By Amy Samin
Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv ended the 2014-15 season with a painful 79-76 loss to Hapoel Eilat in Game 5 of the Israeli Winner Sal League semifinal series. Yogev Ohayon led Maccabi's scorers with 19 points, Jeremy Pargo added 18 points, and MarQuez Haynes scored 10 points.
Maccabi's starters were Jake Cohen, MarQuez Haynes, Jeremy Pargo, Yogev Ohayon, and Sofo Schortsanitis. Maccabi looked focused as the game began, with Cohen and Pargo (back to back triples) putting the home team up 8-3 after two minutes. Eilat fought to stay close, but points by Ohayon and Pargo (once more from downtown), made it 16-10 Maccabi just past the halfway mark in the period. Brian Randle added a fadeaway jumper in the paint, and a baseline shot by Orr Leumi off an assist from Pargo finished the quarter with Maccabi up 21-14.
Eilat responded to a three pointer from Ohayon (assist Nate Linhart) by closing to within four, but five points by Pargo opened up Maccabi's lead to 29-22 halfway through the period. Ohayon made it a ten point lead, but Eilat went on a run that tied the score at 32 with two minutes left in the half. Ohayon wasn't about to leave things like that, and scored to end the half with Maccabi leading 36-33.
Haynes kicked off the second half, and joined by Randle made it 43-37 after two and a half minutes. Eilat closed to within one point, but Haynes responded with another three from the right wing. Nissim scored for Eilat and took the lead at the five minute mark, but Alex Tyus and Haynes reclaimed the advantage. Maccabi's lead stayed at four until once again the visitors tied things up, 55 all with a minute and a half left. Eilat took control and finished the period with a 60-56 lead.
Pargo scored from close to half court to put Maccabi within three, 62-59 after two minutes, but Nissim and Eilat opened up a ten point lead over the next minute. Maccabi struggled to close the gap, with Tyus and Ohayon racking up the points. A dish by Randle to Linhart on a fast break cut Maccabi's deficit to two, 74-72 with less than a minute remaining in the game. Randle tied the score soon after, and the final points were scored at both ends from the foul line. In the end, Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv lost to Hapoel Eilat 79-76.