May 24, 2012
Israeli League, Game 15: March 18, 2007
Guy Pniny - Hapoel Migdal Maccabi Elite Tel Aviv and Hapoel Migdal Jerusalem collected another win in the Israeli League on Sunday, but both left a lot of sweat and on the court before celebrating their wins. Maccabi, without the injured Nikola Vujcic, beat Ironi Ramat Gan 101-87 to improve to 14-0 record, but trailed for three quarters. Hapoel made a huge comeback in the last quarter to beat Ironi Nahariya 91-90. Guy Pnini scored the winning basket that gave Hapoel the second best record in the league, 10-3 with two games at hand. Bnei Hasharon dropped from second after a surprising 92-94 home loss to Gilboa/Afula. Jason Williams had a big night for the hosts with 19 points and 8 rebounds, but missed a shot at the buzzer that could have sent the game to overtime. Gilboa/Afula led throughout the entire game behind a big night from Jermaine Hall with 22 points on 9-of-12 shooting and Rich Melzer with 22 points on 9-of-11 shooting including 3-of-3 from downtown. Givat Shmuel earned a key win to climb out of last place in the standings by outlasting Ashkelon 103-112 on the road in double-overtime. Givat Shmuel's Deon Thomas sent the game to the first overtime by hitting two shots from the line to tie the score at 82-82. At te end of the first extra period, Givat Shmuel's Boo Davis did the same to force 5 more minutes with the game tied 93-93. Yuval Na'aimi scored 8 of his 22 for Givat Shmuel in the second overtime and added a key steal to secure the win. Davis finished with 24 points. Ricardo Marsh had 25 and Marcus Hatten 24 on the losing side. Galil Elyon picked up a big road win at Rishon Lezion, 77-97. The visitors held a small lead for three quarters and took off in the final one behind a great night of Sasa Bratic, who had 20 points and 5 assists, and Kenny Adeleke, who posted 18. Bryant Markson scored 17 for Rishon.

Maccabi didn't expect to chase after Ramat Gan for three quarters, but still managed to win by 14 points, mostly thanks to Simas Jasaitis, who saved Maccabi with a big second half. Jasaitis scored the first 5 points of the night, but Ramat Gan quickly took its first lead on the way to a 22-22 tie after 10 minutes. Youngster Elishay Kadir had an amazing night with 22 points and 6 rebounds, but the vast majority of that contribution came in the second quarter. Kadir had 18 points – including two three-point plays – and 5 rebounds in that period as Ramat Gan took a 46-53 lead at halftime. Darryl Wilson stepped up in the third quarter with hits from beyond the arc that gave Ramat Gan a 48-61 lead, but then it was time for Jasaitis. The Lithuanian sharpshooter, who hadn't scored since the first 5 points of the night, woke up just in time to save Maccabi. He fired in a three-pointer that ignited a 10-0 run, but Wilson didn't give up yet, hitting twice more from long range to make it 68-72, just before Jasaitis hit another three pointer to set the third quarter score at 71-72. Derrick Sharp gave Maccabi an 80-79 lead with 7 minutes to go, Yotam Halperin added 5 quick points, and when Jasaitis hit another hit from long range Maccabi's win was secured. Jasaitis completed 17 points in the second half to finish with 22. Halperin added 18 points, Sharp 17, Yaniv Green and Jaime Arnold 12 each and Sharon Shason 11. Kadir and Wilson scored 22 each for Ramat Gan.

Hapoel wanted revenge for a humiliating loss to Nahariya in the first round, and despite winning by just a single point, 91-90, did cause the visitors some embarrassment. Hapoel came back from down 14 in the last 3-and-a-half minutes of the game after it seemed like this one was a done deal. A big finish to the first quarter gave Nahariya a 17-28 lead after 10 minutes. Verdan Vukusic enjoyed a good scoring night on his way to an 18-point performance, while maintaining Nahariya's lead in the second quarter, but Mario Austin had the final word and his bucket made it just 42-50 after one half. Austin made it a 3-point game early in the second, but Nahariya woke up in time with a 10 unanswered points. Hapoel shaved some points again, but Vukusic made it 74-88 with 3:37 minutes to go. Terrence Morris started the comeback with a three-point play and Hapoel switched to aggressive full-court pressure. The result was a shocking 13-0 run that made it just a one-point game. Juan Mendez gave Nahariya some air, but Timmy Bowers answered on the other end. Michael Johnson took a tough long range jumper and Jurica Golemac grabbed the rebound and sent a fast full-court pass to Guy Pnini, who had nobody between him and the rim on the way to the winning bucket, 91-90. Nahariya still had the last ball and 10 seconds to earn the win, but didn't even get a final shot off and Hapoel celebrated as time expired. Austin led Hapoel with 26 points, Morris had 18 and Dror Hagag and Guy Pnini scored 14 each. Raviv Limonad led Nahariya with 21 points, Vukusic had 18 and Mendez 14.


LAST GAME GAME 15 - March 18, 2007
DayMatchResult
Mar. 18Bnei Hashron vs. Hapoel Gilboa/Afula 92 - 94
Mar. 18Ironi Ashkelon vs. Gindi Givat Shamuel 103-112
Mar. 18Hapoel Migdal vs. Ironi Iscar Nahariya 91 - 90
Mar. 18Maccabi Elite Tel Aviv vs. Ironi Ramat101 - 87
Mar. 18Maccabi Rishon vs. Hapoel Galil Elion 77 - 97
NEXT GAME GAME 16 - March 25, 2007
DayMatch
Mar. 25Hapoel Gilboa/Afula vs. Maccabi Rishon
Mar. 25Ironi Ramat Gan vs. Hapoel Migdal
Mar. 25Ironi Iscar Nahariya vs. Ironi Ashkelon
Mar. 25Gindi Givat Shamuel vs. Bnei Hashron
Mar. 25Hapoel Galil Elion vs. Maccabi Elite


STANDINGSTGWLP+P-
1Maccabi Elite Tel Aviv 1414013511120
2Bnei Hashron 159613341271
3Hapoel Migdal Jerusalem 1310311721155
4Ironi Iscar Nahariya 157813081231
5Hapoel Galil Elion 157813901382
6Ironi Ramat Gan 156913281365
7Hapoel Gilboa/Afula 156912871345
8Maccabi Rishon Letsion 1551011931276
9Gindi Givat Shamuel 1551013141408
10Ironi Ashkelon 1441011501274
Sunday, March 18, 2007
Yarone Arbel, Tel Aviv

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