Maccabi Tel Aviv
Hapoel Eilat Maccabi Tel Aviv
Made/Att
Made/Att
Made/Att
DEF OFF TOT
CM RV
FV AG
Hapoel Eilat
Made/Att
Made/Att
Made/Att
DEF OFF TOT
CM RV
FV AG
Sunday: Macacbi at home against Eilat
The Israeli champions look to make another step towards securing home-court advantage throughout the playoffs against Beit Halachmi's unit. Bender, Jones, Bryant, Alber, and Atias won't suit up on Sunday
Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv continues their journey in the Israeli Winners League on Sunday as they host Hapoel Eilat (17:30, Live on Sport5 – Channel 55) in a rare afternoon matchup. After last week’s victory over Hapoel Haifa, the Yellow & Blue seek another win which will get them closer to ensuring home-court advantage for the final stage of the season.
Giannis Sfairopoulos’s squad will feature Othello Hunter, Angelo Caloiaro, and Tyler Dorsey, who return to the roster after sitting out the last contest. Joining them are Scottie Wilbekin, who comes off a 25 point performance against Haifa, T.J Cline, Sandy Cohen, Omri Casspi, John DiBartolomeo, Oz Blayzer, Dori Sahar, Ante Ziziz, and Yovel Zoosman.
Maccabi and Eilat split the first two meetings this season as the Yellow & Blue beat Ariel Beit Halachmi’s squad 86:74 in the first round while dropping an 85:91 loss in the southern city. Throughout history, the Yellow & Blue hold a dominant 31:9 record against Eilat.
Under head coach Ariel Beit Halachmi, Eilat is having a great season so far, holding a 17:8 record despite coming into Sunday’s contest after a 79:96 home loss to Hapoel Jerusalem. Maccabi will have to keep a close eye on Casey Prather, scoring 22.7 points per game, and on big man Josh Nibo who’s averaging a double-double of 13.7 points and 10 rebounds a night.
Maccabi passes by Eilat 95:72
Thanks to a dominant fourth quarter, the Israeli champions made an additional step towards securing home-court advantage in the playoffs, opening a three-game lead at the top of the standings. Dorsey led the Yellow & Blue scorers with 20. Thursday: State Cup Finals
Tyler Dorsey knocked down five of eight three-pointers for a total of 20 points, Scottie Wilbekin contributed 17 points and 6 rebounds as Angelo Caloiaro (3 steals) and Ante Zizic (7 rebounds) each added 14 points. Othello Hunter (8 rebounds) and Omri Casspi (6 assists) were significant in the win scoring 8 points apiece.
Game Recap:
Maccabi started with Scottie Wilbekin, Yovel Zoosman, Angelo Caloiaro, Omri Casspi, and Ante Zizic, while Ariel Beit Halachmi opened the contest with Joe Ragland, Casey Prather, Ben Carter, Markel Brown, and Josh Nibo.
Wilbekin knocked down a side step mid-range jumper for the Yellow & Blue’s first points of the evening, and Calioaro added 6 six points, but Ragland led Eilat’s offense dishing an assist to Prather, who drilled a corner triple and added 9 consecutive points with multiple layups, 10:14 midway through the quarter.
Giannis Sfairopoulos’s squad locked in defensively, stopping the southern side scoreless for the rest of the quarter. Offensively, Casspi started the 16 unanswered point stretch finding Zoosman for a corner three, later added a two-handed slam and Zizic putback slam sent the visitors to a timeout. Zizic added 4 more points in the paint giving the hosts a 26:14 advantage after 10 minutes.
Othello Hunter came off the bench, grabbed an offensive board, and laid two in as Jonathan Skjoldebrand stopped the stretch with a three-pointer. John DiBartolomeo beat the shot clock with a circus floater shot, and Tyler Dorsey added his first points of the night from deep, 35:21.
Prather’s and one woke up Eilat, who went on a 10:0 run after Ragland drilled a deep three, and Carter laid in two, 35:31. Wilbekin scored 5 points preventing a turnaround, while Ragland added another triple and dished an alley-oop pass to Nibo, who slammed it hard. Casspi closed out the half with a post-up bucket, 44:41.

Nibo slammed another alley-oop pass, and Prather gave Eilat the lead with a mid-range jumper, but Zizic, with back-to-back points inside, regained the 3 point edge. The two sides exchanged the advantage as Wilbekin and Dorsey led Maccabi with shots from behind the arc as Prather shot in five straight buckets in the paint, 59:57.
Hunter recovered an offensive board to two points, and Wilbekin came in for the final play of the quarter and floated in two, keeping a 4 point margin heading into the last 10 minutes, 63:59.
Caloiaro drew to him two defenders leaving Dorsey open for a warmup three-pointer, and Wilbekin followed with a deep triple and another typical floater opening a double-digit advantage, 71:61. The Yellow & Blue increased the margin as Dorsey heated up, knocking down multiple three-pointers, Caloiaro stole the ball from Prather and converted a three-point possession while adding another bucket under the rim, 84:67.
Oz Blayzer dove for a steal, Caloiaro picked it up and dished a behind-the-back pass to Zizic, who slammed it down with two hands. DiBartolomeo, who was great defensively, added a three-pointer, and Dori Sahar sealed the deal and determined the final score, 95:72.