David Blatt expected a close game. Charles Barton predicted a 12 points win for Maccabi. Nobody expected a 26 pts blowout over a team considered to have the best defense in Italy. But that is exactly what Maccabi did to Montepaschi Siena, 107-81.

This was a compensation for the previous week’s loss in Vitoria. It started as a close game, 21-20 at the end of the first quarter. Marcus Goree was Maccabi’s man in the second quarter and at half time they led 47-36. The 11 pts gap remained in the third period (74-63). The blow out came in the final quarter which Maccabi won 33-18.

It was a team’s effort. The spectators in Yad Eluyahu and at home, elected Derrick Sharp as MVP for his defense, 4 stls and 100% shooting. A great game also for Tal Burstein with 17 pts, 6 assists, 4 stls & 3 rbds.

The three other games in Group B ended in road wins. Andres Nocioni (19 pts, 15 rbds), led TAU Vitoria to a 76-72 in Ljubljan. Unicaja Malaga won in Podgorica, 76-72 over Buducnost. In Kaunas a 94-79 for Panathinaukos over Zalgiris.