The women’s team of Maccabi Urbani Ramat Gan tonight (Sunday) defeated Maccabi Ashdod 68:78, in the main game of the Athena Winner League for women in basketball, which opened the fifth round. Alex Harden finished a wonderful evening with 18 points, 7 rebounds, 8 assists and 30 index points.
Raj’s opening five players finished the game with a double-digit score, while Kadija Kiev, Daniel Adams and Alexis Pattson scored with a double-digit score for Ashdod.
Raj took control of the game already in the opening with 19:30 at the end of the first quarter. In the second quarter Ashdod ran 5:16 and equalized to a 39:41 advantage in the half. For the decisive quarter Raj went down by one point and everything drained to the last 10 minutes. In the end, two threes by Tal Lev and Eden Rotberg increased Raj’s advantage, which was maintained until the end.
They scored for Ramat Gan: Alex Harden 18, Natisha Heidman 17, Kayla Hillsman 14, Eden Rotberg 13, Tal Lev 12, Age Three 4.
They scored for Ashdod: Kadija Kiev 25, Daniel Adams 15 (13 rebounds), Alexis Peterson 14, May Dayan 8, Noa Zlibansky and Jordan Danan 3 each.
The rest of the 5th round games
Maccabi Haifa – Elitzur Ramla (18:00)
An interesting challenge for both teams: Haifa has not lost this season at home. Elitzur Neve David Ramla is the league’s only invincible and has Tiffany Mitchell, Alyssa Baron, Benija Laney and Alison Hightower on the roster. Haifa will be missing its two foreigners: Paris Key, who was injured and will be out of action for about a month, and Britney Brewer, who went to the United States immediately due to her mother’s illness.
Elitzur Holon AS Ramat Hasharon
Both teams won in the last round, when for Ramat Hasharon it was especially sweet after recording a first league victory 61:75 over Maccabi Haifa. There will be an interesting encounter between Chelsea Hopkins, ranked second in assists (6) per game, and Jackie Young, who sniped 30 points in her last game and leads the league in points per game (27.3).
Hapoel Petah Tikva – Hapoel Rishon LeZion
After the stumble in the last round against Ashdod, Hapoel Petah Tikva hosts the team of coach Ziv Erez from Rishon LeZion. On paper Petah Tikva is better with Jocelyn Willoughby, Kayla Charles, Tal Sahar, Kristin Simon, Daniel Hajjaj, Shira Hajaj and Nitzan Amar, but Rishon LeZion can surprise with Chelsea Nelson, Sydney Cook , Gili Eisner, Blair Watson, May Profit and Eden Tsipel.
Herzliya girls – Maccabi Raanana
The Sharon derby in which both teams recorded losses in the last round. Herzliya depends a lot on Marina Maverry and Victoria McCauley and it needs significant produce from Mehadar Hadad as well. Raanana has the excellent Taylor Emery and next to her are Jordan Gerzon, Joiner Holmes, Kayla Davis, Noa Givon, Amit Cohen and Noa Sharvit.