Local Basketball: Maccabi TA shocked by Galil/Gilboa

Effi Birenboim's team beaten 79-77 in its seventh straight preseason defeat.

By ALLON SINAI
maccabi tel aviv jason williams 224 88 (photo credit: AP)
maccabi tel aviv jason williams 224 88
(photo credit: AP)
Maccabi Tel Aviv crashed to its seventh straight preseason loss on Sunday night, falling in humiliating fashion to Galil/Gilboa in the quarterfinals of the Winner Cup at Gan Ner. After suffering six consecutive preseason losses to Euroleague opponents, Maccabi surely believed it would finally be making a return to its once winning ways on Sunday night. Oded Katash's Galil/Gilboa, however, christened its new arena in Gan Ner in the best possible way, stunning the yellow-and-blue 79-77. Brian Roberts scored 24 points for Galil/Gilboa, with Guni Izraeli adding 15 points. Carlos Arroyo was Maccabi's only player in double figures, scoring 15 points. In the other quarterfinals on Sunday, Bnei Hasharon thrashed Hapoel Holon 82-62 and Ironi Nahariya defeated Ironi Ramat Gan 90-77. Hapoel Jerusalem's game against Ironi Ashkelon at the Malha Arena ended after press time. At Gan Ner, Izraeli scored the first four points of the game, but Maccabi scored the next eight points and seemed to be on its way to the easy win everybody expected. Katash's men had no intention of folding so early on, however, and stormed into a 20-10 lead with a 16-4 run, capped by Elishay Kadir's jumper. Galil/Gilboa maintained its double digit margin for the remainder of the first quarter (25-14) and kept Maccabi at bay in the second period as well. Effi Birenboim's team couldn't find an answer against what is supposed to be a vastly inferior side and was down 43-31 at the break after Aaron Nixon's buzzer beating three-pointer. Maccabi opened the second half with the intensity it lacked in the first and closed to within four points (46-42) midway through the third quarter. With the momentum now truly on Tel Aviv's side, it looked like the team would soon take the lead. The hosts had other plans, however, and with an 8-0 run seized control of the game once more (54-42). Maccabi entered the final 10 minutes still down by 12 points (59-47) and lost its cool in the fourth quarter. After a D'or Fisher technical foul, Roberts gave the hosts a 64-48 lead from the foul line and Maccabi was in dire straits. Tel Aviv began to get desperate but managed to cut the gap to 73-69 with just over a minute to play, thanks to five consecutive Dror Hagag points. A clutch three by Nixon in Galil/Gilboa's next possession, however, secured the team's place in the semifinals of the Winner Cup and handed Maccabi another hefty blow. In the first game in Gan Ner, Bnei Hasharon fell behind early, but quickly regained its composure and was ahead 44-33 at the break against Holon. The defending BSL champion, which only has one player remaining from last season's triumphant roster, clearly lacks the quality needed to challenge a side like Bnei Hasharon, and Moshe Weinkrantz's team had no trouble to cruise to a big win. Two of Bnei Hasharon's new signings led the team, with Richard Roby scoring 27 points and grabbing eight rebounds and Haminn Quaintance contributing 14 points and 11 boards. Deron Washington scored 23 points and hauled in 11 rebounds for Holon. At Malha, a Nahariya run late in the first half gave it a lead it wouldn't relinquish for the remainder of the encounter. Ron Lewis and Raviv Limonad led the winners with 18 points each, with Carmelo Lee and Josh Gomez scoring 16 points each for the losers.