Maccabi Tel Aviv lose first preseason game: Wallace scores 20 but the 'sleeping giant' is still half-asleep

When the ball rolled on the closed court at Maccabi Tel Aviv's training center, I saw a team trying to find its own rhythm. The 84-86 loss to Hapoel Herzliya in the first preseason game wasn't part of the plan, but to me, it revealed a clearer truth than any victory: this team is still dreaming through the summer. Keaton Wallace scored 20 points, 10 in the first quarter and 14 by halftime. It was a remarkable individual performance in the context of a severely depleted squad. But I'm not here to praise one player. I'm here to find out why a team that led 23-17 after the first quarter, 53-38 at halftime, could let the opponent mount a comeback in the final minutes. Head coach Oded Kattash entered the game with a patchwork lineup. Several players were away on national team duty, others were injured or not yet at full fitness. Jimmy Clark was sidelined with injury. T.J. Leaf and Gur Lavi were still in recovery. This is the context of a team in preparation, not a squad ready for the season. But those absences gave me a clearer look at the team's structure. Will Rayman contributed 8 points, Amit Abu, Jundy and Bonzie Colson each had 6, Armand Bykota and Shane Hunter each had 4. These numbers show a clear dependence on Wallace for scoring. When the opponent pressed in the final quarter, no one else stepped up to solve the situation. I've followed hundreds of preseason games in my 44-year career. There's a rule I've learned: the early stages of a game reflect the team's tactical potential, while the final quarter reflects fitness and roster depth. Maccabi controlled the game for the first 30 minutes, that's a good sign. But the collapse in the final 10 minutes shows they don't yet have the personnel to sustain game intensity. I'm not too worried about this loss. This is the first preseason game, played behind closed doors, without fans and media. The main purpose is roster evaluation, not competition. But I note an important point: if this team wants to compete in Europe, they need a clearer rotation plan, especially when key players return from international duty. Football has the phrase 'sleeping giant'. Basketball is the same. Maccabi Tel Aviv didn't lose because they're weak, they lost because they weren't alert enough and didn't have enough numbers in a game they could have won easily. The question isn't whether they have enough talent, but whether they have enough patience to build a solid system from these scattered pieces. Wallace has proven his value. But one player scoring 20 in a preseason game doesn't make the difference that a cohesive unit controlling game tempo does. Maccabi needs more than a single star. They need a lineup that knows how to protect leads and handle pressure in the final minutes. That's the only valuable lesson from this loss. When the regular season begins and the key players return, I'll watch to see if this team has learned from this game. For now, let them keep sleeping. This sleep might bring a more alert season ahead.