Israeli League, Regular Season, Game 20: April 6-7, 2008
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Four days before its do-or-die Euroleague Quarterfinal Playoffs game against AXA FC Barcelona, Maccabi Elite Tel Aviv suffered another loss in the Israeli Basketball Super League and dropped out of first place in the standings. Bnei Hasharon defeated Maccabi 78-79 on Sunday night for the third time this season to top the standings with a 15-5 record – the same as Maccabi, but with a better head-to-head record. Derrick Sharp went sent to the line with Maccabi down by 3 points and 2.1 seconds to go, but after connecting the first 2 shots he stunned Maccabi's fans with an unlikely miss on the third shot, which gave Bnei Hasharon the win. The last time Maccabi lost three times to the same team in the Israeli League was in 1992-93 to Galil Elyon, and that season the same Galil Elyon became the only team other than Maccabi to win the championship in the last 40 years. Meanwhile Hapoel Jerusalem lost its third straight game, going down 81-78 on the road against Gilboa/Afula. In other action, three teams approached triple digits to wins to their record. Galil Elyon scored its second road win in a row since coach Oded Kattash took over with an 86-99 victory at Ramat Gan. Doron Sheffer went 3 for 3 from downtown en route to 11 points as one of seven Galil scorers in double figures. Brian Tolbert connected for 35 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists for the losing side. Hapoel Holon is still breathing down the necks' of Maccabi and Bnei Hasharon after a 90-107 road win at Rishon Lezion. Holon got 24 points by former Rishon player Malik Dixon and 20 points and 9 rebounds from Eric Campbell, while Moran Roth dished 11 assists. Cedric Banks drilled 8 triples on the way to 36 points in defeat. Holon is now one win behind Maccabi and Bnei Hasharon.
Bnei Hasharon defeated Maccabi 78-79 on Sunday night for the third time this season to top the standings. Bnei Hasharon took control right from the start and held a 13-23 lead after one quarter. Maccabi head coach Zvika Sherf sent his energetic force on the court and with Alex Garcia, Esteban Batista and mostly Omri Casspi, Bnei Hasharon was limited on no field goals for almost eight minutes and trailed 35-32 at halftime. Maccabi continued its momentum early in the third period and established an 8-point lead behind a big night by Yotam Halperin, but Rod Grizzard sealed the quarter with an amazing shot from three-quarters court to beat the buzzer and make it only 61-58 entering the last quarter. Maccabi stayed on top until Grizzard hit a big three pointer to make it 74-73. After a Maccabi miss, Jason Williams turned the lead to Bnei Hasharon's side from the line with less than 30 seconds to go and Will Bynum made a terrible half court turnover with 17 seconds on the clock after a Maccabi time out. Grizzard added 2 more from the line to extend the margin to 3 and after the teams exchanged free throws Sharp drew from Grizzard the three point shot foul with 2.1 seconds, and after everybody was sure the game was headed to overtime, came the miss. Ndudi Ebi was on fire by amassing 23 points and 19 rebounds to combine for an index rating of 36 for Bnei Hasharon. Williams was the top scorer with 26 points, 6 rebounds and 10 drawn fouls, while Meir Tapiro had 12 and Grizzard 11. Casspi led Maccabi with 26 points and 8 rebounds, Halperin added 23 points with 7 assists while Batista had 15 points and 6 rebounds in 16 minutes.
Hapoel Migdal Jerusalem suffered its third loss in a row, this time 81-78 on the road against Gilboa/Afula. The hosts, who jumped to a 7-13 record, collected their third win in the last four games. Hapoel dropped to 10-10, but still stands in the fourth place, only one victory ahead of Ironi Nahariya, Elitzur Ashkelon and Ironi Ramat Gan. A close first quarter saw Hapoel trail 21-19 after 10 minutes before the home team climbed to a 35-30 lead late in the second. Sharon Shason hit back-to-back three-pointers and Orien Greene added one of his own move the lead to Hapoel's side, 39-41 at halftime. Hapoel took an 8-point lead early in the second half, but Jermaine Hall and Tunji Awojobi capped a 21-9 run to give Gilboa/Afula the lead back, 62-58. Hapoel tied with 4 points in a row, but saw Adam Hall hit twice from long range before the third quarter buzzer to make it 68-62. Lamont Jones, another former Hapoel player, made it an 8-point game, but Hapoel didn't give up yet and used a series of missed free throws by the home side and a Ramel Curry triple to get within 2. Chanan Colman hit 3 of his 4 free throws in the last 25 seconds and after Guy Pniny missed a desperate long range shot and Hapoel's loss was written on the scoreboard. Awojobi, a former ULEB Cup champion with Hapoel, nailed 16 points, Jermaine Hall added 11 with 8 rebounds and Adam Hall scored 10 for the winners. Jamie Arnold led Hapoel with 15 points and Shason added 13.
LAST GAME GAME 20
April 6-7, 2008 | | Day | Match | Result | | Apr. 6 | Ramat Gan vs. Galil Elion | 86-99 | | Apr. 6 | Eldan Ashkelon vs. Nahariya | 100-87 | | Apr. 7 | Gilboa/Afula vs. Hapoel Jer. | 81-78 | | Apr. 6 | Rishon Lezion vs. H. Holon | 90-107 | | Apr. 6 | Maccabi Elite vs. B. Hasharon | 78-79 |
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NEXT GAME GAME 21
April 13-14, 2008 | | Day | Match | | Apr. 13 | Ramat Gan vs. Ashkelon | | Apr. 13 | Gilboa/Afula vs. Galil Elion | | Apr. 13 | Rishon Lezion vs. Nahariya | | Apr. 13 | Maccabi Elite vs.HapoelJer | | Apr. 13 | Bnei Hasharon vs. H. Holon |
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| STANDINGS | TG | W | L | P+ | P- | | 1 | Bnei Hasharon | 20 | 15 | 5 | 1602 | 1482 | | 2 | Maccabi Elite Tel Aviv | 20 | 15 | 5 | 1823 | 1607 | | 3 | H. Holon | 20 | 14 | 6 | 1678 | 1521 | | 4 | Hapoel Jerusalem | 20 | 10 | 10 | 1658 | 1660 | | 5 | Nahariya | 20 | 9 | 11 | 1642 | 1666 | | 6 | Ashkelon | 20 | 9 | 11 | 1676 | 1778 | | 7 | Ramat Gan | 20 | 9 | 11 | 1750 | 1809 | | 8 | Gilboa/Afula | 20 | 7 | 13 | 1583 | 1674 | | 9 | Galil | 20 | 7 | 13 | 1696 | 1829 | | 10 | M. Rishon | 20 | 5 | 15 | 1583 | 1665 |
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Yarone Arbel, Tel Aviv
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