In the first game of their third practice tournament of the pre-season, Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv steamrollered the Italian team Enel Brindisi, 86 – 64. Top scorers for Maccabi were Eidson with 15 points and Burstein with 13. On Tuesday, Maccabi faces Caserta. (Photos by Vito Massagli).
By Amy Samin
In first game of their third practice tournament of the pre-season, Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv steamrollered the Italian team Enel Brindisi, 86 – 64.
At one point in the fourth quarter Maccabi’s lead swelled to 41 points.
Chuck Eidson led all scorers with 15, while Tal Burstein racked up 13, including three from downtown.
Although it was Maccabi’s fifth international practice game of the pre-season, it was their fans’ first opportunity to see the new-and-improved Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv under the leadership of head coach David Blatt.
Guy Pnini, Richard Hendrix, Lior Eliyahu, Jeremy Pargo and Doron Perkins started the game for the Israeli team, and immediately set about impressing and delighting fans with three straight Pargo – Eliyahu combos to get things off to a brisk start.
Two from the charity stripe by Hendrix made it 8 – 0 Maccabi after just over a minute and a half of play.
Perkins demonstrated that he has maintained his form during the summer break, contributing an assist and points of his own to put Maccabi up 12 – 3 near the halfway mark in the period.
Hendrix nailed two more from the free throw line and Perkins scored in the paint to make it 16 – 11.
Chuck Eidson came into the game and quickly contributed two from the foul line, but it was Sofoklis Schortsanitis who closed out the quarter, scoring three points to extend Maccabi’s lead to nine, 23 – 14.
Sofo picked up where he left off, scoring a dunk to kick off the second quarter, then adding two more points as he dominated the paint on offense.
Tal Burstein dished to Eidson who nailed a three pointer from the new neighborhood downtown, putting Maccabi up 30 – 14 nearly three minutes into the period.
David Blu scored one of his patented bombs from outside the newly-drawn arc and then, following another Burstein to Eidson play, drained another long one, making it 39 – 14.
Newcomer Jeff Foote was fouled on a drive to the basket and tagged a free throw to give Maccabi a 42 – 14 lead with less than three minutes left in the half.
After being held scoreless by the strong Maccabi defense for almost nine straight minutes, Brindisi managed to scrape together a 9 – 0 scoring run, but a dunk by Yaniv Green off a putback finished the half with Maccabi enjoying a comfortable lead, 44 – 23.
Maccabi scored a flurry of baskets at the start of the third quarter, and points by Eliyahu off an assist by Eidson made it a 25 point lead, 52 – 27.
Eliyahu returned the favor, dishing to Eidson for two points near the halfway point in the period.
A fast-break kicked off by Eidson led to a round of here-you-take-it, with Perkins passing to Eliyahu back to Perkins and finally to Hendrix for the points in the paint, making it 60 – 35 Maccabi.
Burstein sank two straight three-pointers near the top of the arc, the second coming off an excellent pass by Hendrix.
In the final minutes of the quarter, team captain Derrick Sharp and Sofo entered the game and in short order the Sharpshooter had sent home a long two pointer to give Maccabi a 72 – 41 lead.
The period ended with a bucket by Perkins off the glass, 74 – 43.
The fourth quarter started with a classic Sharp three-pointer from the left corner, which he followed with two dishes to Blu for two each, 81 – 43.
Burstein gave Maccabi their biggest lead of the game with a three pointer from near the right corner, 84 – 43. Foote came in again and fought hard under the basket, scoring the final points for Maccabi on a dunk off an assist by Eidson.
Brindisi scraped together another thirteen points as the game wound down, but it was too little too late.
Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv won the game easily, 86 – 64 over Enel Brindisi, and will face JuveCaserta Basket in the final of the tournament on Tuesday.
Box Scores
Maccabi: Eidson 15 points; Burstein 13 points; Hendrix and Blu 10 points each; Schortsanitis and Eliyahu 8 points each; Pargo and Perkins 6 points each; Sharp 5 points; Foote 3 points; Green 2 points.
Maccabi head coach David Blatt had this to say after the game: “After a long flight and an excellent practice yesterday evening, we had a great game.
Although they aren’t exactly a tough competitor, certainly not on the level of the Euroleague, we made the game much easier because we played well and correctly, and did the things we need to know how to do.
I’m happy I was able to give a lot of minutes to all of the players.
We’re going to keep practicing, and the game on Tuesday against Caserta will be tougher.”
