By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Maccabi Tel Aviv entered the last quarter trailing by three points and thanks to a three by Tyler Dorsey, the Israelis made a two-point game (69-67). However, it was LDLC ASVEL that responded to the moment with a 9-0 run (78-67) that was enough for the big 84-81 win over Maccabi Playtica Tel Aviv.
Big Moustapha Fall and Norris Cole scored 15 points each. Amine Noua with 11 points and big plays down the stretch made the difference for the winning side, which also got 10 points by David Lighty.
As Noua said: “That was important. I think we played well, that was a good team spirit and I am proud of my teammates. It was a great team effort and we deserved the win. The EuroLeague is top-level and we need to be focused for 40 minutes and play hard, and that is what we did. That was a pretty good game, so we can be proud. We have an important game coming and so more this month. Let’s be focused, do some work and keep going.”
The hosts had the halftime lead (50-41) and even got a 13 points advantage (55-42) at the start of the second half.
Still, Maccabi made the comeback with Dragan Bender having 11 points and Scottie Wilbekin scoring 25.
He also cut the lead to four (80-76) with less than three minutes left, Othello Hunter even made it again a two-point game (80-78) but couldn’t get any closer. To be exact Wilbekin once more had the chance for the last shot to tie the game and missed it.
“I think it was very crucial that, when the game went to 69-67, we allowed ASVEL to get a lead of 11 points, and that was very crucial for the final decision of the game”, said Maccabi coach Giannis Sfairopoulos after the game. “But again, we didn’t give up. We tried to come back and had some chances. We had the last shot to tie the game, to go to overtime. Unfortunately, we missed, but my players showed a big effort- They didn’t give up and fought until the end. In general, when you score 81 points in an away game, I think our biggest problem is we received a lot of two-point shots.”
ASVEL got to 4-9 record after this result, just behind Maccabi which is at 5-9.
Photo credit: Maccabi Tel Aviv