Jerusalem’s journey to the Final Four of the Champions League begins tonight (Tuesday), when the Reds host AAK Athens in the quarter-final playoff series. After the streak of 14 victories was interrupted at the beginning of the week against Maccabi Tel Aviv, the club wants to keep the asset that is important to them – the home advantage, for which they worked for the last two months. The winner of the series will meet on May 12 in the semi-finals the winner of the corresponding series, between Bonn and Strasbourg.
The opponent started its European season very badly, with three losses in its first four games, but managed to recover and recorded a record of 2:8 in its last ten games. AAK has a record of 4:10 against the Jerusalemites, and its stars are X X Gilboa/Galil and Maccabi Rishon Lezion, Akil Mitchell, X Bnei Herzliya Kenny Williams and X Hapoel Holon Isaiah Miles. A key player who was absent today, and will also be absent later in the series, is the injured Yanis Strelniks. On the other hand, Speedy Smith and Leviathan Randolph, who did not dress against Maccabi Tel Aviv, will of course return to Alexander Dzikic’s squad.
the progress of the game
Quarter 1: Speedy Smith opened with a basket in the first attack, and his assist to Leivai Randolph made it 4:5 Red. Another 3-pointer by Randolph and a basket by Smith set 6:14 which made the guest call a timeout, but that didn’t stop the snowball either. Smith established the first double-digit lead, Kadin Carrington joined and Or Cornelius sealed a 0:21 run that set 6:26 Jerusalem at the end of the quarter.
Quarter 2: Konstantinos Papadakis broke a drought of almost seven minutes without a Greek basket, Isaiah Miles reduced the score with a three-pointer to 28:12. AK completed a 2:11 run, but Randolph sparked the host with two baskets that set 19:32. AK already managed to reduce to single digits in the quarter of its exit from the shock, but Jerusalem finished it with a 24:36 advantage.
Quarter 3: Kenny Williams brought the Greeks closer with a three-pointer, Marks Meiris provided a great block on Brinton Lamar and Smith snipe from the outside on the way to 27:39. AAK came back big with a run of 0:9, which was stopped by Carrington and Meiris who determined 36:43.