By Aris Barkas / barkas@eurohoops.net
Surprises are a rare thing in Tel Aviv, specially if the opponent is not a member of the Euroleague’s elite. Maccabi beat Cedevita Zagreb 87-77 in a game that was over before it was even started, as the whole ABA season exactly did.
Maccabi Tel Aviv chose to play for the second time in its history in the Adriatic league that mainly consists by teams from ex-Yugoslavia. None of those clubs didn’t have the budget, or the talent to face the Israelis and Maccabi was expected to win the trophy, the heaviest favorite that could exist.
On the court of Nokia Arena coach David Blatt’s team was leading by 16 points after the first quarter (27-11) and Cedevita could not react. After all, the Croatians were missing their only real star, veteran Slovenian forward Matjas Smodis, due to injury and the 24 points of Levour Warren could not change the story of the game. The gym of Maccabi was packed, as always, by 11.000 fans.
Maccabi Tel Aviv – Cedevita 87-77
MACCABI: James, Smith 9, Blu 13, Papaloukas 4, Langford 21, Ohayon 6, Eliyahu 8, Pnini 6, Burstein, Hendrix 16, Schortsanitis 4
CEDEVITA: Vukusic 14, Bazdaric 8, Bagaric 2, Draper 8, Petrovic 6, Car, Owens 13, Princ, Bilan 2, Warren 24, Opacak