Hap J’lem knocks off Ashkelon by 20
04/17/2012 04:34
Jerusalem seized control of the game with an early 10-0 run, but held just a four-point cushion at the break.
Sharon Druker, Hapoel Jerusalem coach Photo: Adi Avishai
Hapoel Jerusalem secured home-court advantage in the BSL playoffs on Monday
night with a convincing 83- 63 win at Ironi Ashkelon.
Jerusalem seized
control of the game with an early 10-0 run, but held just a four-point cushion
(39-35) at the break after Ashkelon scored nine of the final 11 points of the
first half.
However, Hapoel clinched the victory in the third period,
opening the second half with a 26-2 surge (65-37) from which the sorry Ashkelon
was never going to come back.
“We played well in the second half, but we
should have already finished the game off in the first,” said Jerusalem coach
Sharon Drucker.
Brian Randle had 18 points, 13 rebounds and five assists
for Jerusalem, which won for the fourth time in five games.
D.J.
Strawberry added 15 points for Hapoel, while Tony Skinn scored 17 for Ashkelon,
which lost its sixth straight encounter.
“We are an embarrassment to our
profession,” said Ashkelon coach Eric Alfasi. “It looks like some of our players
think they are already on their summer holidays on the beach.”
Jerusalem
could still climb one more place to end the regular season in third position
should it beat Maccabi Tel Aviv in its final game next Sunday and Maccabi Rishon
Lezion lose at home to Ashkelon.
However, assuming that unlikely
combination doesn’t become a reality, Jerusalem will play Hapoel Holon in the
best-of-five quarterfinal playoffs, while Rishon will come up against Ashkelon,
with Hapoel Gilboa/Galil to face Maccabi Ashdod regardless.
Maccabi Tel
Aviv will play the winner of Thursday’s game between BC Habika’a and Barak
Netanya.
Also Monday, Maccabi Haifa won for the second time in three
games, defeating Bnei Hasharon 83-82 in a meaningless showdown in
Herzliya.
Sylven Landesberg had 29 points for Haifa, while LaceDarius
Dunn scored 29 for Bnei Hasharon.
Haifa, which had lost 15 straight games
before winning two of three, completed its regular season schedule on Monday,
while Bnei Hasharon will do so with an encounter against Ashdod next
Sunday.
The bottom three teams will all play each other one more time to
determine their final positions, but not relegation, as no team will be demoted
from the BSL this season.