Hapoel Jerusalem 
Maccabi Tel Aviv Hapoel Jerusalem
Made/Att
Made/Att
Made/Att
DEF OFF TOT
CM RV
FV AG
Maccabi Tel Aviv
Made/Att
Made/Att
Made/Att
DEF OFF TOT
CM RV
FV AG
"We need to restart our mind"
Coach Giannis Sfairopoulos ahead of the Hapoel Jerusalem game: "It's my responsibility, and my job to ensure our fans that we will give the maximum until the end, for our last goal to win the championship"
“We need to continue as hard as we did in the Israeli league”, said coach Giannis Sfairopoulos. “I said to the players already after the game in Istanbul that we need to restart our mind and to change chip and to focus on the Israeli league. For us it’s a very important game, like Jerusalem of course; it’s a game that both teams will try to win and for us it’s very important to follow the plan that we have; to execute our offense and our defense and to keep our good discipline and our plan till the end. I believe that tomorrow’s game is a different game than the previous one”.
“Yes, we won the previous two- but this is another game we need to not think about the two previous games, because this is the past and tomorrow is the future. It’s my responsibility, and my job to ensure our fans that we will give the maximum until the end, for our last goal to win the championship”, coach Giannis concluded.
When asked about playing versus Amare Stoudemire for the first time this year, Tarik Black said: “It’s an honor to be able to do so, with how much I look up to him and how much he’s been an inspiration for me in my basketball career. It’s amazing to think how life works, being in the room watching numerous highlight films and plays trying to study his game and try to emulate it, and now to be randomly- not even in America just in a different country, I never expected to leave in Israel when I was younger; being over here now and being able to have the chance to play against him – It’s amazing”.
“The EuroLeague season is over and it’s time to lock in and focus on what we still have in front of us”, Tarik added about the team’s goals.
Jerusalem beat Maccabi 98:92 after over time
A great first quarter by Maccabi was enough as the locals took control over the game; John-Di and Scottie sent the game to overtime but the locals came up on top. Scottie led the scorers in yellow and blue (22P, 6A & 3R)
Coach Sfairopoulos’ starting five: Wilbekin, John-Di, Caloiaro, O’Bryant and Tyus. John-Di was the first to score in the game, Jerusalem reacted but Johnny scored from deep to give Maccabi the edge (4:5). Scottie got into the zone as he knocked down his shots from deep to put Maccabi ahead 7:13. Butler completed a four-point play but the duo of Johnny-Di made their presence felt as they kept the train in yellow and blue running, making it 11:19. Tyus connected with Wilbekin for a thunderous dunk, Jerusalem tried to react but the squad of coach Sfairopoulos were too dominant (15:27). Feldeine managed to beat the buzzer scoring from deep as the first quarter comes to an end (18:27).
Jerusalem started the second quarter with an 8:0 run as they made it a one-point game (26:27); Roll and Pargo woke up the yellow offense scoring five points keeping Jerusalem at bay (26:32). Ohayon scored a step-back three, Chubrevich added a long two pointer to bring Jerusalem to within a striking distance, forcing coach Sfairopoulos to call for a timeout (36:38). Blatt tied the game from the free throw line but Scottie gave Maccabi the 42:43 edge at halftime.
Both teams traded blows at the beginning of the third with Jerusalem staying close to Maccabi (49:51). Feldeine and Blatt completed the comeback for the locals who took the 57:54 lead. Johnny’s hustle payed off big as he capitalized on the offensive board to tie the game (58:58). With less than a minute remaining in the third quarter John-Di scored a transition three to give Maccabi the 58:61, but Amare tied the game as the third quarter came to an end (61:61).
Jerusalem took the 67:65 lead in the fourth quarter, the yellows tried to react but Feldeine increased the hosts’ lead as he completed the three-point play making it 70:65. Johnny reacted with four points, bringing Maccabi to within a striking distance (70:69). Amare created a bigger safety distance for Jerusalem but Roll got the open look from deep and he made it count forcing coach Katash to call for a timeout (75:72). With 01:42 left in the game Amare completed a three-point play to put Jerusalem ahead 72:80. It didn’t take long for Scottie to answer from deep, forcing coach Katash to call for his second timeout (80:75). Maccabi came back from the timeout extremely focused continuing their run with John-Di and Scottie to send the game to overtime (80:80).
John-Di was the man for coach Sfairopoulos in overtime scoring Maccabi’s first four points to give Maccabi the 82:84 lead. Thomas completed a 7:0 run for Hapoel but Johnny tied the game from deep (89:89). Feldeine and Thomas gave their team the 93:89 lead. John-Di scored a three pointer but Feldeine answered with one of his own giving Jerusalem the 96:92 lead, from which Maccabi could not recover as they lose 92:98 on the road.
