Maccabi seemed lazy on defense which allowed the visitors score easy baskets close to the rim, but Nikola Vujcic put some order in Maccabi’s game as his team took a 15-11 lead after 5.5 minutes in the first quarter. Eliyahu showed some good skills as well and with eight points until the first buzzer led Maccabi to a 24-20 lead.

Maccabi started the second quarter with a more defensive line-up including Esteban Batista and Alex Garcia but the offense was confused again. Terence Morris and Vujcic came back, and Maccabi once again took a five point lead. Three pointers by Omri Casspi and Vonteego Cummings deleted a small Galil lead and finished the first half in a 40-40 tie.

Aaron Nixon started the second half with back-to-back three pointers as Galil took a six point difference. Maccabi’s offense stayed stuck and Galil used that to take a 44-54 margin with 4.5 minutes to play in the third. Maccabi woke up with an 8-0 run but Nixon beat the shot clock with a crazy three pointer to make it 56-63 after 30 minutes of game.

Maccabi tried again and again to close the gap. A three pointer by Will Bynum made it just 71-73 with two minutes on the clock but the hosts missed chances to tie the game and with 30 seconds on the clock Galil held a 71-75 lead. Garcia with a steal gave Maccabi a chance to tie the game, but following was a turnover, and Nixon set the final score from the line, 72-77 for Galil.

Maccabi: Eliyahu 17, Casspi 12, Morris 9 (15 rbs, 4 as), Bynum 9, Vujcic 9 (6 rbs, 5 as), Cummings 7, Garcia 6, Batista 3
Galil: Lewis 19, Nixon 18, Campbell 13, Okhayon 8, Eitan 8, Mosinzon 4, Williams 2, Ben Chimol 2