Great all-around team performance by the crew in yellow and blue secures an epic 89:67 home win over Hapoel and playoffs game 1. DeAndre Kane (15P, 2R, 3A and 2S) received MVP honors
Coach Sfairopoulos’ starting five: Wilbekin, Zoosman. Caloiaro, Cohen and Black. Tarik started the game magnificently on both ends of the court as the yellows took the 8:0 lead. Ginat scored for Hapoel but Maccabi’s great team effort kept the train in yellow and blue running to a 16:4 lead. Shuler and Green scored to keep the reds in the game but Scottie and Kane answered with a 5:0 run (23:9). Limonad was the last to score in the first quarter making 23:11 at the end of the first quarter.
Kane started the second quarter with a corner three (26:11); Kane’s great intensity on both ends of the floor was contagious as the yellows’ increased their lead to 32:17. Every basket made by Hapoel was answered immediately by the crew in yellow and blue as Cohen made it 42:27 from the free throw line. McNeil scored a wing three forcing coach Sfairopoulos to call for a timeout (42:30). Tyus connected with Wilbekin for a thunderous alley-oop dunk, but McNeil had the final say in the first half as his team trails 46:34.
Hapoel went on a 7:2 run at the beginning of third to trim Maccabi’s lead to 48:41. Both sides traded blows with the reds capitalizing forcing coach Sfairopoulos to call for a timeout with the scoreboard showing 53:46. Zoosman’s pressure on the defensive end paid off big as it sparked Maccabi’s offense again (57:47). Green’s free throws brought Hapoel closer to the yellows, but it was only momentarily as John-Di woke up the thousands in the stands leading Maccabi to an 8:0 run, but McNeil was the last to score in the third quarter (65:55).
John-Di and Kane increased Maccabi’s lead at the beginning of the fourth, Howell and McNeil tried to trim Maccabi’s lead again, but a great team effort by Maccabi ended with Kane nailing the open wing three to keep Hapoel at bay (72:58). Limonad scored on transition but Tarik made both of his free throws to keep Maccabi ahead 76:62. The squad of coach Sfairopoulos hustled on both ends of the floor not allowing Hapoel to breathe enroute of an 8:0 run (84:67). The yellows continued to push forward until the final second beating Hapoel 89:97 in playoffs game 1.
