Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv returned to their winning ways in the Israeli Winner Sal League with a 85-74 away win over Hapoel Gilboa Galil. Hickman and Ohayon were Maccabi’s top scorers with 20 and 17 points, respectively.
By Amy Samin
In week 5 of the Israeli Winner Sal League, Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv defeated Hapoel Gilboa Galil in a tough road game, 85-74. Yogev Ohayon (17 points, 6 assists and 6 rebounds) was named game MVP. Ricky Hickman also had a great game, scoring 20 points on 4 of 5 shooting from outside the arc.m
Maccabi’s starters were team captain Shawn James, Ricky Hickman, Joe Ingles, Guy Pnini and Yogev Ohayon. The opening minutes of the game were close, with Maccabi taking a 6-4 lead after four minutes of action on points by Pnini and a dunk by Ingles. The lead changed hands multiple times until a three from the left corner by Hickman (assist David Blu) made it 14-13 Maccabi with three minutes left in the period. Hickman went on to add another trey and points from the foul line, while Alex Tyus and Ohayon also scored to end the quarter with Maccabi up by ten, 28-18.
The hosts opened strong in the second quarter, cutting their deficit in half in the first three minutes, 30-25. Points from downtown and in the lane by Pnini broke things open for Maccabi Electra, 40-27 with just under four minutes left in the half. Left all alone on the right wing, Blu showed Gilboa the error of their ways with a huge three. Sylven Landesberg added a fastbreak layup and points from downtown (assist Ingles) and James scored under the basket. The half ended with Maccabi enjoying a comfortable 50-34 lead.
Points by Hickman and Ohayon extended Maccabi Electra’s lead to twenty-one, 53-34 two and a half minutes into the third quarter. Gilboa responded with points by Tony Younger and Adrian Banks, but a three pointer by Ohayon and three straight layups (Ingles and Ohayon) kept the advantage with Maccabi and the period ended with the score 68-54.
The home team battled their way back into the game in the early minutes of the final quarter, slashing Maccabi’s lead to eight, 70-62 close to the halfway mark. Following a time out Maccabi showed renewed determination on defense, while points from the charity stripe and a spinning layup by Ohayon stopped Gilboa’s streak, setting the score at 78-64 with three minutes left in the game. Hickman added a pair of deuces (one off an assist by Ingles) and a trey that sealed the deal, and Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv defeated Hapoel Gilboa Galil 85-74 in week 5 of the Israeli Winner Sal League.
BOXSCORE
Maccabi: Hickman 20 points, 3 rebounds; Ohayon 17 points, 6 assists, 6 rebounds; Ingles 11 points, 8 assists, 4 rebounds; James 9 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists; Tyus and Pnini 8 points each; Blu 7 points; Landesberg 5 points, 4 rebounds.
