There were many angles to Maccabi Tel Aviv’s victory last night (Thursday) over Basconia, but above all one angle stands out: after quite some time, the Israeli champion is back to play as a team. It’s not just the column of assists that yesterday for the third time in total this season crossed the 20th line, and not only the distribution of points that demonstrated a nice contribution from almost everyone who got significant minutes, but more something in the energies, in the joy of the game, in ‘together’. Quite a bit of time.
Therefore, it is very unsurprising that in a real team game, Yuval Sussman finally recorded an excellent evening, an evening that all Maccabi expected after returning from injury. Sussman, if anyone has not understood by now, feeds on a team game, one that does not force him to hide in the corners and watch the guards isolate themselves to know, one that includes offensive movement, pick-and-roll, penetration and spending – and in fact basketball different from what Maccabi has presented so far This season, in a good section.
“My confidence does not depend on one shot or another, or on one course or another,” he said Sussman At the end. “If I missed or scored it does not matter, if I am alone I have to take the next shot. I think I was more involved in this game. The defense is the basis, every defensive player always has a place in the team. Whoever wants more, takes the 50:50 And the hard rebounds and he is the one who wins in the end. “
Sussman added: “I think they saw I enjoyed more, we played a little more team. I don’t know how many assists we made and the ratio of losses, but in the previous game there were 13 assists and that in the end is very influential. All players are happy, the attack is mixed and it gives players more energy and hunger. Today it is very prominent. “
After the monologue he gave in the game-ending interview with Nir Kaplan, “Zus” continued along a similar line at the press conference: “There will always be reviews, whether I will be good or not good. The reviews and all this nonsense. I really do not read it and it does not even interest me a little, because it does not move me. I know what I am worth for better or worse, when the review is good I appreciate it very much, and when it is bad it does not affect me, It’s at the end. What is mine is mine, what is yours is yours. “
also Yannis Sapropoulos Referring to the team game evident on his players: “I tell players that sometimes they stand aside and wait for the game to come to them, and that’s a mistake, you have to come to the game. When the players are ready to do it, it’s easier to move the ball and play together.”
A small point to end: another game that Scotty Wilbkin is not the leading slingshot, and even educated to turn the stage for those who do experience a good day – and another game in which Maccabi wins. Presented as food for thought.
