With a streak of 12 wins in all competitions, and after securing the home advantage in the Champions League quarter-final series against A.A.K. Athens, Hapoel Jerusalem hopes to continue the momentum tonight (Sunday) in a home game against the disappointing Hapoel Haifa, as part of the 21st round of the Premier League .
Lewai Randolph injured his eye against Strasbourg in the last match in the European arena and Oz Blazer is also ineligible in Aleksandar Džikić’s team, which left Sim-Sander Vena out of the squad. For the Reds from the capital, this is the first of three games in eight days, when the day after tomorrow they will meet Ironi Nes Ziona in the Arena for a complete game from the round of 16 and next Sunday they will host Maccabi Tel Aviv. The club’s new owner, Matan Adelson, was present in the stands
Hapoel Haifa has not won for two whole months, 11 consecutive games in all competitions to be exact, and beyond the fact that tonight they are meeting the hottest team in Israel that is in a completely opposite momentum to theirs, the team from Carmel also arrived with only three foreigners in the squad due to the absence of Shawn Jones.
the progress of the game
Quarter 1: A hard 3-pointer by Kadin Carrington, at the end of the 24-hour clock and with the board, put Jerusalem up 2:3 in the first minute. The guest responded well, and ex-Jerusalem Isaiah Cousins made Haifa 3:7 with a three-pointer. TJ Klein made a 3-pointer, Carrington converted from the free throw and Zach Hankins made it 9:12. Justin Tillman did his best in the paint, and his ninth point made it 14:16 for Haifa. Anthony Hickey completed a 4:14 run and set a surprising 16:23 for the guest. By the end of the quarter, the host managed to reduce a little, And Haifa led 23:28 after ten minutes.
Quarter 2: Itai Segev Tzimek with the dunk, Tilman began to threaten even from a distance and his three-pointer made it 25:31. Sharon Drucker’s tall continued to star, Brandon Brown sparked Jerusalem with two three-pointers. The guest kept the lead, until Or Cornelius made it 39:40. Another 3-pointer by Brown completed a 0:10 run, Cousins stopped the snowball with a shot of his own and shrunk to 45:42 in what was the last basket of the half.
Quarter 3: Speedy Smith scored a quick basket at the beginning of the second half, Haifa became 47:48 with three-pointers by Tillman and Will Reiman. The pair from Haifa continued on their own, and Rayman completed a 1:15 run that set 48:57. Brown again left Jerusalem in the picture with two three-pointers, but Haifa punished time and time again and a tremendous three-pointer by Cousins increased the score to 54:63. Noam Yaacov and Marks Meiris joined the three-point celebration at the Arena, Carrington HaKatein 65:62 Haifa at the end of the quarter.
Monday’s games in the Premier League:
Hapoel Upper Galilee – Hapoel Eilat (17:30)
Hapoel Gilboa/Galil – Municipal Kiryat Ata (19:40)