By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
The odds are stacked against Maccabi Tel Aviv for the upcoming Game 3 of the Israeli playoffs against Hapoel Tel Aviv.
After losing Game 2, it’s win or go home for Maccabi, which is missing injured Yovel Zoosman and also banned Scottie Wilbekin.
Just hours before Game 3, the Disciplinary Tribunal of the Israeli Basketball Association decided to punish Wilbekin by banning him from the game and imposed him a fine of 90,000 NIS (almost 23,000 euros) for his reaction towards the referees in Game 2.
Zoosman was hurt during Game 2, and he is suffering from a hamstring muscle tear. Additionally, Maccabi most likely won’t ba bale to count on Quincy Acy and Elijah Bryant due to injuries as well.
The club reacted to the ban of Wilbekin with the following statement:
“We are disappointed with the court’s decision, to say the least. Following the arguments in the hearing, there was no room to keep Scottie Wilbekin away tonight. It was said during the hearing clearly by the prosecution itself that being away from tonight’s game, when we are only a few hours away from the start of the match, would constitute a “taste for defect”. That tonight’s dismissal is like taking a “side in the game.” How after all these arguments the player was removed?
This is an opportunity to say that an installation whereby it is permissible to appeal only in the case of exclusion from 4 games is unconstitutional in our opinion. Remember, in the past there was an automatic dismissal penalty when a player was suspended. This installation was canceled precisely due to the lack of sportiness.”
In addition to the statement, Maccabi also filed an urgent appeal to the supreme judge of the IBBA court, claiming that suspending the player just a few hours before the tip-off when the player was already registered for said game is against the values of sport and requested to postpone the suspension.
Despite the effort and the express hearing – which ended roughly an hour before the game – the answer stayed the same and Wilbekin will be kept out of the roster for Game 3 against Hapoel Tel Aviv.
Photo credit: Maccabi Tel Aviv