Rishon took the lead in the first but an all-around team effort was enough to claim the home win as the crew in yellow and blue get closer and closer to securing the top spot with three games remaining in the regular season. Roll (19P & 4A) led the scorers.
Coach Sfairopoulos’ starting five: Wilbekin, Zoosman, Kane. Cohen and Black. Rishon Le Zion took the early 0:8 lead forcing coach Giannis to call for a timeout. The oranges continued to control the tempo with Tarik and Scottie being the ones to score for the hosts (4:15). Scottie sparked Maccabi’s offense forcing coach Goodes to call for a timeout with the scoreboard showing 13:23. Roll scored three threes to trim Rishon’s lead down to 22:25. Monroe and Simpson scored but Scottie had the final say in the first keeping Maccabi close to the visitors (24:29).
Tyus started the second quarter with four point to put the crew in yellow blue within a striking distance (28:29). Tyus and Roll completed the comeback but Cameron Long tied the game from deep (33:33); Alex and Deni got the job done on both ends of the floor enroute of a 43:34 lead. Long tried to spark a comeback for the visitors time and again but the hosts reacted from deep with Avdija and Johnny (49:42). Simpson brought Rishon to within a striking distance but Johnny and Tarik got the job done on the offensive end again; Scottie was the last to score in the first half with a beautiful buzzer beating fade away mid-range jumper to put Maccabi ahead 59:52.
Black was the man for coach Giannis at the beginning of the third quarter keeping Maccabi ahead (63:57). Simpson fought to keep Rishon Le Zion close to Maccabi but Tarik and Kane kept them at bay (72:66). Hamilton and Ariel ended the third quarter with a 7:1 run to tie the game (73:73).
Rishon took the 76:78 lead in the fourth but I was short-lived as John-Di and Johnny reacted with back to back threes to take the 82:78 lead. Monroe made both of his free throws but great ball movement by the hosts resulted with Johnny making the corner three (85:80). John-Di completed the three-point play and Scottie added a three pointer to increase Maccabi’s lead (91:84). The squad of coach Sfairopoulos could not be denied with Johnny and Scottie as they put their team ahead in double digits securing the 97:87 home win.
