Maccabi Tel Aviv beat Lottomatica Roma for the third time this season, 79-72, to finish the top-16 stage with a 4-2 record. Maccabi now faces Euroleague Champions CSKA Moscow in the quarter-final best of three series.
Reserve big man Jamie Arnold had a strong performance with 15 points and 7 rebounds in 20 minutes. Yotam Halperin also had a solid game with 14 points and 4 assists. Roma, who played without Chatman and Hawkins, enjoyed a big night from Alex Righetti (25 points).
Maccabi had a rough start (24-12 to Roma), but in the second quarter Arnold took control of the game and a couple of three-pointers by Derrick Sharp gave Maccabi a narrow 36-35 lead at halftime. Goran Jeretin scored 5 straight points to put Maccabi well in front, 60-47 after 30 minutes. In the last quarter the fans gave Dejan Bodiroga a huge standing ovation, and the superstar admitted the cheers touched him.
Maccabi: Arnold 15, Halperin 14, Vujcic 13, Sharp 11, Jeretin 9, Eliyahu 7, Burstein 7, Green 2.
Roma: Righetti 25, Bodiroga 14, Giachetti 9, Stefannson 8, Gabini 4, Askrabic 4, Garri 3, Cinciarini 3, Tonolli 2.