Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv got a good start on 2011 – 2012 with a pre-season victory over Maccabi Haifa, 88 – 63. Hendrix, Smith and Schortsanitis were outstanding with 12 points each. James added 10 points and 8 rebounds; Pnini also contributed 10 points.
By Amy Samin
In their first pre-season scrimmage leading up to the 2011 – 2012 season, Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv defeated Maccabi Haifa 88 – 63 in Nokia Arena. There was a lot to be impressed by, especially when it came to the three big men, Sofo Schortsanitis, Devin Smith, and Richard Hendrix, who displayed great ability under the baskets. Devin Smith and Yogev Ohayon, both of whom wore the yellow for the first time, demonstrated excellent shooting and game management.
Guy Goodes started the game with Jordan Farmar, Jon Scheyer, Devin Smith, David Blu and Sofo Schortsanitis. The game opened with a bucket and one from Sofo in the paint. Sylven Landesburg of Haifa evened things up at 3 – 3 after a minute. Smith responded with a three pointer of his own at the other end of the court following two from the foul line by Haifa’s Tyler Wilkerson. Smith then pulled down two offensive rebounds, and Farmar scored off an assist from Scheyer to put Maccabi up 11 – 9 after three and a half minutes. Shawn James and Guy Pnini came in for Sofo and Devin halfway through the period. Farmar scored one from the charity stripe, then Sean Williams drained a three for Haifa, tying the score at 12 all with four and a half minutes left in the quarter.
Greek newcomer and veteran point guard Theo Papaloukas came into the game for Scheyer, leading an offensive play that ended in a three by Pnini off an assist from Farmar. Ohayon, who was also making his first appearance with Maccabi, sent a slick assist to Hendrix who had also entered the game. James made a nice steal at half court and finished with a basket plus foul to make it 19 – 12. A dunk by Haifa’s Daniel Aiden stopped Maccabi’s scoring run at 9 – 0 and made it 21 – 14 at the end of the first quarter.
Haifa started out strong in the second quarter and narrowed their deficit to just one point, 21 – 20, thanks to points by Landesburg. A coast-to-coast assist from Hendrix to Pnini put an end to the visitor’s run, but Avi Ben-Chimol stepped up for Haifa, scoring on a fast break and leading Goodes to call for a time out with the score 23 – 22, Maccabi, two and a half minutes into the period. Sofo added three points with a basket and one, and Ohayon followed that with a steal and bucket, raising the score to 28 – 22 within the space of 20 seconds. Smooth moves by Landesburg and a basket plus free throw from Williams kept Haifa close; halfway through the quarter the score was 29 – 27.
Points from downtown by Blu helped a little, but were soon answered by three by Landesburg, making it 32 – 30 with three and a half minutes left in the half. Blu and Farmar missed some shots, but James dumped in a nice putback to make it 34 – 30 with two minutes left. Team captain Tal Burstein came into the game and scored six straight points, putting Maccabi up 40 – 31 with a minute left. Smith dropped in a shot, but it was Landesburg who set the score at the end of the half: 42 – 32.
At the start of the third quarter four straight points by Hendrix, who added a lot of strength under the basket, made it 46 – 32. Scheyer executed a nice drive to the basket and drew the foul, adding one from the line. James scored on a fast break off an assist from Burstein, taking the score to 49 – 32, two and a half minutes in to the half. Williams scored for Haifa to call a halt to the 9 – 0 run Maccabi had built since the start of the half, and Ben-Chimol made it a ten point game, 51 – 41, in the middle of the period.
Farmar made some great plays, including an assist to Hendrix for the basket and one, giving Maccabi a 55 – 41 lead. James showed strong moves under the basket on his way to double figures and kept Maccabi’s lead firmly in place. Young Tamir Ariely broke the drought for Haifa, but Hendrix was quick to respond at the other end with a dunk off an assist by Ohayon. Landesburg continued to dominate Haifa’s offense, refusing to allow Maccabi to break open a bigger lead. Ohayon scored after a slick assist by Pnini, but it was Ben-Chimol who scored the final shot of the quarter, making it 63 – 49, Maccabi.
Maccabi’s first points in the fourth quarter came off a nice drive to the basket by Blu after two minutes of play, 66 – 49. Ohayon played tough defense, while Papaloukas dished to Sofo under the basket, and later flew up the court to score and extend Maccabi’s lead to 72 – 51, forcing Haifa to call a time out three minutes into the final period. Sofo came up with a nice steal on an inbounds, and Theo translated that into points from an assist by Ohayon.
Theo and Ohayon continued to display a smooth partnership with a coast-to-coast play, and Pnini drained another three to make it 81 – 58 with three minutes left in the game. Smith also scored from outside the arc. Maccabi reaped the benefits from an unsportsmanlike call against Haifa, 86 – 63 with a minute and a half on the clock. Hendrix scored the final points of the game, giving Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv an 88 – 63 victory over Maccabi Haifa in their first pre-season scrimmage.
Boxscore:
Maccabi: Hendrix 12 points, 8 rebounds; Smith 12 points, 7 rebounds; Schortsanitis 12 points, 5 rebounds; James 10 points, 8 rebounds; Pnini 10 points; Blu 7 points, 8 rebounds; Ohayon 6 points, 6 assists; Farmar 6 points, 4 assists; Burstein 6 points, 6 rebounds; Papaloukas 6 points; Scheyer 1 point.
