A step back jumper by Rochestie at the end of the game gave Maccabi FOX Tel Aviv a 73-70 win over Maccabi Haifa in the Israeli Cup quarterfinals at Romema Arena. Smith led all scorers with 18 points.
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By Amy Samin
Maccabi FOX TEl Aviv made an amazing comeback after being down by 14 points in the fourth quarter to defeat Maccabi Haifa 73-70 in the Israeli Cup quarterfinals at Romema Arena in Haifa. Devin Smith led all scorers with 18 points. Trevor Mbakwe added 12 points and 14 rebounds, and Guy Pnini contributed 11 points.
Maccabi’s starters were Devin Smith, Brian Randle, Sylven Landesberg, Taylor Rochestie, and Trevor Mbakwe. Maccabi opened well and led 13-6 halfway through the period, but Haifa woke up and made it a two point game. Mbakwe and Smith didn’t let the hosts come any closer, and the period ended with Maccabi holding a 21-14 lead.
Guy Pnini scored from downtown early in the second quarter, but Haifa responded quickly and cut Maccabi’s lead to 24-22 after three minutes. Jordan Farmar also scored from outside the arc, but again the home team answered, tying the score at 27 at the halfway mark. Landesberg and Randle put the lead back in Maccabi’s hands, but Haifa’s Coleman scored and added a free throw to put Haifa on top for the first time in the game. Two from the foul line ended the half with Maccabi up 37-36.
Haifa capitalized on multiple turnovers by the yellows, and claimed a 43-41 lead which then grew to 49-43 halfway through the third quarter. A three by Pnini helped narrow the gap, but the momentum stayed with the hosts, whose lead had grown to 58-51 by the end of the period.
Maccabi continued to struggle as the fourth quarter got underway, and Haifa cruised to a fourteen point lead after three and a half minutes, 68-54. The yellows began to chip away at the deficit, with points from Landesberg, Randle, Mbakwe, and Smith making it a one point game, 69-68 to Haifa with 1:10 on the clock. Points from the charity stripe by Mbakwe tied the score at 70, and a step back jumper from downtown by Rochestie gave Maccabi a 73-70 win, and a place in the Israeli Cup semifinals.
