The reigning champions secure the top spot after another victory over the Reds. Wilbekin led the way with 23 points, Caloiaro and Avdija added 16 and 15 respectively
Maccabi FOX Tel Aviv was aware that a loss under 12 points would lock up a first-place finish in the Israeli “WINNER” League. Still, Giannis Sfairopoulos’s squad had bigger plans – complete the job in style. The Yellow & Blue dominated both ends of the court, which opened a double-digit advantage midway through the first quarter and, from that point on, never looked back on it’s way to a 93:82 convincing win in the Pais Arena over Hapoel Jerusalem.
Maccabi opened the first place clinching game with Scottie Wilbekin, Yovel Zoosman, Deni Avdija, Angelo Caloiaro, and Othello Hunter in the starting five. Avdija drove superbly to the basket scoring Maccabi’s first 4 points of the game, and Hunter provided an incredible block on Suleiman Braimoh, but James Feldine gave the hosts a 7:6 advantage. Hunter and Caloiaro sparked a 9:0 run as the Yellow & Blue held an 8 point lead midway through the quarter. Avdija gave the visitors their first double-digit lead of the night, as Caloiaro added four more points to his outstanding 8 point quarter, 27:14 Maccabi after 10 minutes.
Zoosman ramped the lead up to 16 with a shot from deep to start the quarter, while Feldine tried to reduce the damage, 33:22. Giannis Sfairopoulos’s squad came back from the timeout with a three-pointer by Jake Cohen. Wilbekin heated up in a hurry scoring 8 of the visitors 10 points increasing the advantage up to 21, 48:27. Caloiaro protected the lead, but Tamir Blatt and Braimoh cut it down to 17 by the end of the first half, 54:37.
Not a lot has changed with the start of the second half, Maccabi scored 6 consecutive points keeping Jerusalem scoreless for the first 2:30 minutes till Emanuel Terry supplied the hosts their first points of the quarter, 60:39. Zoosman and Caloiaro extended the Yellow & Blue’s lead with a 10:2 run, as Amar’e Stoudemire slammed it in, giving the visitors their highest point differential of the night, 70:41. After an Oded Katash timeout, Blatt and Braimoh reduced the deficit down to 22 with a 9:2 run, which forced Giannis Sfairopoulos to use a timeout, 72:50. Wilebkin answered on the other end scoring 5 points, including a shot from 10 meters deep, which closed out the third quarter at 77:56.
Blatt and Feldine continued to cut down the Yellow & Blue advantage on a 14:4 stretch in the first four minutes of the final quarter, 81:70. Sandy Cohen hit a crucial three-pointer, and Hunter added two more in the paint, which stopped the Jerusalem momentum momentarily. John Holland gave some hope for the home team scoring five straight points, but Wilbekin and Caloiaro ensured the win for Maccabi. Maccabi FOX Tel Aviv secure the first place of the regular season beating Hapoel Jerusalem on the road 93:82.
