By Amy Samin
Maccabi FOX Tel Aviv came away with a road win over Hapoel Holon 81-73 in round 4 of the Israeli Winner Sal League. Sylven Landesberg was outstanding with 21 points. Jordan Farmar added 16 points, and Brian Randle had a typically great game with 15 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 blocks.
Yogev Ohayon, Devin Smith, Brian Randle, Trevor Mbakwe, and Jordan Farmar started the game for Maccabi. The hosts ran to 9-4 after four minutes, while only Randle scored for Maccabi. Sylven Landesberg and Ohayon went to work and put Maccabi on top, 12-11 with less than three and a half minutes left in the quarter. Holon responded, but Landesberg stole the ball and cruised for a layup. Smith was called for a technical and went to the bench, but Randle stepped up with a dish to Ike Ofoegbu in the paint and a coast to coast layup, and Taylor Rochestie scored from downtown to end the period with Maccabi up 21-17.
Landesberg started the second quarter with another steal/layup combo, and Dagan Yivzori sank a slick triple on a dish from Itay Segev to make it 26-19. It didn't take Holon long to reclaim the lead, but Landesberg grabbed it back from the top of the arc, 29-27 halfway through the period. Once again the hosts responded, but Farmar and Landesberg kept the yellows close, and Ohayon drained a trey from the right wing to send the teams into the break with Maccabi holding a 39-38 lead.
Mbakwe scored to increase Maccabi's lead while excellent defense held Holon scoreless for more than 8 minutes. Farmar supplied four straight points, and together with Rochestie, Landesberg, and Randle put Maccabi's lead into double digits. Ike Ofoegbu added points from outside the arc and the period ended with Maccabi leading 60-50.
Landesberg continued to score from downtown and, along with Farmar, extended Maccabi's lead to 70-52 three minutes into the fourth quarter. But Tel Aviv starting having trouble finding the basket, while Holon took advantage and cut their deficit to 75-70 with a minute and a half left in the game. Randle, Smith, and Farmar provided points from the charity stripe to keep the yellows on top, and Maccabi FOX Tel Aviv claimed an 81-73 victory on the road against Hapoel Holon.