Maccabi Tel Aviv downed ASVEL Villeurbanne 102-95 over the weekend as six players scored in double digits, handing the yellow-and-blue only its second road win of the season as its Euroleague record improved to 8-20.
Oded Katash’s squad started a bit slow, but Jimmy Clark nailed a three-pointer at the end of the first quarter to spur Maccabi to a slim 53-51 lead at halftime, as Levi Randolph, Marial Shayok, and Roman Sorkin led the way. Nando De Colo, Paris Lee, and Melvin Ajinca tried to keep ASVEL close, but Shayok, Clark, and Jasiel Rivero scored crucial baskets down the stretch to help the yellow-and-blue secure the win.
Randolph scored 19 points, while Shayok, Clark, Sorkin, and Rivero all added 15 points in the win. De Colo scored 20 points, Ajinca put in 14, and Lee added 12 in the loss.
Katash reflected on the win.
“It was a high-scoring and high-tempo game. Both teams had trouble on defense, but we tried to attack the right players and play our system. We could have played better, and they punished us, like Nando De Colo, but we’re really happy with how we played. We showed character, and even though we don’t have a chance for the playoffs or Play-In, with the right attitude and character, we are helping represent our country and club. We are gaining confidence, and that will help us reach our goals.”
Maccabi Tel Aviv scores big
Randolph also shared his thoughts on the victory.
“Although this was only our second road win, we have really been playing on the road all season long. This win is a credit to how we played as a team. We are playing together, showing character, and we have a consistent roster that allows us to keep building. This victory shows that we are working hard to get better. Everyone comes in to work hard every day. We are continuing to gel and improve as a team.”
Meanwhile, Hapoel Tel Aviv defeated Hapoel Holon 84-68 at Yad Eliyahu as the Reds picked up an important win ahead of their EuroCup quarterfinal showdown against Turk Telekom later this week.
The game was closely contested in the first half, with Holon taking a slim 36-33 lead into halftime. Dimitrios Itoudis’s squad dominated the second half, particularly in the fourth quarter, where it outscored the Purples 20-8 to secure the victory.
Yam Madar scored 25 points, Jonathan Motley added 13, and Tomer Ginat had 12 in the win, while Mike Davis paced Holon with 13 points and Michael Kyser put in 12 in the loss.
“We showed great resilience and teamwork in the second half,” Madar, the game’s MVP, said after the win.
“Our defense was solid in the first half, but we couldn’t maintain the momentum,” Davis said of the loss.
Next up for the Reds is a EuroCup quarterfinal single-elimination game against Turk Telekom in Samokov, Bulgaria, as Itoudis’s team looks to advance to the best-of-three semifinals, where Valencia or Cluj would be waiting.
On Thursday night, Hapoel Jerusalem recorded an 82-75 victory over Maccabi Ramat Gan at Zisman Arena.
While Jerusalem led for most of the game after jumping out to an 11-3 advantage, it could not break away from Ramat Gan, which even took a brief lead in the final quarter. However, Jerusalem’s Jared Harper and Khadeen Carrington were pivotal in the final moments, scoring 20 of the team’s 24 points in the last quarter.
Harper scored 23 points, Carrington added 17, Justin Smith put in 10, and Yovel Zoosman had 10 in the win. Adam Ariel scored 15 points, Amin Stevens chipped in 14, and Kendale McCullum added 13 in the loss.
“I’m happy that we won,” Jerusalem coach Yonatan Alon said after the game. “Thank you to the league and to Ramat Gan, who agreed to move the game forward for us [due to the EuroCup quarterfinal next week]. It’s great for Israeli basketball to be managed so well.”
“A good win overall,” Harper said after his MVP performance. “Last time they beat us [86-87 in early January], so it was good to come in and get the win.”
Hapoel Jerusalem is now making final preparations for its EuroCup quarterfinal clash against Gran Canaria in Belgrade on Tuesday.
“This is where we wanted to get to – the knockout stage,” Alon said. “Gran Canaria is a very deep team. They play in the strongest domestic league in Europe, the Spanish ACB.”
“I played in Spain previously [for Valencia], so I’ve played against Gran Canaria a lot,” Harper said. “They were our rivals. They’re a good team offensively and defensively – like most Spanish teams. It comes down to how we play as a team. We fought hard for the No. 2 seed and had a bye in the first week of the playoffs. We’ll take advantage of that and try to get the win.”