For the first time in 12 years, Maccabi Tel Aviv will not play in the State cup final, after losing to Bnei Hasharon 87-94 at Nokia arena in the semi finals. Maccabi has won the cup 9 years in a row. Bnei Hasharon led throughout the match and withstood a late Maccabi surge. Lee Nailon was amazing scoring 31 points from every corner of the court. In the final it will face Hapoel Jerusalem, which easily beat Ironi Ramat Gan 117-78. Maccabi TA had a poor opening to the game, trailing 2-16. a three-pointer by Erez Katz made it 40-20 in favor of Bnei Hasharon. Newcomer Goran Jeretin scored 8 straight points and put Maccabi back within reach, 30-42. Bynum beat the buzzer to make it 42-52 at halftime. Maccabi couldn’t come back and midway through the third quarter belcher led Bnei Hasharon to a 69-52 lead. Maccabi TA woke up In the last three minutes: Derrick Sharp scored two clutch 3’s, Bynum scored another one and all of a sudden the lead was cut to 4, 91-87. but then Bynum missed a lay-up and Bnei Hasharon sealed its win from the line, 94-87. Maccabi: Vujcic 22, Bynum 20, Arnold 12, Sharp12 ,Jeretin 10, Eliyahu 6, Halperin 5. Bnei Hasharon: Nailon 31, Belcher 20, Mizrahi 16, Katz 8, Williams 7, Cisse 6, Hanochi 6.