ONE | system
Wade Baldwin (Maccabi Tel Aviv’s official website)
Throughout the preparatory games, Maccabi Tel Aviv often promises an improvement in ability. At this time, the Yellows have an opportunity to stand behind the promises when they meet the European champions, Andolo Eps, in an intriguing match for third place in the Yanakopoulos tournament in Greece.
Maccabi Tel Aviv approached the game after losing 80:71 to Olympia Milan, while the Turks were defeated 86:71 by Panathinaikos. In addition, Oded Ketch’s team already lost in the preparation 86:82 to Villervan and 107:96 to Paris. In fact, the only victory of Maccabi in the preparation so far was 78:85 over Promitas.
Maccabi Tel Aviv were satisfied with their ability in the first quarter against Milan, in which they scored 24 points, but after that, Ketch saw his players stop at 47 for the rest of the game. With the quarter-finals of the Winner Cup against Hapoel Gilboa/Galil on Tuesday, the Yellows hope to raise their level , certainly against an opponent like Andolo Eps.
Two exes of the Yellows are playing in the opponent’s ranks – Ante Zizic, who left last summer, and Elijah Bryant, who left two seasons ago for the Milwaukee Bucks. Andolo kept most of the skeleton that won the last two European championships and got stronger with one of the brightest names in the summer transfer market – former Hapoel Holon, Will Clyburn. He joined Vasilija Micic and Shane Larkin to form a particularly menacing backline.
First quarter – 20:21 for Maccabi Tel Aviv
Five Maccabi Tel Aviv: Wade Baldwin, Austin Hollins, Bonzie Coulson, Jarrel Martin, Alex Poythers.
Five Andolo Zero: Vasilija Micic, Rodrigue Beauvois, Will Clyburn, Achila Pollonara, Ante Zizic.
Hax Zizic opened the game with one point from the penalty line, but the first to make a field goal was Martin who cleared under the basket. Coulson buried his first three-pointer in a burst and made it 1:5 yellow after two minutes. Baldwin and Poythers each scored a basket from half distance, but Micic responded with the only field baskets of the European champions to reduce the score to 6:9 after a basket and a foul. Maccabi Tel Aviv with four close points kept the lead, but Clyburn and Beauvois reduced it to 13:12 four minutes to the end. First points from the field by Zizic changed the result, Darron Hilliard returned but Micic and Cleburne made it 18:15 for Andolo after eight minutes. Two triples by substitute Jake Cohen determined the result of the quarter – 20:21 yellow after 10 minutes.
