By Eurohoops Team/ info@eurohoops.net
Grabbing the opportunity to secure the top seed in the Playoffs bracket of Israel’s Ligat Winner, Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv was fired up in the second half en route to an 88-82 victory versus Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv in a packed Menora Mivtachim Arena on Wednesday.
Driving the team coached by Oded Kattash, 27-year-old big Roman Sorkin put in 18 points behind 8/12 field goals. Lorenzo Brown netted 19 points and Josh Nebo had 13 points. On the losing end, French Jaylen Hoard recorded a game-high 22 points.
The Yellows trailed through the first half and faced a 10-point deficit early in the second half, before launching a comeback and getting in control. Wade Baldwin IV (hamstring) and captain John DiBartolomeo (thigh) were ruled out for the Round 28 contest along with unregistered James Webb III and Antonius Cleveland.
Improving to 23-4, the Israeli defending champions can not budge from first place in the table with two games left in the Regular Season schedule. Forced to 21-7, the visitors placed in the second seed of the postseason bracket.
In a Round 29 contest hosted in Pais Arena, Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem rocked Hapoel Holon, 94-76. Levi Randolph scored a game-high 20 points. Up to 17-11 and clinching the fourth seed, the team coached by Jonathan Alon secured homecourt advantage in a best-of-five series opposite Holon in the Quarterfinals of the Playoffs. The visitors fell to 16-13 and ranked fifth in the Regular Season.
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