By Eurohoops Team/ info@eurohoops.net
After losing Tamir Blatt midway through the third quarter and dropping a double-digit lead, Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv edged out Hapoel Gilboa Galil, 89-83, in Be’er Sheva on Sunday.
Wenyen Gabriel (knee), Rokas Jokubaitis (thumb), Saben Lee, and Alpha Kaba were unavailable. Adding to concerns for head coach Oded Kattash, Blatt did not return after a hamstring injury midway through the third quarter of Round 3 of Israel’s Winner League Regular Season.
Levi Randolph logged a team-high 17 points. Jaylen Hoard went for 14 points, nine rebounds, four assists, and one steal. Roman Sorkin threw in 15 points. Blatt paired 12 points with seven assists until his early exit.
The visitors stormed back from a 12-point deficit but did not hold on down the stretch. Jon Davis packing a game-high 18 points was not enough to avoid falling to 1-2.
Up to 2-0, the defending champions matched the starts of Hapoel Netanel Holon and Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv. Due to a reduction of one point, the team coached by Stefanos Dedas trails the fellow undefeated teams.
Winner League Round 3
Hapoel Rivulis Galil Elion – Hapoel Netanel Holon 67-70
Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv – Bnei PenLink Herzliya 97-79
Hapoel Shoval Haifa – Elitzur Briga Netanya 94-85 OT (77-77)
Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem – Ironi Kiryat Ata 89-66
Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv – Hapoel Gilboa Galil 89-83
Maccabi Ramat Gan – Ironi Hai Motors Ness Ziona (21/10)
Hapoel Altshuler Shaham Be’er Sheva/Dimona – Hapoel Afula (21/10)
STANDINGS: Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem 5 (2-1), Bnei PenLink Herzliya 5 (2-1), Hapoel Netanel Holon 4 (2-0), Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv 4 (2-0), Hapoel Gilboa Galil 4 (1-2), Hapoel Rivulis Galil Elion 4 (1-2), Elitzur Briga Netanya 4 (1-2)…
Photo Credit: EuroleagueBasketball.net