By Amy Samin

Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv won the League Cup after defeating Hapoel Migdal Jerusalem 87 – 77.
Pargo (20 points) had another outstanding game.
Blu added 17 points, Hendrix had 11.

Opening for Maccabi was the familiar fivesome of Guy Pnini, Lior Eliyahu, Jeremy Pargo, Richard Hendrix and Doron Perkins.
Maccabi jumped to an early 10 – 2 lead thanks to points by Hendrix, Pargo (off a steal/assist from Hendrix), and six from Eliyahu including a dunk that had Hapoel coach Oded Katash signaling for a time out after only three minutes of play. The break didn’t seem to do much good, as immediately afterwards Pargo strolled through a sea of red shirts for an easy layup.
The next two minutes belonged to the talented Hendrix, who broke up a pass on defense and rejected a shot attempt by Lior Hakmon as well as scoring 5 points for Maccabi, making it 17 – 6 at the halfway mark in the period.
Pnini nailed a three from the corner then corralled a defensive rebound and sent a Hail Mary bomb to Eliyahu at the other end of the court, putting Maccabi up 24 – 8.
Jerusalem managed to reach double figures with two and a half minutes left on the clock, but an excellent pass from Sofoklis Schortsanitis to a hot-handed David Blu gave Maccabi a fifteen point lead, 27 – 12 with less than a minute and a half remaining in the period.
In the remaining time, Blu got off a catch and shoot from the top of the arc to set the score at 30 – 17 at the end of the quarter.

Maccabi also opened strong in the second quarter, with Sofo dominating the scene both on defense and offense (3 straight assists, to Eidson and Blu, totaling 11 points for Maccabi, 41 – 21).
Jerusalem tried to get back in the game, but excellent defense by Maccabi held them in check, and a steal and layup from Blu preserved Maccabi’s lead at 20, 47 – 27 after five and a half minutes.
Jerusalem tallied up several points, mostly from the charity stripe, while a slammer from Pargo on the inbounds and an amazing shot from outside the arc by Pnini maintained a nice cushion for Maccabi going into the halftime break, 55 – 39.

The second half opened with Pargo, Eidson, Pnini, Sofo and Eliyahu on the court for Maccabi.
Jerusalem quickly set about whittling down their deficit, and after three minutes the score was 57 – 48.
Pargo hit two free throws to halt the Hapoel scoring run, but Jerusalem kept on coming and pulled within two, 59 – 57 before a three pointer from Blu with two minutes on the clock started to change the momentum.
Hapoel’s Yogev Ohayon managed to tied the score at 62, but the ever-reliable team captain Derrick Sharp stepped up as he so often does, sending home a three from the left corner and putting Maccabi up 65 – 62 with less than a minute left in the period.
Dion Dowell brought Jerusalem within one, but another shot from downtown by Blu closed out the quarter with Maccabi up by four, 68 – 64.

Hapoel made quick work of Maccabi’s slim lead, first tying the score and then taking the lead, 71 – 68 after nearly three minutes of play.
Once again Sharp came through, scoring points in the paint which were quickly followed by a layup by Perkins, putting Maccabi up 72 – 71.
Jerusalem briefly retook the lead at the charity stripe, but a putback by Hendrix with four and a half left to play put Maccabi up for good.
Perkins contributed a three from the right wing, making it 77 – 73, but all the remaining points for Maccabi belonged to Pargo, who played like a man possessed, first driving up the middle, then sending home a huge three pointer.
His final points came off an amazing drive to the basket, when he sent up a prayer while falling to the hardwood.
In the end, Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv won the League Cup after defeating Hapoel Migdal Jerusalem 87 – 77.

Box Scores

Maccabi: Pargo 20 points; Blu 17 points; Hendrix 11 points; Eliyahu 10 points; Pnini 8 points; Burstein 6 points; Sharp, Eidson and Perkins 5 points each.

Hapoel: Rich and Clancy 17 points each; Ohayon 14 points; Randle 13 points; Simhon 10 points; Dowell 6 points.

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