By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Red-hot Macccabi Playtika Tel Aviv convincingly defeated EA7 Emporio Armani Milan 85-66 and recorded their sixth win in a row, which could qualify them for the playoffs if Partizan Mozzart Bet, Cazoo Baskonia, or Zalgiris lose in Round 32 of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague.
Lorenzo Brown led the winning side with 17 points and eight assists for a PIR of 20, but Roman Sorkin was the top scorer with 18 points.
“It’s a lot of hard work. We’ve got to come here every day to stand prepared and stand ready… I wouldn’t say the best team as we need to win the championship to be the best. We’ve got a lot more work to do“, Brown said after the game.
Wade Baldwin, who reportedly has a deal with the club for a contract extension, added 15, while Josh Nebo was on the verge of a double-double with eight points and ten rebounds.
Shabazz Napier led Milan with 15 points, and Shavon Shields was the only other player in double figures with 14 points.
“It’s a big win for us. We’ve been fighting all season with a new team and things started coming together for us. What makes this place so special is the fans. They are part of us and give us the energy, they are the best fans in the EuroLeague and probably the world“, the top scorer of Maccabi, Sorkin, said.
With an early 10-2 run Maccabi gained control over the game midway through the first quarter and went to the break with a 29-21 lead. Milan couldn’t cope with Sorkin and Brown in the second period, and the hosts finished the first half with a significant 53-36 advantage.
The guests responded after the break, and with a 13-5 run caught up with the rival, but Maccabi managed to repel their push in the final moments of the quarter and regained a double-digit 66-56 lead before the final 10 minutes. Soon it became clear that Milan couldn’t answer, and the Tel Aviv team grabbed a dominant victory.
“We played a very good team, especially defensively. We struggled in the third quarter, but we found our rhythm again. It was a really challenging week and I am very happy for the crowd and the players“, coach Oded Katash said.