Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv defeated BCM Gravelines-Dunkerque in overtime and will play in the Angers Tournament final on Saturday. Pnini and Blu were standouts with 13 points each; Papaloukas and Farmar added 12 points each.
By Amy Samin
In a closely-fought matchup against BCM Gravelines-Dunkerque on Friday night, Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv emerged victorious after dominating in the extra period, 93 – 79. On Saturday, they will play in the Final of the Angers Tournament, where they will face French champions, SLUC Nancy Basket. Guy Pnini and David Blu were outstanding, especially from downtown, leading Maccabi’s scorers with 13 points apiece. Theo Papaloukas and Jordan Farmar each added 12, while Smith contributed 11 points and 6 rebounds.
Head coach David Blatt showed his faith in the team’s starting five from Thursday’s game, and led off once again with Jordan Farmar, Yogev Ohayon, Devin Smith, David Blu and Sofoklis Schortsanitis. Maccabi’s pace on offense was relaxed, while the defense kept Gravelines reined in; halfway through the period Maccabi led 6 – 2. Shawn James came into the game for Sofo following an ugly on-court incident in which a player for the French team angrily kicked a ball into the stands, injuring a fan. Maccabi then got down to business, taking a 16 – 8 lead off of free throws by team captain Tal Burstein, and Theo Papaloukas, Guy Pnini, and Richard Hendrix entered the game with 2:50 left in the period. Gravelines didn’t give up though, and managed a comeback that included a pretty three pointer with a second left on the clock, ending the first quarter with the French team in the lead, 19 – 18.
Farmer started off the second quarter with a three for Maccabi, but Gravelines continued to play well, extending their lead to 26 – 21 after two and a half minutes. Following a time-out called by Blatt, Blu scored to narrow the gap to 26 – 23 but the French protected their lead and made it 30 – 25 by the five minute mark. Maccabi kept their cool and tied the game at 30 off points from outside the arc by Pnini with three minutes left until halftime. The French responded quickly, retaking the lead 36 – 35 with a minute left in the period in spite of another three by Pnini that put him in double figures. A layup at the buzzer by Farmar put Maccabi within one as the teams went into halftime with Gravelines in the lead, 38 – 37.
Gravelines opened strong in the third quarter with a 9 – 0 scoring run that put them ahead of Maccabi 47 – 37 two minutes into the period, forcing Blatt to call for a time-out that included across the board substitutions. Farmar scored to halt Graveline’s run, but Maccabi’s defense didn’t hold up and the French were able to score at the other end of the court. Points from Jon Scheyer and Farmar brought Maccabi within six, 50 – 44 with four minutes remaining in the period. A three from Blu and points in the paint by Hendrix brought Maccabi within one, 50 – 49 with two minutes on the clock. Blu scored yet again to put Maccabi back on top 54 – 53 with a minute and a half remaining. A steal by Papaloukas resulted in points by Hendrix, but it was Blu, once again, who scored from downtown to finish out the third quarter with Maccabi in the lead, 59 – 55.
The fourth quarter opened with Hendrix sinking two from the foul line to make it 61 – 55, but the French cut that lead to two, 61 – 59 after two and a half minutes. Pnini and Ohayon (who scored from outside the arc) gave Maccabi a bit of breathing room, 66 – 59 with six minutes left in the game. Gravelines scored two three pointers to cut that lead, but Smith scored to make it 73 – 67. The French remained tenacious, and tied the score at 73 with a minute left in the game. Two free throws by Papaloukas put Maccabi up 75 – 73 with just 8 seconds on the clock, but Gravelines scored to tie the game as time ran out, 75 – 75.
Papaloukas scored at the start of the overtime period and Ohayon added two from the foul line. Blu drained yet another three (assist Hendrix) to put Maccabi up 82 – 77. Two more free throws from Ohayon made it 84 – 77 with just under two minutes left in the extra period. Hendrix added a bucket and one off an assist from Ohayon, and Maccabi led 87 – 79 with under a minute remaining. Four straight free throws by Papaloukas made it 91 – 79 and Smith added a dunk that wrapped things up, giving Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv a 93 – 79 victory over BCM Gravelines-Dunkerque and advancing them to the tournament Final on Saturday against SLUC Nancy Basket, the reigning French champions.
BOXSCORE
Pnini and Blu (4 rebounds) 13 points each; Papaloukas (5 rebounds) and Farmar (4 rebounds, 4 assists) 12 points each; Smith 11 points, 6 rebounds; Hendrix 9 points, 6 rebounds; Ohayon 8 points, 4 assists, 3 steals; Schortsanitis 6 points, 6 rebounds; James 4 points, 8 rebounds; Scheyer 3 points; Burstein 2 points. Eliyahu played but did not score.
