The change in the constitution in the State Cup has led to the season battles at the end of the first round of the Winner Basket League determining much more than it was in the past, with the eighth place leading to a place in the factory. Tonight (Monday) Hapoel Tel Aviv took an important step in the battle for a ticket to the cup and defeated Gilboa / Galil 68:89, as part of the tenth round of the Premier League.
The first quarter opened with a 2: 9 run by the host, but Guy Kaplan’s team did not let it escape and at the end of the first ten minutes the gap was only one point, with the Tel Avivians leading 21:22. The second quarter was completely different and the host led by James Young, who scored 14 points in the first half of the match, went down to the half-time break with a 35:48 advantage.
In the third quarter the gap grew, when the Northerners failed to bite the difference and even saw Jacoben Brown score with the buzzer and set 50:68 before the last ten minutes. The wind completely came out of Guy Kaplan’s team sails and at the end of the fourth quarter, in which Tel Aviv also won, the difference was 21 points.
Following the impressive game, the Reds from Tel Aviv achieved their fourth victory this season and will also have to beat Maccabi Tel Aviv in the next round to get the ticket to the cup. Gilboa / Galil, on the other hand, suffered their sixth loss this season, but may still qualify for the cup if they beat Bnei Herzliya in the next round.
Scored for Hapoel Tel Aviv: James Young 23 points, JP Tokoto 12, Josh Evans and Idan Zalmanson 10 each, Jacob Brown 9, Bar Timor and Gil 8 years old, Raz Adam 6 and Lotan Amsalem 3.
Scored for Gilboa / Galil: Sasha Kylia Jones and Yotam Hanochi 18 each, Michael Brisker, and Derek Kook 6 each, Chen Kalfon and Noam Avivi 4 each, London Frantes, Or Cornelius and Roni Harl 3 each, Rom Geffen 2 and Banya Srur 1
First quarter: 21:22 to Hapoel Tel Aviv
Hapoel Tel Aviv Quintet: Jacoben Brown, Gil Benny, JP Tokoto, James Young and Idan Zalmanson.
Gilboa / Galil Quintet: London Frantes, Roni Harrell, Noam Avivi, Sasha Kylia Jones and Derek Cook.
The game opened with two quick points from Derek Cook, but immediately afterwards Idan Zalmanson returned with his own basket on the other side. Gil Benny set a 2: 7 with a particularly hard shot just over two minutes into the tackle. The difference remained as it was and four minutes to the end of the quarter the Tel Avivians still led by five points, with the result being 10:15 in their favor. Or Cornelius scored the first three-pointer of the game and shrank to 15:13, but a quick dunk by Josh Evans on the other hand raised the host to 13:17. A minute before the end of the quarter, Bar Timor stitched a huge three and increased the difference to 16:22. Five consecutive points by Yotam Hanochi reduced the difference to just one point, Hapoel Tel Aviv led 21:22 at the end of the quarter.
Second quarter: 35:48 to Hapoel Tel Aviv
Hapoel Tel Aviv started the quarter better and went up to 23:28, but a huge three by Michael Brisker shrank to 28:26. The host was not particularly excited and another Evans dunk set 26:32 for Danny Franco’s gang. The visitors continued to run away and James Young scored two more points that led to a double-digit lead of 28:38. Timur stitched another three that raised his team to 28:41. Sasha Kylia Jones shrank to a gap of just six points, but two straight threes and a point from Young’s line raised the Reds to 35:48 before going down to the half.
Third quarter: 50:68 to Hapoel Tel Aviv
The third quarter opened with a three by Jacoben Brown that raised the lead to 16 points and immediately afterwards Gil Benny added two of his own, but Sasha Kylia Jones raised his tally to 13 points and shrank to 53:38. Young continued with his great ability and stitched another three that increased the lead to 38:56. My son’s great assist to JPP Tokoto, who drowned lightly, raised the host to 41:60. Gilboa / Galil still tried to get back to business, but after the difference was already 14 points, the Reds increased the advantage again and a basket with Brown’s buzzer set 50:68 for Franco’s team.
Fourth quarter: 68:89 to Hapoel Tel Aviv
The fourth quarter opened with five straight points for Tel Aviv, with Young scoring just one shot from the line. Lotan Amsalem raised the lead to 52:77 and it seemed that the wind was completely out of the sails of the northerners. The result was 58:79 for the host four minutes before the end of the match and Idan Zalmanson added two more points on the way to 58:81. Two consecutive threes by Yotam Hanochi shrank to 86:64, but it was too little and too late for the northern group. 68:89 to Hapoel Tel Aviv at the end.
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