Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv 
Panathinaikos Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv
Made/Att
Made/Att
Made/Att
DEF OFF TOT
CM RV
FV AG
Panathinaikos
Made/Att
Made/Att
Made/Att
DEF OFF TOT
CM RV
FV AG
"We need to get the W"
Maccabi's head coach before the game against Panathinaikos: " We need our fans once again to support us one more time and to continue together to fight for our big goal". Scottie Wilbekin: "We can’t replace what Kane brings to us"
Maccabi FOX Tel Aviv will play against Panathinaikos in the 20th round of the 2018-19 EuroLeague season (Thursday, 21:30 local on Sport5). The yellows quest for the playoffs continue as coach Sfairopoulos’ squad is locked, loaded and ready for action knowing that a win will bring one step closer to achieving their goal.
“Before I talk about the game I want to wish health to Nikos Pappas because today he had a bad injury and to come backs tronger” said Coach Sfairopoulos about the greens’ guard who suffered a torn ACL. “We have a very important game, anyway all our games are important, and as long as we grow and continue the next game is more important than the previous one, we play against a team that will fight and as they say this is one of their last chances, we need to continue with our concentration and our good performances in this game too”.
“We know it will be a tough game”, coach Giannis concluded. “With the change of the coach Panathinaikos changed its style defensively and offensively we just need to follow our plan as always like we do with every opponent, we have a sold out house and this is very important for us because we need our fans once again to support us one more time and to continue together to fight for our big goal, to qualify to the quarter finals“.
“Obviously Rick Pitino’s track record speaks for itself”, said Tarik Black. “That’s another game that we have to go out and win and as much respect to him and who he is that’s another game on our schedule that we need to get the W. Winning is on our minds right now, we need to get as many wins as we can get and we’ve been doing a good job of getting them in the EuroLeague and we also pray that it continues, but as far as tomorrow goes, the point difference we obviously recognize it, obviously it is something we would like for it to happen and at the end of the day we have to come and play our basketball play the best that we can”.
“We have to limit them on transition”, said Scottie Wilbekin as he addressed the keys to the game against Panathinaikos. “Keep them off the boards and kinda limit Calathes to Gist because that connection they are pretty good about that. Obviously we can’t replace what Kane brings to us, the next man up has to step up and I think that Jeremy he didn’t play in the last EuroLeague game so I think that he’s going to be ready to get back”.
Caloiaro's energies lift Maccabi past Panathinaikos
The yellows took the halftime lead and never looked back as Maccabi secured the impressive 84:75 home win. Caloiaro (20P & 11R) received MVP honors
Coach Sfairopoulos’ starting five: Pargo, Wilbekin, Caloiaro, O’Bryant
and Black. O’Bryant was the first to score in the game as Maccabi took the early 6:3 lead. Calathes gave Pao the 8:11 lead but Pargo found Johnny for a corner three to tie the game. Payne gave Panathinaikos the edge and Lojeski made both of his free throws to increase their lead to 13:17l. John DiBartolomeo had the final say in the first quarter scoring from deep as Maccabi trail 16:17.Mitoglou completed the
three point play but Cohen and Tyus completed the yellow and blue comeback forcing coach Pitino to call for a timeout with the scoreboard showing 24:20. Maccabi found their offensive rhythm as Scottie made it 29:24 but Lojeski completed the three point play to keep the greens within a striking distance. Scottie and Roll completed a 7:0 run to take the 36:27 lead. Thomas completed a 6:0 run for Panathinaikos forcing coach Sfairopoulos to call for a timeout (36:33). The greens tried to get closer to Maccabi but Pargo was the last to score in first half giving Maccabi the 40:35 lead.Kilpatrick scored from deep at the beginning of third but O’Bryant’s post up play sparked an 11:0 run for Maccabi who took the 51:38 lead. Caloiaro scored from deep but the greens answered with five points forcing coach Sfairopoulos to call for a timeout (54:44). Caloiaro’s free throws kept Maccabi’s lead in double digits with just under three minutes remaining in the quarter (58:48). Lekavicious was the last to score in the third quarter to keep Maccabi’s lead in single digit (62:54).
Lekavicious scored from deep to trim Maccabi’s lead to 62:57 but Roll and Caloiaro answered for the yellows keeping Pao at bay (67:57). O’Bryant found Scottie for a wing three but Pao reacted with a 7:0 run to make it 70:66. Caloiaro’s hustle paid off for Maccabi, Calathes tried to keep the greens in the game but Maccabi’s weapon of mass destruction Angelo Caloiaro called
game with an amazing wing three from which Panathinaikos could not recover as the squad in yellow and blue secures the important 84:75 home win.
