Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv secured a dramatic 83-82 road victory over Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade on Friday night at Belgrade Arena, completing a perfect double-round week in EuroLeague Round 27. The Israeli club held off a late rally and survived a missed final attempt to claim its second straight win in the Serbian capital.
Jimmy Clark led the visitors with 22 points, following his buzzer-beating performance earlier in the week against Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade. Jaylen Hoard added 15 points and seven rebounds, while Roman Sorkin recorded 15 points and eight boards to provide interior stability.
The Tel Aviv side established control early by dominating the glass in the first half, outrebounding the hosts 22-13 before halftime. Efficient inside scoring and transition chances allowed Oded Kattash’s group to carry a 49-40 lead into the break.
Crvena Zvezda responded after halftime with an 11-2 run, fueled by Jordan Nwora, who finished with 22 points despite scoring only in the first and third quarters. Jared Butler added 16 points, while Chima Moneke contributed 14 and briefly gave the home team a 74-70 lead with a powerful dunk.
Maccabi answered that moment with a decisive 13-2 stretch built on defensive stops and quick execution in the half court. Although the visitors committed 18 turnovers and lost the rebounding battle 38-40 overall, timely scoring and 19-of-23 free-throw shooting proved decisive.
Zvezda pushed back with a 6-0 run in the closing seconds, yet Nwora missed a contested look at the buzzer and two teammates failed to convert a putback attempt. The narrow loss halted the Serbian club’s five-game winning streak and dropped Sasa Obradovic’s team to 16-11, placing it seventh in the standings.
The victory lifted Maccabi to 12-15 and kept its postseason hopes alive, with FC Bayern Munich visiting Tel Aviv next week, while Crvena Zvezda prepares for a road clash against Olympiacos Piraeus.
