Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv’s decisive 99-83 win over Maccabi Rishon Lezion puts them in the Israeli Cup Final, where they will face Hapoel Eilat on Thursday. Rice led Maccabi’s scorers with 19 points. Hickman and Smith added 14 points apiece.
By Amy Samin
A decisive 99-83 win over Maccabi Rishon Lezion has earned Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv a spot in the Israeli Cup Final, which will take place on Thursday night. Their opponent will be Hapoel Eilat, who defeated Hapoel Tel Aviv in the other semifinal game. Tyrese Rice was outstanding with 19 points and 6 rebounds, Devin Smith and Ricky Hickman contributed 14 points each, and Guy Pnini added 13 points. Other players scoring in double digits were Alex Tyus (12 points) and Sofo Schortsanitis (11 points).
Starters for Maccabi were Devin Smith, Ricky Hickman, Alex Tyus, Yogev Ohayon and David Blu. Maccabi opened well and took a 7-2 lead after two minutes thanks to points from Ohayon, Smith and Tyus. More points from Ohayon, a putback by Tyus and a fastbreak layup by Hickman made it 14-4 halfway through the period. Rishon finally got into the game, scoring six unanswered points, but Hickman and Sofo Schortsanitis responded to make it 20-13, Maccabi with four minutes left in the period. Guy Pnini came into the game and immediately scored from downtown (assist Ohayon), but was answered in kind by Jake Cohen, who Maccabi has loaned to Rishon for the rest of the season. Tyrese Rice scored at the buzzer to end the quarter with Maccabi leading 28-21.
Smith and Tyus scored in the paint to keep Maccabi’s lead comfortable, 34-26 three minutes into the second quarter. Joe Ingles added a triple, but Hopkins drained three straight to put Rishon within one, 38-37. Smith added two buckets for Maccabi but Dawson scored off an alley oop the keep Rishon close. Hickman and Rice extended Maccabi’s lead slightly, and the teams went into halftime with the score 49-44.
Maccabi came out strong at the start of the second half, reaching 57-46 after three and a half minutes thanks to points by Sofo, Hickman, Ohayon and Pnini. Dawson kept Rishon in the game, but points from Rice (including a three from the right wing), Tyus and Ingles made it 65-54 with three and a half minutes left in the period. Rice continued to score and Hickman added points from downtown (assist Ingles) as Maccabi’s lead reached 80-62 at the end of three periods.
Rishon narrowed the gap to 82-69 in the first minute and a half of the fourth quarter, but a slam by Tyus off an alley oop pass by Ingles and a three pointer by Smith made it 87-71 shortly after. Sofo scored in the paint and Pnini added points from outside the arc to extend Maccabi’s lead to 92-76. More dazzling plays by Dawson weren’t enough to help Rishon Lezion, and Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv claimed a 99-83 victory, advancing to the Israeli Cup Final where they will face Hapoel Eilat.
