Maccabi FOX Tel Aviv lost to Maccabi Rishon Lezion 71-69 in the championship semifinal of the Israeli Winner Sal League. Rochestie led Maccabi’s scorers with 20 points.
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By Amy Samin
Maccabi FOX Tel Aviv lost to Maccabi Rishon Lezion 71-69 in the championship semifinal of the Israeli Winner Sal League. Taylor Rochestie led Maccabi’s scorers with 20 points.
Maccabi’s starting five included Gal Mekel, Sylven Landesberg, Itay Segev, Dagan Yivzori, and Trevor Mbakwe. After a slow start Mbakwe and Yivzori made it 4-0, but Rishon responded quickly and took a 5-4 lead. Ike Ofoegbu and Yogev Ohayon put Maccabi back on top 9-7 close to the halfway mark, but the lead continued to change hands. Taylor Rochestie finally found his groove, and Ohayon also scored from downtown to end the quarter with Maccabi holding a 16-14 lead.
Rochestie continued to do what he does best at the start of the second quarter, adding two straight treys to make it 22-16 after a minute and a half. Rishon quickly tied things up at 23, and the teams continued to trade buckets. Mbakwe, Rochestie, and Ohayon kept Maccabi in the game, and a putback by Mbakwe sent the teams into the break with Maccabi up 36-34.
Ohayon from mid-range and Rochestie from outside the arc made it 41-39 Maccabi two minutes into the second half. Rishon grabbed the lead after a three pointer by Dawson, but Rochestie responded in kind. The score stayed close for the rest of the period, with points by Guy Pnini ending the quarter with Maccabi leading 57-55.
The game stayed close through the fourth quarter as well, with Maccabi taking a one point lead and Rishon answering. In the end, Rishon Lezion defeated Maccabi FOX Tel Aviv 71-69 in the Israeli Winner Cup League semifinal.
