The teams that will play in the upper house and the lower house of the Athena Winner League for women in basketball have been determined. Maccabi Urban Ramat Gan and Maccabi Haifa secured their place in the top house today (Friday) after finishing the regular league with victories over the girls of Herzliya and Hapoel Bnei Petah Tikva respectively.
The games will open on Monday, March 29, with the teams dragging the score they have accumulated during the regular league. At the end of the games in the upper house and in the lower house, the finals of the basket series will be held. These are the top home games: Elitzur Ramla – Maccabi Haifa; Elitzur Holon – Maccabi Urban Raj; Maccabi Ashdod – Banot Herzliya. In the lower house Hapoel Petah Tikva will meet AS Ramat Hasharon and Hapoel Rishon Lezion Maccabi Raanana.
Maccabi Haifa – Hapoel Petah Tikva 48:72
The Greens won the last ticket to the top house thanks to a big win and after a convincing victory. Also scoring for Haifa: Fionde Fitzgerald 22, Tiana Moldero 11, Ofir Castan and Nia Kofi 8 each, May Malkin 5, Courtney Douglas and Tamar Singer 4 each, Neta Lichtentrit 3. Scoring for Petah Tikva: Simon Kristin 16, Daniel Hajjaj 8, Jocelyn Willobi and Shanis Johnson 6 each, Tal Sahar, Nin Amar and Shira Hajjaj 4 each.
Herzliya girls – Maccabi Urban Ramat Gan 78:72
Eden Rotberg and the new foreigner, Shkwandia Wallace, led Maccabi Urbani Ramat Gan to the top house after a game in which they each scored 19 points. 43 seconds to go, Herzliya’s Pollard Najai shrank to 76:72, but Shkwandia Walsh, who replaced Natisha Heidemann in Ramat Gan, scored the 2 most important points in the game 17 seconds to go and sealed the game.
Scorers for Herzliya: Pollard Najai 22, Victoria McCauley and Marina Maibri 16 each, Noga Peleg Peletz 13, Tia Presley 3, Hadar Hadad 2. Scorers for Ramat Gan: Eden Rotberg and Shekwandia Wallace 19 each, Alex Harden 16, Tal Lev 13, Kayla Hillsman 11.
Maccabi Raanana – Elitzur Holon 84:70
Holon, which secured its place in the upper house, defeated Maccabi Raanana, who will play in the lower house, away. Holon finished the first quarter with 19:27 and went down to the half with a 38:47 advantage. In the third quarter, six and a half minutes to go, the result shrank to 63:65 – but from here Holon maintained its advantage. Scorers for Raanana: Kayla Davis 37, Jordan Gerzon 15, Joiner Holmes 8, Emily Spector 6, Noa Givon 4. Scorers for Holon: Shai Doron 16, Sequoia Holmes 15, Daniel Reber 14, Ayala Roth 12, Chelsea Hopkins 11, Shea Kelly 10, Liad Orbach 6.
Elitzur Ramla – Maccabi Ashdod 74:86
Coach Shira Elyon’s team was more determined and recorded an important victory over Ashdod ahead of the meetings between them in the Upper House. Ramla finished the first quarter at 15:30 and went down to the half with a 36:50 advantage. In the third quarter, Ramla’s advantage increased to 45:71 and was maintained until the end.
Scorers for Ramla: Alyssa Baron, 22, Benija Laney 19, Alex Harden 16, Drew Edelman 10, Naama Shapir 9, Alison Hightower 8, Alex Gitchenko 2. Scorers for Ashdod: Kadija Kiev 28, Daniel Adams 21, Alexis Peterson 10, Noa Zlibansky 6, Leah Forbis 5, Jordan Danan 3 Tamar Kopilevich 1.
Ramat Hasharon – Elitzur Rishon LeZion 86:82
Rishon Lezion finished the regular season with an away win, after running in the third quarter ran to 55:67 and maintained its advantage over the finish. The two groups will meet in the lower house. Scorers for Ramat Hasharon: Crystal Bradford 26, Eliana Coates and Jenny Sims 13 each, Ofir Lavie 10, Shelly Sirkis 9, Daniel Karsh 6, Gaia Cells 3 and Miriam Hanun 2. Scorers for Rishon LeZion: Sydney Wise 26, Aisha Sutherland 24 , Gili Eisner 14, Chelsea Nelson 13, Eden Tsipel 6, May Profit 2 Hila Karsh 1.
