In their first European preseason game of 2011 – 2012, Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv trounced Cholet Basket of France at the Angers Tournament. Sofo was top scorer with 16, Farmer scored 15 points, James added 14 points, and Hendrix contributed 13 points and 10 rebounds.
By Amy Samin
With a week and a half to go before the opening game of the Adriatic League, Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv played its first international preseason game and handily defeated Cholet Basket of France by a score of 105 – 74 in the first game of the Angers Tournament. Maccabi can be well-satisfied with the team’s offensive output, especially on the part of the three big men (Schortsanitis, Hendrix, and James), who combined for a total of 43 points. Farmar, Pnini, and Smith also had excellent games. Milan Maćvan, who only joined the team this morning (Thursday), did not play. Tomorrow Maccabi will face Gravelines-Dunkerque.
Special thanks to CholetBasketTV
Head coach David Blatt said after the game, “We had a great game; the team looks very good for this stage. They guys are positioning themselves well on the court and playing together just the way we like, and that’s thanks to the excellent work of the coaches and the players during the period of time when I wasn’t with them. Goodes, Sharp, Kowalski and Shelef have done a great job. We handed out 27 assists and only turned the ball over 11 times, and that shows great coordination and teamwork. Of course it’s still very early and there are no guarantees, but right now I’m very happy.”
Head coach David Blatt returned to his original fivesome at the start of the second half and Maccabi soon led 58 – 37. Maccabi continued to dominate, and with four minutes left in the period had extended their lead to 70 – 42. Cholet managed to slow the avalanche but couldn’t close the gap, and Maccabi finished the quarter leading 78 – 52.
Maccabi’s players were relaxed going into the final period with an assured lead, and the score climbed to 81 – 55 in the first minute and a half of the quarter. Though the outcome of the game seemed a foregone conclusion, Blatt – as usual – made sure his players continued to give their all and Maccabi’s lead had reached 92 – 64 by the halfway point in the period. Though playing in only their second preseason game of the year, it’s clear Maccabi’s offense is running smoothly: with two and a half minutes left in the game, the score was 100 – 70. Nothing unusual happened in those final minutes, and the game ended in a 105 – 74 victory for Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv over Cholet Basket.
BOXSCORE
Schortsanitis 16 points; Farmar 15 points (6 of 6 from the foul line) ; James 14 points; Hendrix 13 points, 10 rebounds; Pnini 11 points; Smith 10 points; Scheyer 8 points; Burstein 6 points; Papaloukas 5 points; Blu 3 points; Eliyahu and Ohayon 2 points each.
