Mac TA brushes Eilat aside ahead of Real test

Yellow-and-blue comfortably improves to 2-0 in BSL thanks to shooters Goudelock and Landesberg.

By ALLON SINAI
Maccabi Tel Aviv guard Andrew Goudelock scored a game-high 22 points in last night’s 95-77 win over Hapoel Eilat in BSL action at Yad Eliyahu Arena. (photo credit: ADI AVISHAI)
Maccabi Tel Aviv guard Andrew Goudelock scored a game-high 22 points in last night’s 95-77 win over Hapoel Eilat in BSL action at Yad Eliyahu Arena.
(photo credit: ADI AVISHAI)
Maccabi Tel Aviv returned to winning ways and welcomed back one of its star players on Monday night, a timely boost ahead of the Euroleague showdown with Real Madrid.
Maccabi beat Hapoel Eilat 95-77 in BSL action at Yad Eliyahu Arena, three days before it welcomes Madrid in its second continental contest of the campaign. Tel Aviv lost 99-97 at Olimpia Milano in its opener last Thursday.
Perhaps the best news for Maccabi on Monday was the return of Sonny Weems, who was expected to be out for at least another week due to a tear in his calf.
The yellow-and-blue built a double-digit lead in the first period, with Eilat having no answer for Andrew Goudelock and Sylven Landesberg. The two combined for 30 points, scoring 15 each, to lead Maccabi to a 17-point gap (46-29).
Eilat closed within eight points (69-61) at the end of the third quarter, but could come no closer, with Maccabi opening the final frame with a 15-0 run thanks to five successive three-pointers.
Goudelock finished with a game-high 22 points, while Landesberg added 20 points for Maccabi, which hit 14-of-27 three-point attempts.
Sir’Dominic Pointer scored 20 points for Eilat, which dropped to 0-2.
Earlier Monday, Maccabi Ashdod joined Maccabi Tel Aviv, Hapoel Jerusalem and Hapoel Holon at 2-0 with a 77-75 win over Hapoel Gilboa/Galil. Gilboa led by 10 points (40-30) at the break, but the visitors fought back to tie the score at 57-57 with 10 minutes to play.
The hosts took a four-point edge (75-71) into the final minute, only for Yiftach Ziv’s three-pointer with 19 seconds to play to complete Ashdod’s comeback.
Ziv finished with 23 points, including five three-pointers, with Jake Cohen adding 17 points.
Murphy Holloway had 23 points for Gilboa, which fell to 0-2.
On Sunday, Bnei Herzliya recorded its first win of the season, beating Maccabi Haifa 87-79. Haifa had only returned from the US a day earlier due a delay in its flight after facing the NBA’s Sacramento Kings last week. Haifa led by six points at the break (42-36) and still held a slender margin entering the fourth quarter (67-64).
However, a 13-0 run saw Herzliya open an 82-71 margin with 2:40 minutes to play from which the visitors could not return.
Taurean Green had 24 points for Herzliya, which lost to Hapoel Jerusalem in its opener. Tony Mitchell scored 16 points for Haifa, which will face Hapoel Tel Aviv on Wednesday in a game postponed from last week due to its trip to the US.
On Tuesday, Ironi Nahariya gets its FIBA Champions League group stage campaign underway when it hosts Banvit Bandirma of Turkey.
Nahariya secured itself a long campaign in the inaugural season of FIBA’s new club competition by overcoming Tsmoki-Minsk of Belarus in the qualifiers.
Nahariya will play in Group A with Fraport Skyliners of Germany, Aris Thessaloniki of Greece, CEZ Nymburk of the Czech Republic, Helios Suns of Slovenia, Bakken Bears of Denmark, AS Monaco of the French league and Banvit.
The Champions League will involve 48 teams from 31 countries, but none of Europe’s biggest clubs, which are playing in the Euroleague and Eurocup.
The regular season consists of four groups of eight teams each, with the four best ranked teams from each group after 14 games to advance to the playoffs.
Reigning BSL champion Maccabi Rishon Lezion, which progressed directly to the group stage, will visit Kataja Basket of Finland in its opener on Wednesday.
Rishon was drawn into Group B with Pinar Karsiyaka of Turkey, Umana Reyer Venezia of Italy, Avtodor Saratov of Russia, Khimik of Ukraine, Le Mans of France, CSM CSU Oradea of Romania and Kataja.