By Amy Samin Maccabi\u2019s starting five was comprised of Charles Gaines, Marcus Brown, Carlos Arroyo, Lior Eliyahu and Dror Hagag. Maccabi opened the game under the direction of Hagag and with emphasis on M. Brown on offense, and reached an early 6 \u2013 2 lead after two and a half minutes of play. Maccabi continued to lumber along behind the hosts in the second quarter, missing shots and failing to get close to Alba. Arroyo finally found his hot hand at the start of the third period, but Maccabi was weak on defense, allowing Alba to take their lead up to 40 \u2013 At the start of the final period, Alba began a barrage of three-pointers, whittling away at Maccabi\u2019s lead. Box Scores Maccabi<\/SPAN><\/B>: Gaines 24 points, 12 rebounds; M. Brown 21 points (4 for 7 from three point range); Carlos Arroyo 14 points; D. Brown 11 points; Eliyahu 6 points. Alba After the game, Maccabi head coach Pini Gershon<\/B> had this to say: \u201cThis wasn\u2019t an easy game for either of the teams. Sharon Drucker<\/SPAN><\/B>, assistant coach for Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv, said, \u201cThe players did exactly what we asked of them: fight as professionals for their own honor and that of the team as a whole. \u201cWe played an away game against a home crowd of 10,000 and a team that very much wanted to win, but we controlled the game. Marcus Brown<\/SPAN><\/B>, who scored 21 points, added, \u201cWe knew that we couldn\u2019t qualify for the quarterfinals, but we still needed to do our jobs and represent the team with honor in a situation that isn\u2019t easy. Luka Pavicevic<\/SPAN><\/B>, head coach for Alba
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<\/SPAN>After their fine start, Maccabi started making turnovers on offense, and the hosts began taking advantage of Maccabi\u2019s soft defense; with three and a half minutes remaining in the period the game was close, with the score 11 \u2013 10 in Maccabi\u2019s favor.
<\/SPAN>For most of the rest of the quarter neither team scored, providing viewers with an uninspiring game, and the quarter ended with the score only 15 \u2013 13,
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<\/SPAN>Three minutes into the second quarter, a three-pointer by Jenkins put the score at 23 \u2013 19,
<\/SPAN>Solid play on defense and points by D. Brown and Gaines, who was Maccabi\u2019s leading scorer in the first half, helping Maccabi erase the deficit and tie the score at 25 all with three and a half minutes left in the period.
<\/SPAN>Just as it looked like Maccabi would take control of the game, they started losing the ball and the momentum, but the game took another turn and became close until the end of the half, with a bucket by McElroy giving the hosts a meager lead, 32 \u2013 30 at the buzzer.
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<\/SPAN>Things were not looking good for Maccabi when, from out of nowhere, three straight three-pointers from the Browns (two by Marcus, one by
<\/SPAN>With the momentum on their side, the rest of Maccabi\u2019s players joined the hot Brown in scoring, and the team tightened up defensively as well.
<\/SPAN>In the closing seconds of the quarter, Arroyo nailed one from outside the arc to set the score at 55 \u2013 47, Maccabi.
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<\/SPAN>But Gaines, with an impressive performance under the basket on both ends, refused to allow the hosts to take back the game.
<\/SPAN>A string of dunks and baskets by the big man gave Maccabi a 62 \u2013 53 lead after four minutes of play.
<\/SPAN>A technical foul called on Berlin\u2019s coach helped Maccabi pad their lead, but a 7 \u2013 0 scoring run by the home team made it a whole new ball game, with Maccabi\u2019s lead chopped down to three, 67 \u2013 64 with two minutes left in the game.
<\/SPAN>Two great plays by Marcus Brown – a three-pointer and an assist to Gaines – put Maccabi\u2019s lead back up to 8 with one minute remaining and could have marked the end of the game, but two quick shots from downtown by Berlin turned the end of the game into a nail-biter. Maccabi sewed up the game thanks to four free throws by Arroyo and a beautiful block by Eliyahu at the other end.
<\/SPAN>Final score: Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv 76, Alba
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<\/SPAN>In such a low-scoring game, the important thing is to make as few mistakes as possible, and we knew that; that helped us win the game.
<\/SPAN>I hope that Alba, and especially Luka (Pavicevic, head coach for Alba
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<\/SPAN>Even with key players missing, the team stepped up the intensity.
<\/SPAN>Every player who entered the game gave his all.
<\/SPAN>Even though Alba wanted to win this last home game of the Top 16, we took the victory.\u201d
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<\/SPAN>We only turned over the ball six times, and we went to the line 25 times. That\u2019s how you need to play away games, with control, performance and heart.\u201d
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<\/SPAN>The game started out really slow, but we knew how to pick up the pace and win.
<\/SPAN>I missed some easy shots in the first half.
<\/SPAN>When that happens, you\u2019ve got to be patient and stick with the game plan.
<\/SPAN>It was strange playing without our big guys, D\u2019or Fischer and Yaniv Green.
<\/SPAN>We wish them well and hope they make a speedy recovery.\u201d
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<\/SPAN>We came to this game after a tough week of three games in four days, and that had an effect on us.
<\/SPAN>We couldn\u2019t find our rhythm.
<\/SPAN>We made too many turnovers and our shooting percentages were awful.\u201d