< "Arial" size=3>Tel Aviv players could relax this evening against the visitor from the National League winning 109-81. In the first game in Afula Maccabi won113-90 on the way to the Cup 1/4 finals.

< "Arial" size=3>Coach Pini Gershon left out Maceo Baston, Nikola Vujcic & Tal Burstein and Anthony Parker played only 14 minutes. He himself sat on the bench & let his assistant Dan Shamir run the game.

< "Arial" size=3>Bench players were used for long spells and three of them had an excellent evening: Jamie Arnold, Sharon Shason & Yaniv Green. Arnold played 18 minutes` scored 19 p[ts un 100% FG, pulled down 6 rbds & made 2 bsts. Shason played 29 min, scored 16 pts in 83% FG, pulled down 11 rbds and made 2 stls. Green played 23 minutes, scored 14 pts, pulled down 7 rbds and made 2 bsts. Kirk Penney played 34 minutes and made a great effort but he still lacks confidence (1-10 for three). He scored 12 pts, grabbed 11 rbds & dished out 4 assits.

< "Arial" size=3>Maccabi dominated the rebounds 41-29, made 18 assists & 18 steals.

< "Arial" size=3>Other scorers for Maccabi: Sharp 18, Solomon 16 (4-5 for three), Casspi 6, Parker 4, Dootan 2, Fanan 2 pts.

< "Arial" size=3>Top scorers for Gilboa/Afula: Yizraeli 25, Porat 14, Dadon & Hall 12 each.