in a group of four teams—alongside Hapoel, Besiktas Fibabanka Istanbul, and ratiopharm Ulm—all separated by just one win between third and sixth place.
After the game, Wolves coach Alessandro Magro acknowledged the importance of this win, both for the standings and the team’s goals. “It was an important win for us, for sure, to keep our run going and try to achieve our goals,” Magro said. “One of our goals is to reach the EuroCup Playoffs.”
Top Six a Must, but Home-Court Advantage Still in Play
In the EuroCup format, finishing in the top six is the minimum requirement for postseason play. But the bigger goal for Wolves is to finish in the top four to secure home-court advantage during the eighth-finals of the playoffs.
Magro is well aware of the significance of the schedule moving forward. With four of their remaining seven games at home in Vilnius—including matchups against three of the bottom four teams—Wolves are in a strong position to continue their push for a top-four finish.
“In the second round, we have many home games, and that’s really important. It’s crucial to have this kind of performance in our arena, especially against a very talented team like Hapoel,” Magro said.
The One Setback: Head-to-Head Advantage
Despite the victory, one setback for Wolves was their inability to clinch the head-to-head advantage over Hapoel. The Israeli team had won the earlier meeting 89-84 in Round 2. Late in the game, it appeared Wolves might erase that deficit, but Yam Madar’s relentless 7-point burst in the final 90 seconds sealed the head-to-head advantage for Hapoel.
In such a tight race for playoff positions, this could prove crucial when the regular season concludes in February. While Magro expressed disappointment at not securing the head-to-head tiebreaker, he focused on the positives moving forward.
Looking Ahead: A Special Celebration
“There’s still Christmas dinner to look forward to,” Magro said with a smile. “After a win like this, the joys of Christmas dinner feel a little sweeter!”
With the win over Hapoel, Wolves have kept their ambitions alive for a strong finish to the EuroCup season. The rest of the campaign could prove just as thrilling, with their playoff dreams very much in reach.
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