In a close and dramatic game, Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv defeated Hapoel Fattal Eilat 83-79 in week 8 of the Israeli Winner Sal League. Pnini was outstanding with 22 points, Ohayon added 13 points, while Sofo contributed 11 points and James 10 points.
By Amy Samin
In week 8 of the Israeli Winner Sal League, Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv defeated Hapoel Fattal Eilat 83-79. Guy Pnini, in one of his best games ever in a Maccabi uniform, scored 22 points (3 of 5 from three point range). Yogev Ohayon scored 13 points while running the game well. Sofo Schortsanitis scored 11 points and pulled down 9 rebounds, while team captain Shawn James contributed 10 points. Ex-Maccabi player and legendary guard Theo Papaloukas was in attendance to witness Maccabi’s return to their winning ways.
Starters for Maccabi were Ricky Hickman, Joe Ingles, Yogev Ohayon, David Blu and Sofo Schortsanitis. Eilat opened strong with a 14-4 run in the first five minutes of the game, after an unsportsmanlike charge against Hickman. James added points in the paint, but then Ingles was also charged with an unsportsmanlike call, and with three minutes left in the period the visitors led 21-6. Free throws by James kick-started Maccabi’s offense, as James went on to send a dime to Sylven Landesberg, who added an and 1, making it 23-11 with two and a half minutes on the clock. James added two buckets (assists Guy Pnini and Tyrese Rice) but the visitors continued to play well, and the quarter ended with Eilat leading 23-15.
Points by Landesberg and Pnini (a trey plus free throw) brought Maccabi within four, 25-21 three minutes into the second quarter. Maccabi’s defense clamped down, holding Eilat scoreless while adding points from the paint and the charity stripe. A steal and layup by Hickman was followed by the same from Ohayon, who tied the score at 31 with less than two minutes left in the half. Eilat refused to give up, though, and a catch and shoot from Blu and free throws by Hickman ended with half with Maccabi down by two, 37-35.
Maccabi got on the scoreboard in the third quarter with points by Blu, Pnini and Ohayon that put Maccabi on top, 45-44 after three and a half minutes. A pair of triples from Ingles and Pnini gave Maccabi a 55-46 lead with just over three and a half minutes on the clock. Eilat got back in the game, though, claiming a 60-57 lead as the period ended.
Pnini stayed hot at the start of the fourth quarter, scoring six straight points that put Maccabi up 65-60 after two minutes. The visitors continued to stay close, but Pnini added a deuce and a trey, while Blu threw down a bucket from downtown; with two minutes left Maccabi led 76-68. Eilat put together a string of points that cut their deficit to two, 76-74 and Sofo fouled out with a minute on the clock. Maccabi built up a six point lead off points by Ingles and Landesberg, 80-74, but Eilat fought hard and a three pointer by Afik Nissim with eight seconds remaining put Eilat within one, 80-79. Blu was fouled and made one free throw, and Eilat got the ball with less than eight seconds on the clock. But once again it was Pnini with the perfect play, as he stole the ball and drove to the basket, dishing out at the last second to Ohayon who laid it in to give Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv an 83-79 victory over Hapoel Fattal Eilat.
