The Yellow & Blue record their 6th straight win in all competitions while staying perfect at home and improving their domestic league record to 15:0. Dorsey (18 Points) led 5 players to score in double figures beating Maccabi Haifa 91:77. On Thursday: Maccabi heads out to Munich
Maccabi Fox Tel Aviv’s great momentum continued Sunday night in Menorah Mivtachim Arena, as the Yellow & Blue beat Maccabi Haifa 91:77, opening up a two-point lead in the top of the Israeli league. On Thursday, the Israeli champions head out on the road to face Bayern Munich in EuroLeague action, and on Sunday will host the third derby of the year, as Giannis Sfairopoulos’s squad will compete against Hapoel Tel Aviv.
Maccabi began the game with Scottie Wilbekin, Yovel Zoosman, Elijah Bryant, Quincy Acy, and Othello Hunter in the starting five. Hunter converted a three-point play to take the lead, 5:4. Wilbekin hit Maccabi’s first shot from deep, and Hunter continued to dominate inside, scoring two easy buckets. Still, James Young heated up from behind the arc connecting four threes in two minutes that gave the greens an 18:17 advantage. Zoosman scored a beautiful bucket to finish the first quarter with a 2 point lead, 24:22.
The second quarter began with a great showing by the youngster Deni Avdija: first off, scored two tough baskets in the paint, as defensively the hosts guarded well to increase the lead to 30:24. Avdija dished an assist to Zoosman for a layup and scored two three-pointers that gave the Yellow & Blue a double-digit lead, 40:30. Dori Sahar scored 5 straight points to end the half for the Israeli champions, 52:37 advantage at the half.
Gregory Vargas put pressure on defense and offensively found teammates for his 7th and 8th assist of the night leading a 6:0 Haifa run with the start of the second half, 52:43 Maccabi. Hunter started a 13:3 run with a poster dunk, Jake Cohen and Tyler Dorsey with dynamic plays gave the Yellow & Blue a 19 point lead, 65:46. Jonathan Mor drilled a three after three straight misses, as Cohen signed off the third with a 69:55 lead going into the final 10 minutes.
Defensively, Maccabi didn’t take their foot off the pedal as they fed the ball to the big men duo, Cohen and Hunter, inside the paint running away from the visitors 77:57. The Greens didn’t say their final word scoring 7 unanswered points, however, 5 points by Acy, 82:66. Dorsey hit from the free-throw line and a bucket by Avdija closed the deal, Maccabi stays perfect in the domestic league with a 91:77 win over Maccabi Haifa.
