Victorious Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv will play in the Israel Cup semi-final, thanks to outstanding play by Bluthenthal (18 points) and Perkins (15 points).
By Amy Samin
Starting for Maccabi were Chuck Eidson, Raviv Limonad, David Bluthenthal, Andrew Wisniewski and D’or Fischer.
Afula’s starters were Nitzan Hanochi, Gur Porat, Jacob Jaacks, Dionte Christmas and Justin Dentmon. Limonad and Wisniewski combined for six straight points for Maccabi early in the first quarter, but two minutes into the game Christmas nailed a three to make it a one point game.
Limonad was called for his second foul and was replaced by Guy Pnini.
Hanochi tied the game at 9 halfway through the period, but was answered by two straight three-pointers by Wiz, bringing the score to 19 – 11, Maccabi.
Hanochi responded with a three of his own.
The first quarter ended with Maccabi leading 23 – 19.
Afula opened the second quarter with four straight points, but Bluthenthal and Alan Anderson both scored from outside the arc in response.
Maccabi continued to play well, and five straight from Limonad made it 40 – 25.
The young guard kept up his momentum, adding another five as team captain Derrick Sharp came into the game for Stephane Lasme.
Doron Perkins and Eidson added some points, and the half ended with a three-pointer by Christmas at the buzzer to set the halftime score at Maccabi 50, Afula 36.
Yaniv Green, Eidson, Perkins, Wiz and Bluthenthal started the second half for Maccabi.
The hosts opened the period with two three-pointers, but points from Perkins and Eidson kept Maccabi’s lead in double figures.
Hanochi continued to be the Israeli factor for Afula, closing the gap to 61 – 48 by the middle of the third quarter.
Two long ones from the corner by McKie threatened Maccabi’s lead, making it 67 – 56.
Pnini scored from three point range, while a bucket from Christmas ended the period with the score 72 – 60.
Nir Cohen of Afula took advantage of a hesitant start for Maccabi in the fourth quarter, narrowing the gap to a single digit, 72 – 63 after two minutes of play.
Bluthenthal stepped up with a smooth three to return the lead to two figures.
Cohen’s second unsportsmanlike call led to his team calling for a time out with Maccabi leading 77 – 65.
Perkins drained a key three-pointer at the halfway mark in the period, and another time out was called.
Dentmon scored two threes for Afula and narrowed the lead to ten, 88 – 78 with two minutes left in the game.
Pnini’s easy two under the basket set the final score and the victory for Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv, 95 – 81 over Afula, sending Maccabi to the semi-finals of the Israel Cup.
Box Scores
Maccabi: Bluthenthal 18 points; Perkins 15 points, 4 assists; Eidson, Anderson and Limonad 12 points each; Wisniewski 9 points; Pnini 8 points; Lasme 6 points, 7 rebounds; Fischer 2 points; Green 1 point.
Afula: Christmas 17 points; Hanochi 16 points; Dentmon 15 points; Hall 11 points; Cohen 9 points; McKie 7 points; Jaacks and Nanikashvili 3 points each.
Maccabi’s head coach Pini Gershon said after the game, “Basically, we didn’t have the feeling we were going to lose the game, and for part of the game we were thinking about the game to come on Thursday, which is more important to us.
One of the reasons Fischer didn’t play much was because of match-ups; when Jaacks was on the court, either Fischer or Green could guard him, and it was important to get Yaniv back into the swing of things.
He has only just started back to practicing.
A fifteen point difference is enough for the Cup; even one point is enough.”
Guard Raviv Limonad said, “It’s tough playing on Afula’s court.
The court is small, and it was harder than we expected, but we won an important game and have advanced to the semi-finals.
That’s what we wanted, and that’s what’s important.”
