Maccabi defeats Ashdod 94:57

Scottie Wilbekin, Yovel Zoosman, Elijah Bryant, Quincy Acy, and Tarik Black started in the Yellow & Blue’s starting five. Acy opened the game with a slam after an excellent pass by Black, as the visitors went on a 10:2 run in the first 2:30 minutes. On the other end, Noah Dickerson, with 4 points, brought Ashdod closer, 13:9. From that point on, Giannis Sfairopoulos squad never looked back, Acy continued his dunk display with two more scoring six straight points to put Maccabi on top, 19:9. The Israeli champions extended their lead to finish the quarter on a 17:0 run with a three-pointer by the captain DiBartolomeo, 30:9 Maccabi after one.

The visitors kept their foot on the gas pedal and didn’t let Ashdod get anywhere near the basket, Jake Cohen hit a three-pointer to extend the run to 22 unanswered points. Elijah Johnson scored Ashdod’s first point of the second quarter from the free-throw line, on the other end, Deni Avdija found Wilbekin that rose up to a rare dunk, 40:10. After ten and a half minutes, Johnson sank a bucket for the home squad, Dorsey hit a shot from behind the arc, but Josh Freund with two straight baskets cut down the lead, 45:22. Black with a massive slam at the end of the first half, gave Maccabi a 49:24 lead at halftime.

Black and Acy with beautiful dunks and Elijah Bryant regained the 30 point advantage, 59:29. Johnson tried to reduce the lead, but Black scored on the other end, 63:36. Avdija and DiBartolomeo scored easy points in transition, Dorsey (three), and an easy bucket by Cohen determined a 40 point lead after 30 minutes, 80:40.

With the start of the fourth quarter, Cohen scored two more easy buckets, ex Maccabi player Amit Ebo and Oded Brandwein reduced the lead to 86:45. The youngster, Yonatan Atias scored his first point in the Israeli League, LaDontae Henton hit a three to give Ashdod 50 points. The Yellow & Blue stay undefeated and bring their winning streak up to 12 straight games, 94:57.