In a super-close game at Nokia Arena, Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv hung on to defeat Bayern Munich 66-64, improving their record in the Top 16 to 5-1. Landesberg was named MVP with 11 points in money time, Blu and Hickman scored 14 points each.
By Amy Samin
Playing without a center for the entire second half, Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv hung on in a close-fought game and defeated Bayern Munich 66-64 in front of a frenzied home crowd. David Blu and Ricky Hickman scored 14 points each and Devin Smith added 12 points and 8 rebounds, but it was Sylven Landesberg’s crucial 11 points and 6 rebounds in money time that helped Maccabi secure the win.
Starters for Maccabi were Devin Smith, Ricky Hickman, Yogev Ohayon, David Blu, and Sofo Schortsanitis. Both teams came out with high energy, but despite points from Sofo and Blu, Munich jumped to a 10-5 lead after three and a half minutes. Bayern kept the lead, but two buckets by Blu and five straight points by Hickman put Maccabi within one. Blu tied the score with a baseline jumper with four minutes left in the period, but the visitors quickly reclaimed the lead. As time ran out in the quarter it was Blu with a triple from the left corner that put Maccabi on top, 22-21.
It didn’t take Bayern long to retake possession of the lead, though Blu, Hickman and Ohayon made sure Maccabi stayed close. A steal by Sofo resulted in points by Hickman that made it 31-30 Maccabi just past the halfway mark. Munich retook the lead, but a layup by Tyrese Rice set the stage for Blu’s bucket from downtown, tying the score at 37 with a minute and a half left in the half. Rice put Maccabi up again, but points from the charity stripe for the visitors tied things up again and the teams went into the break with the score 39-39.
A couple of quick buckets in the first minutes of the third quarter put Bayern back in the lead, but points by Smith kept Maccabi’s deficit small. Sylven Landesberg came into the game and fired up Maccabi’s offense with two baskets, and Joe Ingles drained a bomb from beyond the arc at the buzzer to make it 52-50 Maccabi.
Maccabi opened the fourth quarter with renewed energy, jumping to 60-50 in the first three and a half minutes thanks to points by Hickman and Landesberg on the foul line and a three pointer by Smith on the left wing. Maccabi’s defense also stepped up their game, breaking plays and forcing turnovers on Bayern, who finally scored their first points of the period after nearly five minutes had passed. Points from the foul line and a slam and 1 by Landesberg put Maccabi’s lead back into double digits with four minutes left in the game, 65-55. The Germans didn’t give up, scoring a succession of three pointers that put them within two with a minute and a half left in the game, 66-64. Maccabi took possession but Munich stole the ball on the inbounds, scrambling downcourt to try and salvage the game. Multiple attempts to score by Munich failed, and Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv hung on to claim a 66-64 victory over Bayern Munich, improving their Top 16 record to 5-1.
