By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Alex Tyus put on a near-perfect performance as Maccabi Tel Aviv recorded a convincing 90-55 home win over Gran Canaria in Round 29 of Turkish Airlines EuroLeague.
Maccabi’s playoff hopes stayed alive with this win as they improved to a 14-15 record and are chasing the eight spot while Gran Canaria now holds an 8-21 record with just one Round remaining.
Tyus nailed game-high 20 points on 9-11 shooting while also adding six rebounds, one assist and one block for a total of 26 PIR. Scottie Wilbekin helped with 12 in addition to Johnny O’Bryant’s 11 points and eight boards.
For Gran Canaria, DJ Strawberry was the only double-digit scorer with 11 points while Clevin Hannah followed with nine.
Gran Canaria couldn’t handle Maccabi’s athleticism as the Israeli squad put on strong defensive pressure and along with the control of the paint went ahead 21-9 after ten minutes. Wilbekin and Tyus combined for 23 points in the first half and gave their squad a 48-30 lead at halftime. The locker room talk didn’t change anything as Maccabi kept the control leaving the Spaniards no chance for a comeback and securing the win.
“I think we did an excellent job from the beginning defensively. We allowed very few points in the first period. We set the base. And slowly, slowly our lead grew bigger and bigger. I think that everybody who played gave their maximum for the team. I want to congratulate the players”, Maccabi coach Ioannis Sfairopoulos said.