Maccabi Tel Aviv 
Maccabi Rishon LeZion Maccabi Tel Aviv
Made/Att
Made/Att
Made/Att
DEF OFF TOT
CM RV
FV AG
Maccabi Rishon LeZion
Made/Att
Made/Att
Made/Att
DEF OFF TOT
CM RV
FV AG
Tuesday Final: Maccabi vs Rishon Le'Zion
The Yellow & Blue battle for the Israeli title against Guy Goodes's squad for the second consecutive year. The journey to the finals, the opponent and the stats you should know from past championship games
Maccabi FOX Tel Aviv faces Maccabi Rishon Le’Zion on Tuesday evening as part of the Israeli “Winner” League Final Four Final. This is the second straight year Giannis Sfairopoulos’s squad prepares for Guy Goodes’s Oranges.
After a hard-fought 2:1 Quarterfinal series win Hapoel, the Yellow & Blue beat Hapoel Gilboa/Galil 81:78 in the Semifinal. In the earlier Semifinal matchup, Maccabi Rishon Le’ Zion blew a promising lead against Hapoel Jerusalem, but Adam Ariel drained a dramatic game-winning three-pointer sending the Oranges to their third final appearance.
Head coach Giannis Sfairopoulos spoke towards the finals: “It wasn’t an easy period because it was after we all were quarantined during March, April, and May. When we started to practice with these conditions, the players had to stay in quarantine for two months, and that is not an easy situation. We overcame that, and now we are thinking only about the final”.
The head to head during the season and the team’s energy showed in the past several games: “When you play a final, it’s an entirely different game because, after this game, there is a title. Energy and quality are both important for tomorrow. We need to play better, and we have to have a solid game in all aspects. We know each other, and the most important thing is to focus on”.
The importance of winning the title: “I don’t win, we win. We will try to win the title together. Basketball is a game, and from my experience, anything can happen. What is most important is for everyone to be safe during this pandemic. I wish everyone to be healthy and pass this economic crisis”.
Jake Cohen, was asked about his feelings as Maccabi’s captain: “Winning the third championship is my 100% focus right now, all of the other stuff is secondary. My goal is to win one more championship for the club”.
Throughout the year, Maccabi Fox Tel Aviv played 7 pre-season matches, 3 “Winner” Cup contests, 28 EuroLeague fixtures, 24 domestic league games, and 4 Playoff matchups. It results in 58 official games and 68 total contests, including an extended corona break.
Maccabi Rishon Le’ Zion gave Maccabi the most difficulty in the domestic league this year, holding a 2:2 record. The Tel Avivians won the first matchup 81:66 on the road and added a 75:64 victory in Menora Mictachim Arena. After the corona break, the Oranges came away with 92:90 and 86:77 triumphs.
In last year’s final, Maccabi FOX Tel Aviv beat Rishon Le’ Zion 89:75. John DiBartolomeo excelled with 15 points, Scottie Wilbekin and DeAndre Kane each added 14, Tarik Black contributed 11, and Michael Roll tallied 10 points. On the opposing side, Darryl Monroe scored 22 points for the Oranges.
Maccabi Tel Aviv Basketball Club achieved 53 championships and 105 official titles. Rishon Le’ Zion will look to lift their second championship plate.
FOR THE 54TH TIME: MACCABI CROWNED ISRAEL CHAMPIONS!
The Yellow & Blue beat Maccabi Rishon Le'Zion 86:81 in the Final Four Final. The MVP of the night, Amar'e Stoudemire scored 18 points and 7 rebounds, Sandy Cohen and Othello Hunter each added 16 points
Maccabi FOX Tel Aviv is the 2019/2020 Israel “Winner” League Champions! Giannis Sfairopoulos’s squad fought hard in the final minutes of the Final Four Final versus Maccabi Rishon Le’Zion. However, the Yellow & Blue dominated the offensive boards and relied on Amar’e Stoudemire in the final minutes to keep the lead on its way to an 86:81 win.
Scottie Wilbekin, Deni Avdija, Angelo Caloiaro, Amar’e Stoudemire and Othello Hunter began the game for Maccabi. Alex Hamilton, DeAngelo Harrison, Oz Blayzer, Darryl Monroe, and Zach Hankins for Rishon Le’Zion.
Hunter scored a deep 2 to open up the final, and Stoudemire laid it in for a quick lead, but Blayzer knocked in a corner three after a deflected pass, 6:6. Caloiaro and Avdija responded with back to back triples, and the young forward led the Yellow & Blue to a 7:0 stretch, including a highlight drive and assist to Hunter, who slammed it down for a three-point play, 17:8.
Harrison connected twice from deep to cut the lead down to 3, but Dorsey responded with two triples of his own as part of an 8:0 run, giving Maccabi a double-digit advantage, 27:16. Harrison drilled a quarter ending three for his 14th point, 29:21 after the first 10 minutes.
Stoudemire slammed in the Yellow & Blue’s fourth dunk of the night, but Blayzer scored 5 consecutive points reducing the lead in half, 31:26. Sandy Cohen started another 7:0 stretch, grabbing a defensive board and laying it on the other end as Dorsey connected for his third triple of the night, 38:26. Jake Cohen blocked Monroe inside the paint on the defensive end, as Dorsey & Sandy Cohen drilled two more from behind the arc, 44:31.
The Yellow & Blue defense helped on the offensive end as Cohen continued his incredible first half dropping two more shots from deep, providing Maccabi a 22 point advantage, 54:32. Hamilton scored two buckets to decrease the lead down to 18 at halftime, 54:36.
Adam Ariel and Monroe scored 5 straight points, but Hunter provided Stoudemire back to back assists in the paint, 58:41. Hankins scored his first two points of the final after grabbing an offensive board, and Harrison converted 7 consecutive points for Rishon Le’Zion keeping them in the contest, 63:50.
Cohen hit a fadeaway jumper, as Monroe knocked in two from the charity strike, and Harrison cut the lead to single digits, 65:57. Wilbekin lobbed to Hunter, who slammed it, and a possession later, converted another basket to finish the third with a 10 point lead, 69:59.
Jake Cohen laid in the first points of the final quarter, but Hamilton from mid-range and Harrison reduced the advantage to single digits, 71:63. Hunter added one from the line, Wilbekin hit his first three-pointer but Harrison, with the help of Blayzer, lowered the deficit midway through the fourth, 75:70.
The Oranges went to Harrison, who drilled a clutch three to diminish the lead to 3, but in the final minutes, the MVP of the night Amar’e Stoudemire carried the Yellow & Blue scoring three consecutive buckets, 81:76. Ariel sank another three-pointer, on the other end Caloiaro grabbed a critical offensive rebound and notched one of two from the line, 82:79 with a minute left on the game clock.
Harrison drew a foul and scored both free throws, Stoudemire responded with two of his own from the charity strike, 84:81. Harrison missed a layup as Wilbekin hit both free throws giving Maccabi a 5 point advantage, 86:81. Avdija guarded Harrison, who turned the ball over after a half-court violation, which sealed the deal. Maccabi FOX Tel Aviv win their 54th Israeli Championship after an 86:81 win over Maccabi Rishon Le’Zion.
