After more than two weeks, Maccabi Tel Aviv returned to the local arena when it hosted Maccabi Rishon Lezion tonight (Sunday). The champion provided her fans with an impressive concert of highlights that seemed taken west of the All-Star on the way to an easy 83: 109 victory over the table lock. Roman Sorkin (20 points), Jaylen Reynolds (19) and Derrick Williams (12), who provided the basket of the game, led the celebration and abused the rings at Menorah Hall.
The opening was amazing and the audience sat for a moment thinking they were in a hall in Cleveland during the All-Star ring competition. Derrick Williams and Jaylen Reynolds celebrated on the rings en route to 2:17 after four minutes. The pace was maintained in terms of the Yellows leading 13:32 at the end of the first quarter. In the second quarter Tu Holloway warmed up and led a mini comeback of the visitors and the gap dropped to 12 points. Scotty Wilbkin got into things with Maccabi and Derrick Williams’ dunk brought the teams down to the break with 38:56 yellow.
The opening of the third quarter may have heralded an orange comeback and the difference, which already stood at over 20, dropped to just eight. Maccabi recovered and regained control of the pace while maintaining a gap of 10-14 to its credit. Keenan Evans’ basket set a 65:78 lead for the final 10 minutes. In the fourth quarter Evans and Roman Sorkin took control of the game and a 0:15 run opened a huge gap on the way to long Garbage Time minutes. At the end, Maccabi won 83: 109 and recorded its 11th victory this season in the league.
Avi Even’s team will now focus on its struggles to make it to the Euroleague playoffs, in the shadow of the possibility that the Russian teams will be suspended, which will miraculously improve its chances. On Thursday, she will play an away game against the Red Star Belgrade, which lost today in a partisan derby. The guest from the wine city suffered a second loss in a row and will look for victory elsewhere. She has only four wins compared to 14 losses and is buried deep in last place.
Scored for Maccabi Tel Aviv: Roman Sorkin 20 points and 4 rebounds, Jaylen Reynolds 19 points, 9 rebounds and 4 blocks, Derrick Williams 12 points, Scotty Wilbkin (5 assists) and Keenan Evans (4 assists) 10 points each, Yiftach Ziv (6 assists and 5 steals) and Jake Cohen (5 rebounds and 4 assists) 9 points each, John Dibertolomao 8 points and 6 assists, Oded Brandwein 6 points, Oz Blazer 4 points And 4 rebounds, James Nanley 2 points and 4 rebounds.
Scored for Maccabi Rishon Lezion: Anthony Brown (6 rebounds and 4 assists) and Too Holloway (5 rebounds and 4 rebounds) 20 points each, Archie Goodwin 14 points and 4 assists, Damon Simpson (6 rebounds) and Caleb Wesson (5 Rib) 9 points each, Guy Platin 8 points and 4 rebounds, Netanel Artzi 6 points and 4 rebounds, Tal Peled 1 point.
First quarter: 13:32 to Maccabi Tel Aviv
Maccabi Tel Aviv quintet: Yiftach Ziv, Scotty Wilbkin, James Nanley, Derrick Williams and Jaylen Reynolds.
Maccabi Rishon Lezion quintet: To Holloway, Anthony Brown, Nathaniel Artzi, Archie Goodwin and Damon Simpson.
James Nanley scored the first points as he snatched the ball and ran all the way to the dunk, Jaylen Reynolds scored at the end of the clock after moving a beautiful ball. The opening was completely yellow and a three by Yiftach Ziv made it 0: 7 after two minutes. Holloway scored first points in the orange, but another dunk by Reynolds lowered the teams to a timeout with a quick 2:12 to Maccabi. Rishon Lezion seemed to come as a set and Derrick Williams provided a spectacular highlight with a crazy dunk, the gap continued to grow and Jaylen Reynolds from the line set 2:17 after four minutes.
