Maccabi Fox Tel Aviv head out to a tough road game as they'll compete against Valencia on Friday night, as part of the 25th EuroLeague fixture (22:00, live on Sport5 - channel 55). Since the loss to Real Madrid, the Yellow & Blue recorded two straight wins (Khimki Moscow at home & Fenerbahce on the road) in EuroLeague action as they'll try to maintain their stretch and secure a spot as one of the top 8 clubs in European basketball. 

This is another crucial game for the Valencians, who are ranked 7th in the EuroLeague standings, as they are trying to secure a playoff spot for the first time since 2010/11. After opening the season with five consecutive losses (one of them in Tel Aviv 63:76), the Oranges started to gain ground winning 4 of their last 6 games, holding a 12:12 record.



"We had some good practices that helped us find our rhythm back. The players were fresher, having more time to rest, and we are in good condition to play a difficult game", Said head coach Giannis Sfairopoulos at the airport before departing to Spain. "After the bad start to the season, Valencia is an entirely different team that is playing much better basketball, winning a lot of games at home and on the road. They are especially tough at their home court. We need to be very focused, follow the gameplan as we had more time to analyze and get ready for them because of the break".

"Valencia is a different team than last time we faced them", Added Elijah Bryant. "They are playing really well as we need to go there prepared and ready. Regardless of basketball, we need to take off being ready to play, this is an excellent opportunity to play the game, and we are excited".

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Two weeks after Othello Hunter's winner layup in Istanbul, Maccabi Fox Tel Aviv returned on Friday night to EuroLeague action as they rallied back from a 13 point deficit in the third quarter to grab a significant 85:82 road win over Valencia at "La Fonteta". Scottie Wilbekin led all scorers with 20 points knocking in 6 three-pointers as Tyler Dorsey, who ended the night with a couple of clutch shots from deep, scored 19 points while adding 5 assists. On Thursday, the 17:8 Maccabi will host the 9th place Olympiacos Piraeus in Menorah Mivtachim Arena.

Scottie Wilbekin, Elijah Bryant, Angelo Caloiaro, Jake Cohen, and Othello Hunter opened in Giannis Sfairopoulos's starting five. Elijah Bryant led the visitors to a fast start scoring 6 of Maccabi's first 8 points, 8:0. After 3 minutes without allowing a basket, Alberto Abalde hit Valencia's first shot of the night as Caloiaro and Deni Avdija each added a three on the other end, which gave the Yellow & Blue a double-digit lead, 16:6. Valencia slowly got into a rhythm, closing quarter number 1 with a 13:2 run that granted the Oranges their first lead of the night, 18:19. 

Dorsey and Bryant hit consecutive triples for Maccabi to give them the edge, but the hosts went on another 13:2 on its way to a 26:32 advantage. A Wilbekin three stopped the Spanish's squad momentum as the visitors cut the lead in half, 33:36. However, Fernando San Emeterio sank a basket at the buzzer that awarded Valencia a 5 point advantage heading into halftime, 33:38. 



The second half began similarly to the end of the first half, the Oranges kept on shooting in high percentages that gave them a 35:48 lead. A pair of free throws by Hunter and two Wilbekin three's reduced the hosts lead down to 7, though Valencia managed to keep a double-digit advantage thanks to Bojan Dubljevic, 45:55. Like numerous moments this season, Wilbekin put Maccabi on his shoulders, punishing the Spanish squad from deep, which brought the Yellow & Blue within striking distance, 55:57. An Avdija thee pointer trimmed the lead down to one, but a Quino Colom basket gave Valencia some breathing room going into the final 10 minutes, 58:61.

Maccabi retook the lead after scoring 5 consecutive points to start the fourth, 65:63. Dorsey hit two from the line, and Hunter slammed it home off of a miss, which maintained the Yellow & Blue advantage midway through the period, 71:68. Valencia kept on grinding as Dubljevic scored 6 of the team's 9 points in the final minutes that restored a 75:77 lead for the home side. With less than two minutes to the final buzzer, Wilbekin and Dorsey answered on the other end with three triples that sealed the deal on its way to an 85:82 victory.

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