Sarunas Jasikevicus scored a brilliant winning basket with 1.2 seconds to go, and assured Maccabi to be a group leader in the Top 16. Saras basket gave Maccabi a 88086 win over Montepaschi Siena and Maccabi becomes the best second placed team in the Regular Season.
After a bad first half in which the visitors held already a 50-38 lead, the score at the half was 53-43. Maccabi opened the third period on a 13-2 run and took the lead for the first time56-55. Maccabi won the period 28-11 and took a 71-64 lead into thr final quarter. They increased it to 73-64 and looked like coasting home. But Siena came back to 84-83 after Deon Thomas, playing his best game un the Euroleague, missed two free throws. Saras made it 86-83 and then three Siena players missed one free throw each to make the score 86-86 with 12.7 seconds to go. And then came Saras for the winner and the MVP for the night.
Siena had a small advantage in rebounds (41037) and a large one in three points shots: 11-24 (46%) to 3-14 (21%). Maccabi was superior in free throws – 84% to 57%.
Saras ld Maccabi with 27 pts on 60% FG, 7-7 in FT and 7 assists. Thomas had 17 pts in 73%FG, pulled down 7 rbds & dished 4 assists. Anthony Parker scored 15 pts. Grabbed 7 rbds & had 5 steals.