Hap TA builds on momentum
03/12/2013 03:15
Erez Edelstein’s men toughed out a victory over Holon to improve to 9-11 on the season.
Hapoel Tel Aviv's Matan Naor Photo: Adi Avishai
Hapoel Tel Aviv eased its relegation worries on Monday night, beating Hapoel
Holon 76-73 for its second straight BSL win after stunning Maccabi in the Tel
Aviv derby last week.
It would have been only natural for Hapoel to
suffer a letdown after claiming its first derby win in nine years, but Erez
Edelstein’s men toughed out a victory over Holon to improve to 9-11 on the
season.
A Bar Timor three-pointer capped a 14-2 run which gave Tel Aviv a
nine-point margin (35- 26), but the visitors led by just five points (43-38) at
the break.
Holon trailed by only two points (73-71) entering the final
minute, but it squandered its chances to complete the comeback and Tel Aviv held
on for a significant win.
Brian Randle was superb for the winners,
scoring 17 points, taking 15 rebounds and passing five assists.
Frank
Hassell had 19 points and 13 boards for Holon, which dropped to 7-13 with its
third defeat in four games.
Also Monday, a Jamar Smith three-pointer with
six seconds remaining gave Hapoel Gilboa/Galil a dramatic 93-92 win over Bnei
Herzliya in Gan Ner.
Rakim Sanders had 31 points for Gilboa, which
improved to 8-12 with its third victory in four games, with Smith finishing with
20 points. Jumaine Jones had 22 points and 10 boards for Herzliya (8-12), which
lost its third straight encounter.