Maccabi Loses a Knuckle-Biter in Haifa

A week after guaranteeing the top slot in the league, Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv lost to the Haifa Heat 79 – 76 in a thrilling game that was decided, in the end, by free throws.
Top players for Maccabi Tel Aviv were Aaron McGhee with 20 points, and Raviv Limonad, who was outstanding in the first half.
Maccabi will close out the regular season next week at home, against Hapoel Holon, on Saturday night.

With D’or Fischer’s return to fitness, he rejoined Maccabi’s starting lineup.
Joining him were Carlos Arroyo, Marcus Brown, Omri Casspi, and Lior Eliyahu.
Maccabi got off to a running start with a three-pointer from Brown and an alley-oop from Arroyo converted into points by Eliyahu, and led the game 5 -4 after two minutes of play in the first quarter.
Devon Jefferson took matters in hand for Haifa, and nearly single-handedly gave the home team a 10 – 7 lead three and a half minutes into the period, but a shot from outside the arc by Arroyo and points by Eliyahu put Maccabi back on top.

Jefferson remained hot for the hosts, and together with Moshe Mizrachi took Haifa on a 9 – 0 scoring run, but another three-pointer by Arroyo broke their stride.
D’or Fischer got called for his second foul very early in the quarter, and went to the bench to rest.
McGhee and Limonad were effective both offensively and defensively, and Maccabi came within one, 23 – 22 following 4 points by Omri Casspi.
McGhee scored at the buzzer to end the first quarter in a 24 – 24 tie.

The second quarter started off like a ping-pong match of baskets, until Ido Kozikaro put the hosts on top, 30 – 28 with six and a half minutes remaining until halftime.
After a time-out called by Maccabi, Fischer scored two free throws to put the visitors back on top with five minutes left.
The momentum stayed with Maccabi thanks largely to excellent partnership between Limonad and McGhee, and the latter put Maccabi up 38 – 32 with three minutes left in the period.
Jefferson and Doron Perkins quickly chipped away at that lead, but Limonad sent brilliant dishes to Arroyo and Eliyahu to end the half with Maccabi leading 45 – 40.

Maccabi looked hesitant in the opening minutes of the second half, with bizarre turnovers and missed shots.
Kozikaro took advantage, closing the gap slightly to 47 – 44.
Arroyo went to the bench, and Mizrachi led the home team to a 49 – 47 lead with six minutes remaining in the third quarter.
Haifa played well in the following minutes, with a 9 – 0 scoring run giving them a 53 – 47 lead.
Yaniv Green came into the game for Maccabi to bolster up the defense, and a three-pointer by Marcus Brown put Maccabi back in the game.
With two and a half minutes left in the period, Maccabi came within three, 56 – 53.
But at the end of a horrible quarter for Maccabi the Heat led, 58 – 53.

Maccabi opened the final period strong on defense, and on offense looked to Casspi, who single-handedly put Maccabi back in the game, tying the score at 58 in the first minute.
A shot from downtown by Casspi put Maccabi briefly back on top, but was quickly answered by a three-pointer by Amit Ben David for Haifa.
With five minutes left in the game, a three-pointer by Marcus Brown closed the gap the hosts had opened, 68 – 66.
For awhile both teams had trouble scoring, and with three minutes remaining the hosts led by four, after both Arroyo and Brown missed shots from three point range.

A miss under the basket for Eliyahu and a turnover by Fischer immediately afterwards were crucial mistakes for Maccabi, with Haifa leading 74 – 69.
A shot by Malik Dixon put the home team up by six, but was immediately answered by McGhee, putting Maccabi within 4 with 38 seconds left on the clock.
Two free throws by Dixon put Haifa back up 78 – 72, and two by McGhee from the line returned the 4 point difference with 28 seconds remaining.
Perkins missed one and made one from the free throw mark, leaving a 5 point lead for Haifa.
With 19 seconds left, Limonad scored both of his free throws, once again putting Maccabi within three.

Next up on the line was Jefferson of Haifa, who missed both of his free throws.
With 13 second left in the game, Arroyo went to the line for Maccabi and missed his first shot.
He deliberately missed the second, but Perkins grabbed the rebound for Haifa, and the game ended in a 79 – 76 loss for Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv.

Box Scores

Maccabi: McGhee 20 points, 7 rebounds; Casspi 12 points; Eliyahu 11 points; Arroyo 9 points, 8 assists; Limonad 8 points, 5 assists; Fischer 4 points, 9 rebounds; Green 1 point.
Dee Brown and Charles Gaines played but did not score.
Tre Simmons and Dror Hagag sat out the game in street clothes.

Haifa Heat: Jefferson 28 points; Kozikaro 17 points; Perkins 13 points; Dixon 10 points; Ben David 5 points; Mizrachi 4 points; Sales 2 points.

Maccabi head coach Pini Gershon said after the game, ”They played more decisively than we did, but that’s not the reason we lost.
I know what the reasons are, but I don’t want to talk about them.
The outcome of this game was decided before it was played.
I choose not to get angry about it.
One fact is certain: we lost two games this season with the same referee.”

“It’s not a matter of stopping one particular player or another.
Avi (Ashkenazi, head coach for the Haifa Heat) started out smart, focusing on Lior Eliyahu.
For most of the game we played well, and the score should have been higher.
In the last quarter they called more fouls, and at the end there were fouls that didn’t get called.
There’s no law of advantages in basketball.
If they’ve changed the rule, nobody’s told me.”

“I congratulate Haifa; they fought hard.
In the league, they rank teams and make sure each one has his spot.
That’s what happened, and I don’t think it’s professional,” concluded Gershon after his third Israeli league loss this season.

Winning coach Avi Ashkenazi said, “We have a great atmosphere here at home, and it’s a lot of fun.
We’re guaranteed third place, on the condition that Holon doesn’t win in Yad Eliyahu (Nokia Arena).
If they do win, more power to them.”

“This is what Jeff Rosen (owner of the Haifa Heat) wanted when he came here.
This victory was important to him, and it’s another stage of development for the team.
Naturally, I was nervous at the end, maybe because the memory of three-pointer in the Israel cup final was looming over us.”

“I don’t think it’s about me.
The team has had an incredible two years.
Lately, we’ve played badly, but now I think we’re headed in the right direction.
We don’t need to talk; we need to work hard and win.
We need to play strong on defense, and then we can beat any team.”

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