Israeli League, Regular Season, Game 27: May 20, 2008
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The pairings for the third edition of the final four in the Israeli Basketball Super League are set after the 27th and final week of the regular season was completed on Tuesday. In the first semifinal, perennial champion Maccabi Elite Tel Aviv will take on Bnei Hasharon, which beat Maccabi in all the three encounters between the teams in the regular season, while regular-season winners Hapoel Holon will take on Ironi Nahariya, which outlasted Hapoel Jersualem and Ironi Ashkelon for the final ticket. Maccabi finished the regular season with an 82-94 road win against Rishon Lezion. For the first time since the 1998-99 season Maccabi didn't finish at the top of the standings, and will settle for the second spot with an 18-9 record. Alex Garcia scored 13 fourth-quarter points to spark his team and Terence Morris posted 18 points and 10 rebounds. Hapoel Migdal Jerusalem won't play in the local final four after finishing the season with a 94-88 loss at Galil Elyon. Hapoel needed to beat Galil and hope for defeats to both Nahariya and Ashkelon, but the news from Nahariya pointed from a very early stage and Jerusalem’s game became meaningless. Nahariya recorded an easy home win over Ironi Ramat Gan 115-88. Nahariya, which won six of its last eight games, was led by John Gilchrist’s 24 points. Holon finished the regular season with a 96-102 overtime road win at Ashkelon as Elton Brown produced 21 points. Gilboa/Afula said good bye to the top league with good taste after a 92-80 home win over Bnei Hasharon, which dropped the visitors to the third spot in the standings and Maccabi rose to the second with an 18-9 record.
Maccabi, without Will Bynum, traveled to Rishon Lezion, where it often had problems, but this time finished with a sweet taste and an 82-94 win. The champs will enter the Final Four with a two-game win streak, hoping to double it and secure a national title. Rishon carried a small early lead, but saw Maccabi make a 0-9 run late in the first. Four local points in a row cut the gap to it 22-23 for Maccabi after one quarter, but Maccabi took off early in the second for a 7-point lead. Rishon stormed back, didn't let Maccabi get too far and finished the half tied at 42-42. Maccabi didn't find the way to make a run in the third, and with eight minutes to play the teams were still tied, 70-70. Then it was time for Alex Garcia to step up, and with 10 points in a row he led Maccabi to a 76-85 lead. That was the final note for Rishon as Garcia scored the last bucket of the regular season to set the final score on 82-94. Terence Morris had a perfect night with 18 points, no missed shots from the field, 10 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 blocks and 0 turnovers on the way to a 34 index rating. Yotam Halperin had 17 points with 7 assists, Nikola Vujcic scored 16, Garcia scored 13 of his 15 points in the last quarter when Maccabi made a run, Vonteego Cummings added 13 and 8 assists and David Bluthenthal netted 11. Cedric Banks led Rishon with 17 points.
Hapoel Jerusalem finished the season earlier than expected with a 94-88 road loss at Galil Elyon. After Nahariya's win, the result of this game had no effect on both teams, and it affected the course of the game. Hapoel carried more energy in the first quarter and finished with a 16-22 lead after 10 minutes. Timmy Bowers was the main target and despite Galil taking the lead, he finished the half with 5 points in a row, to reach 19 individual ones, and Hapoel held a 41-43 margin at half time. With the clear result coming from Nahariya, where the locals had a 20-point lead at halftime, Jerusalem came to the second half knowing there's not much hope left. Nevertheless it stayed focused and after 2 long-range hits by Sharon Shason and Dror Hagag, took a 55-65 lead. Hapoel maintained the difference until Yogev Ohayon stepped up to lead a 13-0 run down the stretch as Galil took an 81-77 lead. Hapoel lost its power to recover from that, and Galil took off to a 90-81, which capped the outcome of this game. Jawad Williams led Galil with 22 points, Yogev Okhayon added 20 with 5 assists and Clif Brown scored 17. Bowers was the top scorer for Jerusalem with 26 points, Jason Well added 18, Shason 14 and Guy Pniny and Hagag had 12 each.
LAST GAME GAME 27
May 20, 2008 | | Day | Match | Result | | May 20 | Nahariya vs. Ramat Gan | 115-89 | | May 20 | Galil Elion vs. Hapoel Jer. | 94-88 | | May 20 | Eldan Ashkelon vs. H. Holon | 96-102 | | May 20 | Gilboa vs. Bnei Hasharon | 92-80 | | May 20 | Rishon vs. Maccabi Elite | 82-94 |
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NEXT GAME
Final Four Semifinals | | Match | | Maccabi Elite(2) vs. Hasharon(3) | | H. Holon (1) vs. Nahariya (4) | | - | | - | | - |
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| STANDINGS | TG | W | L | P+ | P- | | 1 | Hapoel Holon | 27 | 20 | 7 | 2365 | 2136 | | 2 | Maccabi Elite Tel Aviv | 27 | 18 | 9 | 2474 | 2235 | | 3 | Bnei Hasharon | 27 | 17 | 10 | 2136 | 2051 | | 4 | Nahariya | 27 | 15 | 12 | 2291 | 2237 | | 5 | Ashkelon | 27 | 13 | 14 | 2306 | 2408 | | 6 | Hapoel Jerusalem | 27 | 13 | 14 | 2286 | 2294 | | 7 | Irony Ramat Gan | 27 | 12 | 15 | 2395 | 2482 | | 8 | Galil Elion | 27 | 10 | 17 | 2281 | 2420 | | 9 | M. Rishon | 27 | 9 | 18 | 2153 | 2289 | | 10 | Hapoel Gilboa/Afula | 27 | 8 | 19 | 2150 | 2285 |
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Yarone Arbel, Tel Aviv
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