May 19, 2014

President Shimon Peres cheers on Macabbi Tel Aviv. (Shimon Peres Facebook page)
President Shimon Peres cheers on Macabbi Tel Aviv. (Shimon Peres Facebook page)
Israeli basketball fans spent Monday celebrating and digesting Maccabi Tel Aviv’s upset win over Real Madrid in the Euroleague basketball final on Sunday night. Thousands of fans made the trip to Milan to cheer on their beloved hoopsters while thousands more filled Tel Aviv’s central Rabin Square to celebrate the 98-86 victory.

President Shimon Peres called coach David Blatt to congratulate him on the win, saying he ‘nearly had a heart attack’ while watching the game. The 91-year-old Peres is said to have jumped for joy at the end of the game.

It was a nail-biter match and the first Euroleague final to go to OT since 1969.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also called to congratulate the team. Other politicians and regular Israelis used social media to post congratulatory messages and photos of themselves watching the game. There was even a photo posted of a TV screen erected beside a wedding huppa.

Watch a recap here:

More on maccabi Tel Aviv