After interrupting the losing streak with a victory over Valencia, Maccabi Tel Aviv is trying to put together a second victory in a row and is currently hosting Hapoel Tel Aviv for a derby at Menora Mivtachim as part of a rematch from the 2nd round of the Winner Basket League.
The Yellows of Yannis Sapropoulos, who stopped a streak of three losses to Bayern Munich, Hapoel Eilat and CSKA Moscow with 72:84 over Valencia last Thursday in the Euroleague, want to leverage the victory over the Spaniards to establish their position in the first place in the table and reach a balance of 14 victories Compared to 3 losses.
Danny Franco’s red team, on the other hand, who have lost the coach’s first two games in office since his appointment following the dismissal of Yannis Castritis, want to surprise the city rival and finally embark on a new path after four consecutive losses. The Reds want to improve positions at the bottom after opening the season with just 3 wins versus 10 losses.
First quarter: 14:20 to Hapoel Tel Aviv
Maccabi Tel Aviv’s quintet: Scotty Wilbkin, Chris Jones, Sandy Cohen, Omri Caspi and Ante Zizic.
Hapoel Tel Aviv’s quintet: Yam Madar, Bar Timor, Gabe York, Reggie Apshou and Tyrick Jones.
The Reds started with a three by Yam Madar, while on the other hand Maccabi failed to produce a basket in the first two attacks, and points from Apshouo’s penalty set a quick 0: 5. Maccabi got into things and 4 consecutive points from Zizic and Caspi shrank to 5: 4, before Timur scored against a light layup.
Both teams did not really show strong defense in the first minutes, and 4 minutes into the quarter, Hapoel led 10:11. The high points rate calmed down a bit, and a three by Dibbler set 12:16 for Hapoel, about 2:40 to end the quarter. Maccabi tried to get closer, but the Reds finished an excellent quarter for them with a 14:20 advantage.
Second quarter:
Hapoel started at the same pace and a three by Dibbler set 14:23. Maccabi continued to lose its head and the Reds fled to a double-digit gap, 14:25. The Yellows ‘terrible ability in the attack continued, when Maccabi simply could not produce points, when the first basket came after almost 4 minutes with points by Omri Caspi that stopped the Reds’ run, 16:28 to Hapoel.
Caspi continued to be the only player to play for Maccabi, while Gabe York set a time of 18:30. Maccabi with 6 consecutive points shrank to a single-digit gap, and TJ Klein also got into things and with a basket and offense move set 32:27 for the Reds, and a three by Wilbkin brought Maccabi closer to only 2 points, but Hapoel proved a lot of character and with another run Ran away to 32:40. Scotty Wilbkin continued to gain confidence and with a three-pointer shrank to 40:35, and at the end of the quarter, 35:42 to the Reds.
Third quarter
Hapoel started with a 0: 9 run and ran to a record gap, 35:51, but just like in the second quarter, Maccabi, which started late, started to offset the difference, and 4:30 minutes to go, it was only seven for the Reds, and Oz Blazer’s basket shrank to 53 : 48. Hapoel lost a ball again, and after a confused attack by the Yellows, Hunter drowned and shrank to only 3.
Hapoel continued to miss and did not generate points, but Maccabi did not use it to reverse the result, and two free throws by Tyrrick Jones set 50:55 for Hapoel about two minutes to the end of the quarter. John DiBattolomao scored one free throw, Maccabi pressed all over the field, snatched a ball and Sandy Cohen with a basket move and an offense shrank to 55:54.