In week 2 of the Euroleague Top 16 Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv defeated Lokomotiv Kuban 85-75 in front of a sell-out crowd at Nokia Arena. Sofo led all scorers with 22 points and Smith contributed 15 points and 12 rebounds. Rice added 12 points and 6 assists.
By Amy Samin
Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv’s record in the Top 16 improved to 2-0 following their 85-75 defeat of Lokomotiv Kuban at Nokia Arena. Sofo Schortsanitis led all scorers with 22 points, while Devin Smith had a double double with 15 points and 12 rebounds. Tyrese Rice contributed 12 points and 6 assists.
Maccabi’s starters were Devin Smith, Ricky Hickman, Guy Pnini, Yogev Ohayon, and Sofo Schortsanitis. Maccabi got off to a great start, thanks to 11 points from their Greek center that made it 12-7 in the first four minutes. The home team was strong on rebounds, as well, with Alex Tyus coming into the game for Sofo. Mantas Kalnietis and Richard Hendrix scored for Kuban to tie the score at 21 as the period came to an end.
David Blu opened the second quarter with points from downtown, newly-returned team captain Shawn James added a hook shot, and Joe Ingles also scored to make it 27-21 Maccabi after two and a half minutes. Kuban was able to pull within one, but Tyrese Rice and Ingles added a pair of treys and Sofo scored under the basket (assist Pnini) to make it 35-26 halfway through the period. Sergey Bykov and Kuban narrowed the gap, while Rice and Ingles again gave Maccabi some breathing room. A catch and shoot by Smith at the top of the arc (assist Blu) and a response from the visitors ended the half with Maccabi leading 45-38.
Kuban opened strong at the start of the third quarter, pulling within one off a three pointer by Hendrix, 46-45 after three and a half minutes. Back to back buckets by Sofo opened things up for Maccabi, but the visitors stayed close, even taking a one point lead briefly before a huge three and 1 by Pnini made it 58-55 Maccabi with two and a half minutes left in the period. Pnini added another triple from the same spot, and Rice scored at the buzzer to end the period with the score 64-62.
Maccabi continued to play well in the early minutes of the fourth quarter but Kuban stayed close, until a classic catch and shoot by Blu made it 72-66 Maccabi. Smith added another three pointer, Rice showed some dazzling moves, and a couple of buckets by Hickman rounded things out nicely as Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv claimed an 85-75 victory over Lokomotiv Kuban in week 2 of the Euroleague Top 16.
