Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv rallied from a 14-point halftime deficit to defeat LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne 89-85 on Friday at Astroballe, maintaining momentum in the EuroLeague play-in race.
The Israeli side improved to 15-16 with its fifth win in six games, closing the gap on the top 10 while ASVEL fell to 8-24 and remained winless at home in 2026.
ASVEL controlled the first half and built a 52-38 lead behind efficient perimeter shooting, hitting 8-of-18 from three-point range while holding Maccabi to 1-of-14.
The visitors struggled to generate rhythm offensively, with leading scorer Lonnie Walker IV finishing with just two points on 0-of-6 shooting.
The game shifted after halftime as Maccabi tightened its defense and improved ball movement, cutting the deficit to 62-61 by the end of the third quarter.
Tamir Blatt orchestrated the turnaround, finishing with 14 points and 13 assists without committing a turnover, repeatedly creating high-percentage looks in the half court.
Roman Sorkin capitalized on those opportunities and led all scorers with 23 points, scoring efficiently inside and finishing through contact.
Jaylen Hoard added eight points and 11 rebounds, while Jimmy Clark contributed 14 points to support the comeback effort.
Maccabi shot 59.0% from two-point range and 86.4% from the free-throw line, offsetting a 27.6% mark from beyond the arc.
The decisive stretch came in the fourth quarter, where Blatt combined shot-making with playmaking, while Sorkin converted multiple interior finishes to flip a 74-70 deficit into a late lead.
ASVEL lost momentum after guard Glynn Watson exited in the third quarter with a shoulder injury, having scored 17 points prior to leaving the game.
Paul Eboua led the French side with 19 points, while David Lighty added 14, but the hosts could not maintain offensive efficiency after halftime.
ASVEL shot 55.3% inside the arc but just 56.5% from the free-throw line, missing 10 attempts that proved costly in a close finish.
Maccabi will host Fenerbahce next, while ASVEL travels to face Partizan as both teams enter the final stretch of the regular season.
