In a thrilling game that went down to the final seconds of overtime, Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv hung on to defeat EA7 Emporio Armani Milan 101-99 in Game 1 of the Euroleague Top 8. Hickman was outstanding with 26 points, Rice and Sofo added 17 points each.
By Amy Samin
Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv took a 1-0 lead in the best-of-five playoff series against Armani Milan after a dramatic 101-99 victory in Italy. After being down by double digits halfway through the fourth quarter, Maccabi staged a heroic comeback, tied the score at 87 and forced the game into overtime. Ricky Hickman (9 of 9 from the foul line) led Maccabi’s scorers with 26 points. Tyrese Rice (also 9 of 9 from the charity stripe) and Sofo Schortsanitis added 17 points each.
Starters for Maccabi were Devin Smith, Ricky Hickman, Andrija ?i?i?, Yogev Ohayon and David Blu. The early minutes of the game were very close, with a bucket and 1 by Sofo Schortsanitis making it 6-5 after two minutes. Samuels responded for the hosts, but Sofo continued to dominate the paint, taking Maccabi to 10-9. The teams continued to trade baskets, with Blu scoring five points and making it 15-14 Maccabi with three minutes remaining in the period. Milan opened up a lead after scoring six straight, but Blu and Joe Ingles scored to end the quarter with the hosts leading by only four, 23-19.
Energy remained high and the pace fast as the second quarter got underway. After a minute the Italians had increased their lead to 27-21, but points by Ingles and a clutch three by Guy Pnini from the top of the arc (assist Sofo) cut Maccabi’s deficit to three, 29-26 after three minutes of action. Ingles added a huge three and Ohayon downed two free throws to tie the score at 31 with six minutes left in the half. One again Milan opened up a lead, thanks in part to two straight buckets by Lawal, but Sofo scored seven straight for Maccabi to cut the hosts’ lead to 43-40 with :48 on the clock. A classic left handed drive to the basket by Langford gave Milan a 47-42 lead as the team’s went into the halftime break.
Langford scored two triples to give Milan a 57-45 lead three and a half minutes into the third quarter. Two dunks by Alex Tyus (assists Hickman and Ingles) cut the hosts’ lead to 60-51 with four minutes left in the period. The teams traded free throws for the next few minutes, until a steal + layup by Ingles made it 66-56. Langford scored for Milan and Smith responded for Maccabi, and the period ended with the hosts up by twelve, 70-58.
Maccabi closed within seven off points by Hickman and Ohayon, 72-65 a minute and a half into the fourth quarter. Six straight points by Milan increased their lead, but a trey by Smith cut it to 78-68 halfway through the period. Hickman and Rice put together an 8-0 run that put Maccabi within four, 84-80 with :30 on the clock. Four straight points from the foul line, and a crazy layup and 1 by Rice gave Maccabi an 87-86 lead with :11 remaining. A free throw by Langford tied the score as time ran out and sent the game into overtime with the score 87-87.
Rice continued to dominate as the overtime period got underway, with a bucket and an alley oop assist to Tyus for the dunk, 91-87, Maccabi. Milan fought to retake the lead, but a bank shot by Hickman kept Maccabi’s lead at four. Hackett and Samuels scored for the Italians to tie the score at 93 with a minute left, but once again Rice responded. The hosts took a 96-95 lead with :38 on the clock, but free throws by Hickman put Maccabi back on top for good, and Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv defeated EA7 Emporio Armani Milan 101-99 in the first game of the best-of-five playoff series of the Euroleague Top 8. Game 2 will also take place in Milan, on Friday.
