Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv pulled out a huge 97-94 win in overtime against Galatasaray in Istanbul, improving their Euroleague Top 16 record to 5-1 thanks to a game-winning buzzer-beater by Pargo. Smith was outstanding with 24 points.
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By Amy Samin
Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv pulled out a huge 97-94 win in overtime against Galatasaray in Istanbul, improving their Euroleague Top 16 record to 5-1 thanks to a game-winning buzzer-beater by Jeremy Pargo (17 points). Devin Smith was outstanding with 24 points, Sylven Landesberg had 14 points, and Sofo Schortsanitis added 12 points.
Starters for Maccabi were Jeremy Pargo, Devin Smith, Brian Randle, Yogev Ohayon, and Sofo Schortsanitis. Randle, Smith, and Sofo scored to give Maccabi a jump start on the game, but the Turks had tied the score at 8 after three minutes. A triple by Ohayon and points by Randle put Maccabi back on top halfway through the period. An unsportsmanlike call against the hosts gave Maccabi the opportunity to extend their lead to nine, but a string of points by Galatasaray cut Maccabi’s lead to 27-22 at the end of the period.
The momentum stayed with the Turks as they pulled to only one point down early in the second quarter. Sylven Landesberg, Alex Tyus and Randle gave Maccabi some breathing room, 37-32 with four minutes left. Despite points by Smith from downtown, a putback by Tyus, and a bucket by Joe Alexander, the home team battled their way to a 49-44 lead as the teams went into the halftime break.
The second half opened with a trey by Pargo, but Galatasaray refused to back down and built their lead up to ten, 59-49 halfway through the period. Nine points by Smith gave Maccabi new life, 62-60 to the hosts with a minute left, but the Turks scored from the charity stripe to stay on top as the period ended, 64-63.
Another three by Smith from the top of the arc put Maccabi up 68-67 one minute into the fourth quarter. A triple and one by Landesberg, and a dish by Smith to Landesberg in the same corner made it 75-69 Maccabi two minutes later. Galatasaray scrambled back to within two, and once again it was – who else? – Smith with a bucket and one who gave Maccabi some breathing room. Pargo and Smith both added points from beyond the arc, but the hosts came back and tied the score at 85 to send the game into overtime.
The entire overtime period was close, with points by Pargo, Sofo and Nate Linhart answered in kind by the Turks. Two key free throws by Ohayon with :36 on the clock tied the score at 94, and it looked like the game would go into double OT. But a huge block by Tyus was followed by a clutch three from the top of the arc by Pargo at the buzzer, and Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv pulled out a huge 97-94 win against Galatasaray in Istanbul.
