In a scrappy and competitive contest, Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv earned an eighth consecutive win, 83-76 over Zalgiris Kaunas in Belgrade. The yellows used a late run to edge the Lithuanians out en route to a 15-13 record with 6 games left in the regular season.
For most of the evening, there was not much seperating both teams. That is, until the rivals jumped to an 8-point lead in the 3rd quarter, leaving the Maccabees with their backs to the wall. That was when the yellows changed gears, tightened their defense and took control of the game.
The score remained close up until the final minute, but a run led by Josh Nebo, Wade Baldwin and Bonzie Colson provided Maccabi the win. Baldwin was top scorer with 16 points, while Tamir Blatt added 11. Colson, Nebo and James Webb each had 10 points, and Lorenzo Brown dished 10 assits.
Oded Kattash’s men will host Hapoel Jerusalem on Sunday, before returning to Belgrade next Thursday, this time as Crvena Zvezda’s guests.
