Maccabi Tel Aviv 
Hapoel Tel Aviv Maccabi Tel Aviv
Made/Att
Made/Att
Made/Att
DEF OFF TOT
CM RV
FV AG
Hapoel Tel Aviv
Made/Att
Made/Att
Made/Att
DEF OFF TOT
CM RV
FV AG
Saturday evening: The Tel Aviv derby
Maccabi FOX Tel Aviv open up a 3 game series against Hapoel as part of the Israeli League playoffs. The winner will secure a final four ticket. Sfairopoulos: "These are different type of games"
It’s playoff time. After finishing an excellent regular-season with 24 wins compared to 4 losses, the reigning Israeli champions Maccabi FOX Tel Aviv will continue their quest to defend their title hosting Hapoel Tel Aviv in Menora Mivtachim Arena, as part of the Israeli league quarterfinals (Saturday, 21:00, live on Sport5 – channel 55). The winner of the 3 game set will clinch a spot in the semi-finals, as they’ll face the winner between Hapoel Holon and Hapoel Gilboa/Galil in Yad Eliyahu.
“We start our journey in the playoffs as these are different type of games compared to the regular season matchups”. Said, head coach Giannis Sfairopoulos, who later added: “In the regular season we did an excellent job finishing in first place despite injuries, despite missing players before and after the Coronavirus. We proved we deserved finishing in first. We have a vital series and an important game versus Hapoel Tel Aviv. We respect them, they are a determined team, and we need to be concentrated, stick to our gameplan, and carry the game to situations we’d prefer”.
Jake Cohen, spoke before the start of the playoffs: “We’ve gone through a lot to reach this point. A lot of hardship, difficult moments to come to these playoffs, and now it’s time we can validate it and make it all worthwhile. Personally, the last thing I’d want to do is end this season on a bad note. I think we deserve the title, we’ve done a great job this year, we’ve fought through a lot as a team – injuries, and then Corona. Now we have an opportunity to take a title”.
The Yellow & Blue came on top of the Reds in all three meetings this season. The first head to head was in the “Winner” Cup quarterfinals, as Maccabi dominated Hapoel 87:67 in Shlomo Group Arena. Omri Casspi was in command scoring 18 points, 8 rebounds, and 33 index points. The second matchup came in week 10, as the Yellow & Blue beat the Reds 91:84 on the road. In the final contest between both clubs, the reigning champions won 84:74, as 7 of their players finished the night in double figures.
Hapoel Tel Aviv finished the regular season in the 8th spot with a 13:16 record. In the final regular-season fixture as part of the bottom table, the Reds lost 105:106 to the last-placed Maccabi Ashdod in overtime. Since the return from the corona break, Hapoel won 5 out of their last 8 games. Maccabi holds a 15 game playoff win streak against Hapoel. Last season, Giannis Sfairopoulos’s squad swept the Reds in the quarterfinals 3:0 on its way on winning their 53rd Israeli league title.
Maccabi beat Hapoel 67:66 for 1:0 series lead
The Yellow & Blue defeat the Reds at home 67:66 after a dramatic finish. Zoosman led the way with 12 points and 9 rebounds. On Tuesday: Game 2 on the road
Maccabi FOX Tel Aviv took a 1:0 series lead in the Israeli “Winner” League quarterfinals after an exciting 67:66 win over the Reds. The Yellow & Blue fought their way out of a 15 point deficit with a 20:10 fourth-quarter finish as Yovel Zoosman was superb on both ends of the court finishing the night with 12 points and 9 rebounds. Scottie Wilbekin, Deni Avdija, and Jake Cohen each scored 10 points. Tuesday, Giannis Sfairopoulos’s squad head out to Shlomo Group Arena for Game 2 of the series.
Scottie Wilbekin, Yovel Zoosman, Deni Avdija, Angelo Caloiaro, and Othello Hunter opened in Giannis Sfairopoulos’s starting five while Yam Madar, Sek Henry, Joaquin Szuchman, Tomer Ginat and Talib Zanna began the game for the visitors.
Madar knocked in the first two points of the series and dished 2 straight assists to Zanna for a 5 point advantage, but Hunter answered scoring five consecutive points for the Yellow & Blue, 5:7. Avdija tied it up at 10 with a shot from deep, as both sides exchanged buckets, 16:16. Madar created the final four points of the quarter, 16:20 after 10 minutes.
Amar’e Stoudemire hit two from the free-throw line, but Jordan Davis and Ginat scored from inside the paint, causing Sfairopoulos to call a timeout, 18:24. Tyler Dorsey and a Zoosman three-pointer decreased the lead down to 2, but Davis nailed in three from the line, and Szuchman with a three-point play led Hapoel to a 6:0 run, 22:30.
Jake Cohen entered the scoreboard tallying seven consecutive points for the hosts, on the other end, Davis continued his good first half answering with 5 points, 29:37. Ginat gave the reds a 10 point advantage, but Cohen found Avdija, who laid it in to finish the first half, 31:39.
The Yellow & Blue opened the second half with better energy, Caloiaro nailed a three, Zoosman scored two and Hunter laid it in for a 7:2 stretch which cut the reds lead down to 3, 38:41.
Zanna and Ginat increased the lead up to 7, Hunter reduced it to five, but then Hapoel took the momentum going on a 10:0 run for their largest advantage of the night, 40:55. Amar’e led Maccabi’s 7:1 counter, which reduced the Reds lead to single digits, 47:56 heading into the final 10 minutes.
The hosts raised their intensity on defense, stopping the visitors scoreless for the first 4:35 minutes of the quarter. Offensively, Stoudemire started the 11:0 run with a slam, Wilbekin hit a shot behind the arc, and Dorsey added a three of his own for an 11:0 run, which gave the Yellow & Blue their first lead of the night, 58:56. Madar scored the reds first points of the quarter, and Henry nailed a three-pointer, 59:62. Wilbekin responded with a three, but Henry took it upon himself with another three-pointer, 62:65, 2:21 till the end of regulation.
Avdija tipped in after an offensive rebound, and next possession drilled a corner three, 67:65. With 44 seconds left on the game clock, Davis hit only one of two from the line cutting the Yellow & Blue lead down to 1. Hunter missed a hook shot, Hapoel got the last opportunity to win it, but Davis and Henry couldn’t find the basket. Maccabi takes a 1:0 series advantage after a thrilling 67:66 win over Hapoel.
