Hapoel Jerusalem faces tricky test against Herzliya
11/11/2012 00:26
Bnei Herzliya, Milt Palacio will look to turn up the heat on Hapoel Jerusalem when the teams face off in BSL action.
BNEI HERZLIYA and Milt Palacio Photo: Adi Avishai
Hapoel Jerusalem continues its search for a first road win of the season when it
visits Bnei Herzliya on Sunday night.
Jerusalem finally got off the mark
in the BSL last week with a 90-71 win over Maccabi Ashdod at Malha
Arena.
However, it returned to losing ways on Wednesday, falling at BC
Prienai of Lithuania in its Eurocup opener for its fourth defeat in five games
in all competitions.
Coach Sharon Drucker rightly refuses to panic, but
having replaced the sacked Oded Katash in January, he knows all too well that
the Jerusalem management will lose its patience before too long should the team
continue to struggle.
After improving to 5-0 in Euroleague Group B on
Thursday, Maccabi Tel Aviv will be confident of moving to 4-1 in the BSL when it
hosts the winless Hapoel Gilboa/Galil on Sunday.
Unlike the previous two
weeks, Maccabi had to fight until the final buzzer before beating Alba Berlin
78-76 in Germany behind 20 points from Devin Smith.
“Like we expected,
this game was a very difficult and challenging one to win,” said coach David
Blatt.
“We ended the first round of games with a perfect record and three
road wins and that is not something that can be taken for granted, even if our
group isn’t that strong.”
Smith missed much of the preseason as well as
the start of the campaign due to injury, but he has been instrumental for the
yellowand- blue since his recovery, being one of only two returning foreigners
from last season.
“This road win is a great one for us, because we are
now 5-0, even though we are a new team and had to deal with several injuries at
the beginning of the season,” said Smith.
“We started very well, but Alba
proved that they are a good team by staying in the game and fighting
back.”
Maccabi Ashdod or Ironi Ashkelon will finally record their first
win of the season when they face-off on Sunday after both opened their campaigns
0-4.
Elsewhere Sunday, Hapoel Holon visits Hapoel Eilat in a showdown
between two teams at 3-1.
On Monday, Hapoel Tel Aviv hosts Maccabi Haifa
and Maccabi Rishon Lezion visits Barak Netanya, which is the league’s only
remaining unbeaten team.
On TV: Maccabi Tel Aviv vs Hapoel Gilboa/Galil
(live on Sport5 at 7:30 p.m.).