Derrick Williams was formidable in the opening and sniped a three-pointer, Caleb Wesson scoring from half-distance. Yiftach Ziv drowned in a burst, Reynolds scored from half distance and the difference continued to grow, a hard basket by Williams set a time of 7:26. Roman Sorkin joined in the celebration as the Oranges finally crossed the double figures line. Caleb Wesson reached six points for the visitors, John Dibertolomao responded with another three. Damon Simpson missed twice from the line and at the end of the first quarter Maccabi Tel Aviv led 13:32.
Second quarter: 38:54 to Maccabi Tel Aviv
Tu Holloway scored the first points in the second quarter, Roman Sorkin and Jake Cohen responded on the other side with threes. Damon Simpson scored points in color, Maccabi faked on defense and Holloway walked to the ring, Avi Even immediately called a timeout. DiBtolomao found Roman Sorkin for a wonderful dunk, Archie Goodwin drowned against and the difference was 23:40 to Maccabi. Jake Cohen scored in color, Tu Holloway was the only one who appeared at Rishon Lezion and buried a beautiful three. Oded Brandwein came off the bench with a half-distance basket, Nathaniel Artzi easily placed under the basket.
Scotty Wilbkin stepped on the board after bouncing his guard, when on the other hand the visitors’ defense simply did not exist. Holloway continued to score points and with a basket and an offense shrank to 46:32 as the gap narrowed slowly. Wilbkin lifted Jaylen Reynolds to another all-hop that buried the Oranges ’comeback hopes. Scotty Wilbkin raised Maccabi to 50 points, but the Yellows took a foot off the gas and the gap dropped to only 12, a minute and a half before the break. Maccabi returns from the timeout with points by Yiftach Ziv and a dunk by Derrick Williams in a permanent burst 38:54 On the way down to the break.
Third quarter: 65:78 to Maccabi Tel Aviv
Caleb Wesson with a basket and an offense and points in the penetration of Anteni Brown arranged a good quarter opener for the Oranges that shrank to minus 11, Maccabi hurried down to a timeout. Scotty Wilbkin came back with a three, but those were the minutes of the guest from Wine City and Yiftach Ziv committed an unsportsmanlike offense. Nathaniel Artzi’s points reduced the difference to one digit after already standing at over 20. Scotty Wilbkin scored another three-pointer, Archie Goodwin, in his first game in the orange, reaching the double figures.
Maccabi knew how to maintain a small double-digit advantage even in its least good minutes. Keenan Evans and John Dibertolomao scored threes, the gap grew again to 15 points and Dror Cohen hurried to call a timeout. Nathaniel Artzi scored from distance, Brown Dyke from the penalty spot and shrank to 70:58. Roman Sorkin with slight points in color, made sure to keep the advantage safe. Anthony Brown scored with a fine penetration, Jake Cohen completed four straight points in color. Rishon LeZion reduced with free throws, but Keenan Evans sealed the quarter with penetration points and set 65:78 Towards the last 10 minutes.
Fourth quarter: 83: 109 to Maccabi Tel Aviv
Roman Sorkin scored the first points in the last quarter, Keenan Evans scored a three and the difference again grew to the 20th districts with 65:83 to Maccabi. Evans found Sorkin for another dunk and the teams went down to a timeout after a yellow 0: 9 from the start of the quarter. The coordinator took control of things and the gap rose to a peak of 24 points. Dror Cohen’s players completely froze, while the Yellows ran without difficulty and after four minutes within the quarter the run stood at 0:15.
Anthony Brown’s basket and foul completed six consecutive unanswered points, it rekindled Tel Aviv and Oz Blazer joined the dunk parade with one of his own. Anthony Brown continued to score points and reached 18 of those after a basket and another foul in the Garbage Time minutes, Oz Blazer also scored points for himself on the other side. Brandwein found Sorkin in color and the chin raised Maccabi to more than 100 points when he set 79: 101. By the end the two teams had accumulated more easy points and Jaylen Reynolds added another monstrous dunk to the pool and finally Maccabi won 83:109.
