Maccabi’s great team effort secures 71:76 road win over Khimki

Coach Sfairopoulos’ starting five: Wilbekin, Zoosman, Caloiaro, O’Bryant and Black. Khimki started the game firing on all cylinders taking the early 7:0 lead. Caloiaro was scored but Khimki answered with a 6:0 run (13:2). The crew in yellow and blue found its offensive to trim Khimki’s lead down to 21:15 forcing coach Kurtinaitis to call for a timeout. Monia scored a corner three to put his team ahead 24:15 at the end of the first quarter.

Roll started the second quarter on fire scoring back to back threes to bring Maccabi closer to Khimki (24:21). Mickey’s post up play was good yet but the yellow offense was thundering knocking down threes with O’Bryant bringing Maccabi to within a striking distance (28:27). Johnny made his presence felt scoring five points to tie the game with just under three minutes remaining in the first half (35:35). Caloiaro’s three point play gave Maccabi its first lead of the night (37:38). Markovich made both of his free throws but Caloiaro had the final say in the first half giving Maccabi the 39:40 edge.

Thomas and Zubkov gave Khimki back the lead at the beginning of the second half (42:40).  Maccabi capitalized on an unsportsmanlike foul to complete a 5:0 play as they take the 42:45 lead. Mickey scored a wing managed to stay close to Maccabi (49:50). Pargo’s step-back wing three sparked a 7:0 run for Maccabi to make it 51:59 with 01:30 remaining in the third quarter. Thomas and Shved brought the locals closer to Maccabi at the end of third quarter with a 4:0 run (55:59).

Caloiaro was the first to score in the fourth but Shved and Monia answered with back to back threes to tie the game (61:61) forcing coach Sfairopoulos to call for a timeout. Maccabi came out extremely focused from the timeout completing a 6:0 run to take the 61:67 lead. Shved tried to keep his team alive but Caloiaro capitalized on the offensive board to keep Maccabi ahead 65:71.  Croker and Mickey brought Khimki to within a striking distance forcing coach Sfairopoulos to call for a timeout (69:71). Pargo scored a huge deep three to put Maccabi ahead 69:76 from which Khimki couldn’t recover as the visitors claim the 71:76 away win to stay alive.