Maccabi defeats Hapoel 84:74

Maccabi Fox Tel Aviv stay undefeated in Menorah Mivtachim Arena and in the Israeli league, beating Hapoel Tel Aviv 84:74 in the Tel Aviv derby gaining a three-point advantage from second place. 7 Maccabi players finished in double figures with Elijah Bryant, and Othello Hunter leading the way with 12 points. Amar’e Stoudemire finished with 11 points in his debut.

Scottie Wilbekin, Elijah Bryant, Deni Avdija, Quincy Acy, and Othello Hunter opened in Giannis Sfairopoulos’s starting five. Hunter found Avidja, who laid it in for the first two Avdija of the game. Avdija continued to dominate early, scoring Maccabi’s first 7 points for a 7:2 advantage. The hosts extended the lead to double digits with 6 straight points by Hunter, 19:8. Mark Lions and Latavious Williams decreased the score in the final minutes, 20:15 Maccabi, after 10 minutes.

Less than 2 minutes into the second quarter, Amar’e Stoudemire was called off the bench for his first minutes in the Yellow & Blue as he got a standing ovation from the home crowd. Bryant’s 6 consecutive points led Maccabi to a double-digit advantage, 28:17. Jake Cohen found Stoudemire for his first two as he scored 7 points in the second quarter, 40:32. Tyler Dorsey completed a four-point play, as Tomer Ginat closed the first half with a bucket, 46:38 Maccabi.

With the start of the second half, it was Acy’s turn to score six back-to-back points for Maccabi that included a highlight slam, 52:40. Wilbekin hit a three that gave the hosts a 15 point advantage. Maccabi’s defense stopped Hapoel on 11 points in the third, going into the final quarter with a 65:49 lead.

Dorsey hit a couple of shots from deep, while Williams and Yam Madar reduced the lead down to 13. Stoudemire became the 7th Maccabi player in double figures with a slam as Madar, and Joaquin Szuchman minimized the final score, 84:74 for Maccabi over Hapoel in the Tel Aviv derby.