Displaying impressive defense, Maccabi FOX Tel Aviv claimed their first Euroleague victory of the season, 79-63 over Dinamo Sassari. Smith led all scorers with 22 points and 7 rebounds.
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By Amy Samin
Displaying impressive defense, Maccabi FOX Tel Aviv claimed their first Euroleague victory of the season, 79-63 over Dinamo Sassari. Devin Smith led five scorers in double figures with 22 points and 7 rebounds. Brian Randle returned to the court in style with 12 points, Trevor Mbakwe (15 rebounds) Sylven Landesberg added 11 points each, and Yogev Ohayon contributed 10 points.
Maccabi’s starters were Brian Randle, Devin Smith, Jordan Farmar, Taylor Rochestie, and Trevor Mbakwe. The visitors took an early lead thanks to Haynes and Alexander, 11-4 by the middle of the period. Five straight points by Smith and a layup by Yogev Ohayon cut Maccabi’s deficit to two, 13-11, tough defense by Smith and Randle kept the Italians in check, and the quarter ended with Sassari leading 17-15.
The visitors opened the second period with a triple, but Smith and Ohayon responded at the other end, giving Maccabi the lead after two and a half minutes, 22-20. Sylven Landesberg from the left corner and a layup by Randle increased Maccabi’s lead to 29-22 with four minutes left in the half. A crazy shot and one by Mbakwe extended Maccabi’s lead to 32-24, but the Italians came back with two straight three pointers and retook the lead. A three by Smith in the left corner put Maccabi back on top 35-33 as the half came to an end.
The game stayed close as the third quarter got underway, with Randle and Rochestie putting Maccabi up 43-39 after three minutes. Mbakwe and Smith increased Maccabi’s lead to 48-41 halfway through the period, then Ike Ofoegbu subbed in for Randle and scored his first points in a yellow jersey. Smith sank two more triples and Ofoegbu added one of his own. The quarter ended with Maccabi up by ten, 57-47.
Points at the start of the fourth quarter by Landesberg and Ohayon increased Maccabi’s lead, and an Ohayon to Mbakwe oop for the one handed slam made it 63-49 after four minutes. Landesberg added a huge trey (assist Smith) to make it 68-52 halfway through the period. The Italians couldn’t find their way out of the hole, and points by Mbakwe and Smith wrapped up a 79-63 victory for Maccabi FOX Tel Aviv over Dinamo Sassari in week 3 of the 2015-16 Euroleague season.
