Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv secured an important victory over Panathinaikos Athens, 75-68, in front of a full house at Nokia Arena, claiming the top spot in Group D. Blu and Ingles were outstanding with 14 points each.
By Amy Samin
Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv secured a key home victory over Panathinaikos Athens, 75-68, in week five of the Euroleague season. David Blu (8 rebounds) and Joe Ingles led Maccabi’s scorers with 14 points each, Ricky Hickman added 13 points and 6 assists, Shawn James contributed 12 points, and Devin Smith scored 10 points.
Starters for Maccabi were Tyrese Rice, Devin Smith, Ricky Hickman, Joe Ingles, and team captain Shawn James. The game got off to an electric start with a perfect alley oop from Ingles to Hickman. Smith and James added points, while Maccabi’s defense kept the visitors scoreless for three and a half minutes. Panathinaikos eventually worked their way into the game, even taking an 8-7 lead near the halfway mark, but Maccabi’s defense, led by Sofo Schortsanitis, clamped down, holding the Greeks to a mere four points in the second half of the period, while Ingles and Smith added points for Maccabi. David Blu sank one of his classic catch and shoots from the right corner (assist Sofo) and Sofo added a steal + layup. Free throws by Blu ended the period with Maccabi up 25-12.
PAO came out strong in the second quarter and despite points in the paint by James and Smith, managed to close the gap to 29-23 after four minutes. Neither team scored for the next three minutes, until Smith, James, Blu and Hickman added points in the paint and from the foul line to end the half with Maccabi leading 36-29.
The second half got underway with a layup by Yogev Ohayon and a trey by Ingles on the right wing, 41-29 after two and a half minutes of play. More solid defense by Maccabi combined with points by James put Maccabi up 46-31. Ex-Maccabi player Stephane Lasme scored for the visitors to cut Maccabi’s lead to ten, but a huge three by Ingles made it 50-37 with three and a half minutes left in the period. Sofo scored six straight points, including a spinning hook shot and points off a slick no-look dish by Ingles, and the period ended with Maccabi on top 56-47.
A layup by Smith, a floater in the lane by Blu and another huge triple from Ingles put Maccabi up 63-54 after just over three minutes. Panathinaikos struggled to close the gap, but another three from Blu, followed by points from downtown by Hickman, made it 69-58 with two and a half minutes left in the game. A last minute rally by the visitors kept things interesting, but in the end Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv defeated Panathinaikos Athens 75-68.
BOXSCORE
Maccabi: Blu 14 points, 8 rebounds; Ingles 14 points, 4 assists; Hickman 13 points, 6 assists; James 12 points, 4 rebounds, 2 blocks; Smith 10 points, 5 rebounds; Schortsanitis 8 points; Rice and Ohayon 2 points each.
Top scorers for Panathinaikos: Lasme 13 points; Pappas 12 points.
