The surprise of the 14th cycle. Tonight, Maccabi Haifa recorded a big away victory over Elitzur Ramla with 74:75. Until tonight’s game, the host was the only unbeaten side in the league. In another game, Elitzur Holon won 76:81 in Ramat Hasharon.
Although Ramla played without Laney in Nije, the expectation was that she would be able to overcome Omri Zirlin’s apprentices. The ambitious team from Haifa played an excellent game led by Nia Kofi (23 points and 11 rebounds) and Tiana Moldero (21 points and 12 rebounds) who scored a double-double each. Fionda Fitzgerald added 14 points.
More games in the 14th round: Maccabi Raanana – Herzliya girls 85:78; Hapoel Rishon LeZion – Hapoel Bnei Petah Tikva 93:72. In an early game that opened the round and was held yesterday, Maccabi Ben Banot Ashdod defeated Maccabi Urbani Ramat Gan 68:69
Elitzur Ramla – Maccabi Haifa 75:74
2:15 minutes before the end of the game, Fionda Fitzgerald raised Haifa to 62:68. Alison Hightower shrank to 71:68, one minute and 5 seconds to go. Naama Shafir was precise from the penalty line and shrank to 71:70 with 39 seconds left.
From here began a duel from the penalty line: Courtney Douglas scored twice and set up 70:73, with 32 seconds left. Naama Shapir shrank to 71:73 but Kofi increased to 71:74 with the last 20 seconds left.
Ramla went down for a timeout. Alyssa Baron missed an attempt for a three and Kofi increased Haifa’s advantage to 71:75 with 12 seconds left. From here, a three by Naama Shapir shrank to 75:74 with 3 seconds left, but it was not enough for the host and the game ended.
They scored for Ramla: Tiffany Mitchell 25, Alison Hightower 16, Naama Shapir and Alex Cohen 12 each, Alyssa Baron 6, Drew Edelman 2, Alex Gitchenko 1.
They scored for Haifa: Nia Kofi 23 (11 rebounds), Tiana Moldero 21 (12 rebounds), Fionda Fitzgerald 14, Courtney Douglas 12, Ofir Kastan 3, Nur Kiuf 2.
AS Ramat Hasharon – Elitzur Holon 81:76
Ramat Hasharon also came up for tonight’s game with only two foreigners and that was almost enough against Elitzur Holon.
The team from Sharon finished the first quarter 19-19 behind. Chelsea Hopkins and Sequoia Holmes took care to bring Holon down to half at 30:39.
In the third quarter, Ramat Hasharon was better. Jenny Sims reduced to 59:54 and sent the teams to the final 10 minutes with a lag of 59:57.
In the last quarter, Eliana Coat shrank to 62:61 and Ofir Lavi, Ramat Hasharon’s new acquisition, reduced to 69:68 less than 6 minutes to go. After that, Shay Kelly, Liad Orbach and Hopkins raised Holon to 71: 77, but a minute and 7 seconds to go Coates shrank to 77:76.
Sequoia Holmes increased Holon’s advantage to 76:79 with 14 seconds left and Shai Doron sealed the result with two successful free throws that gave Holonit a double victory over Ramat Hasharon.
They scored for Ramat Hasharon: Eliana Coates 23 (21 rebounds), Jenny Sims 21, Ofir Lavie 10, Daniel Karsh 7, Miriam Hanoch and Shelly Sirkis 6 each, Gaia Sells 3.
They scored for Holon: Sequoia Holmes 27, Shea Kelly 21 (10 rebounds), Chelsea Hopkins 20, Shay Doron 6, Ayala Roth 3, Emmy Rinat and Liad Orbach 2 each.
Maccabi Raanana – Herzliya girls 85:78
With only two foreigners, Raanana did not start well and finished the first quarter 30:18 behind. In the second quarter, the hosts shrank to 35:30 after a basket by Jordan Gerzon. Marina Mayberry, in a great first 20 minutes in which she scored 5 threes and scored 20 points, made sure to finish the first half in 36:42 to Herzliya.
In the third quarter, Raanana equalized to 53:53 after a basket by Joiner Holmes, but Victoria McCauley and Pollard Najai finished the third quarter with 53:61 to Herzliya.
Holmes shrank to 61:58 in the last quarter, but Maibri and Najai made sure to increase Herzliya’s advantage back to 78:85 at the end.
They scored for Raanana: Kayla Davis 28 (14 rebounds), Jr. Holmes and Jordan Gerzon 20 each, Rotem Schuster 7, Emily Spector 3.
They scored for Herzliya: Marina Mayberry 30, Victoria McCauley 23 (13 rebounds), Pollard Najai 18, Nofar Shalom 7, Tia Presley 4, Noga Peleg Peltz 3.
Hapoel Rishon LeZion – Hapoel Petah Tikva 93:72
Rishon Lezion went up to play in a blue-and-white lineup without reinforcement players, and Petah Tikva took advantage of this for an easy victory. The first quarter ended at 20:30 for Petah Tikva. In the second quarter, Jocelyn Willoughby scored 20 points of her own and sent the teams to the locker rooms with 37:55 for the visitors. In the third quarter, Petah Tikva’s run continued until the end. 93:72.
They scored for Rishon LeZion: Eden Tzipel 29, May Revach and Hila Karsh 13 each, Gili Eisner 12 (10 rebounds, 9 assists), Joy Osigway 3, Amit Turner 2.
They scored for Petah Tikva: Jocelyn Willoughby 30, Kristin Simon 24 (13 rebounds), Kayla Charles 18, Tal Sahar 6, Shira Hajji and Nitzan Amar 5 each, Moran Sapir 3, Ofir Kirstein 2.