Tyler Dorsey’s 25 points led the Israeli champions to an 85:73 victory in Germany, improving their EuroLeague record to 8:10. Caloiaro contributed 16 points. Next fixture: at home against Olympiacos
One more notable player was Angelo Caloiaro, who was all across the court, providing 16 points, six rebounds, and three steals. Maccabi improves their European record to 8:10 on the season as they await a double EuroLeague week hosting Olympiacos and Baskonia at Menora Mivtachim Arena.
Scottie Wilbekin, Elijah Bryant, Angelo Caloiaro, Omri Casspi, and Ante Zizic started for the Yellow & Blue. Jason Granger, Jonas Mattisseck, Simone Fontecchio, Johannes Thiemann, and Kresimir Nikic opened in the starting five for the hosts.
Bryant laid in Maccabi’s first two of the night and later fed the ball to the Croatian big man who finished twice around the rim. Caloiaro added back to back points, but Granger connected for his fifth point, drilling a shot from deep tying the contest at 10 midway through the first quarter.
Alba added five consecutive points scoring 8 unanswered points as Wilbekin stopped the stretch, swishing in his 51st three-pointer of the season, 13:15. In the closing 46 seconds of the period, the visitors went on a 9:2 run as Tyler Dorsey, Dragan Bender, and Jones (buzzer beater beating two defenders) shot in three consecutive triples from behind the arc, 24:17.
The Yellow & Blue momentum extended into the second quarter. Giannis Sfairopoulos’s squad stopped the Germans scoreless for over four minutes, opening a double-digit advantage with Jones and Dorsey each recording 7 points, 34:17.
Louis Olinde scored inside, giving the hosts their first points of the period, but that didn’t stop Maccabi as Caloiaro laid in back to back buckets ramping up 10 poinst, and Casspi dished an assist to Bender, opening a 21 point edge, 40:19. Fontecchio knocked down 8 consecutive points for Berlin, reducing the Yellow & Blue’s advantage to 15, closing the half at 43:28.
Caloiaro, with another effective play, found Casspi open, and the Israeli forward connected from deep. However, Granger led Alba back to a single-digit deficit after dishing his 10th assist of the night while Ben Lammers hit back to back baskets from mid-range, slammed down an alley-oop, and Thiemann drilled a three, leading Sfairopoulos to call a timeout, 48:39.
Bender initiated an arched pass to his fellow countryman, who finished strong inside, and later Bender shot in a triple, regaining a 14 point edge. Dorsey and Maodo Lo exchanged buckets for each side as the American guard scored six straight points for the Yellow & Blue while the German notched in four consecutive points, 63:49.
Zizic hooked in a shot to start the fourth. Dorsey hit a three-pointer as he was fouled, completing a four-point possession, and added another triple, his 4th from behind the arc, 72:54.
Elijah Bryant converted a three-point play after laying in two, Caloiaro and Bender tallied points from the charity strike, and Dorsey completed his night with his 5th three-pointer for 25 points. Maccabi starts off the second round on a strong note beating Alba Berlin, 85:73.
