By Amy Samin

Andrew Wisniewski, Alan Anderson, Chuck Eidson, David Bluthenthal and D’or Fischer opened for Maccabi, while Maroussi’s starting five were Manos Batis, Jamon Lucas, Kostas Kaimakoglou, Jared Homan and Michalis Pelekanos.

Maccabi got off to a good start early in the game thanks to points from Wiz, Fish and Anderson, including a pretty reverse layup by the latter, making it 8 – 4 Maccabi with four minutes gone in the first quarter.
But Maroussi got back into the game with six unanswered points, until a three from Bluthenthal in the corner gave the lead back to Maccabi, 11 – 10 with three and a half left in the period.
A dunk by Fischer and points by Eidson and Bluthenthal put the score at 19 – 12 at the end of the quarter.

Neither team played well at the start of the second period, but Maroussi managed to pull within three, 19 – 16 two and a half minutes into the quarter.
Maccabi picked up the pace, with points in the paint leading up to a 30 – 23 lead for the visitors with two and a half minutes left in the half.
Once again the Greeks got themselves back into the game with outside shooting, and the half ended with Maccabi up by three, 34 – 31.

Maroussi quickly tied the game in the opening minutes of the second half, but a key three from Bluthenthal gave Maccabi a slim lead, 39 – 36.
The lead continued to change hands for the remainder of the quarter.
A layup by Yaniv Green off a great pass by Anderson ended up as a three point play when Green was fouled on the way to the basket, putting Maccabi up 52 – 50 in the final minute of the period. The hosts didn’t let Maccabi capitalize on their lead, and the period ended in a tied score, 53 – 53.

Maccabi took the lead early in the fourth quarter off a three-pointer by Bluthenthal and points from Eidson, but Maroussi came on strong, taking the lead 63 – 58 three minutes into the period.
Maccabi couldn’t seem to stop Maroussi from scoring, and with three minutes left in the game the hosts had taken a double digit lead, 69 – 58.
Doron Perkins gave Maccabi some points from the free throw line, and a three from the top of the arc by Anderson put Maccabi within six, 72 – 66 with less than a minute and a half on the clock.
Anderson then fouled out and was replaced by team captain Derrick Sharp, who immediately did what he does best, nailing two shots from downtown.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough, and the game ended in a win for Maroussi over Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv, 83 – 75.

Box Scores

Maccabi: Perkins 18 points, 5 assists; Anderson 13 points; Bluthenthal 10 points; Eidson, Fischer, Sharp and Wisniewski 6 points each; Lasme 5 points; Green 3 points; Pnini 2 points.

Maroussi: Kaimakoglou 18 points; Homan 14 points; Lucas 12 points; Pelekanos 11 points; Keys and Nadjfeji 10 points each; Mavroeidis 5 points; Calathes 3 points.