Hapoel Jerusalem was saved by a likely hero playing in an unlikely scenario.
By AVI CREDITORhapoel jerusalem 88(photo credit: )
Hapoel Jerusalem was saved by a likely hero playing in an unlikely scenario.
Getting his first minutes of the second half with under two minutes remaining in the game, Horace Jenkins delivered two clutch free throws with 11.2 seconds left to give Jerusalem a decisive one-point lead and a come-from-behind 70-69 victory over Bnei Hasharon Sunday night in Malha.
The win sees Hapoel improve its record to 14-3 and fortify its hold on second place in the BSL.
Jenkins sat most of the second half in favor of Guy Kantor, who provided stability in the backcourt to lead Jerusalem out of a 14-point halftime deficit, but fouled out with 1:41 remaining.
"You can't force anything, but when the opportunity presents itself, if the ball was in my hands, I was going to do it," Jenkins said of being the hero.
Jenkins contends that he was not upset with his reduced playing time.
"Guy did a great job, I'm not angry," Jenkins said. "We were victorious that's what matters to me."
Perhaps playing with a ULEB Cup hangover, Jerusalem struggled mightily in the first half, shooting 32 percent from the field and only managing seven second-quarter points.
But the reds came out of the locker room on fire, as Mario Austin showed off his outside game by drilling two threes, en route to 12 points in the quarter. Austin, who battled all night with BSL top-rebounder Ousmane Cisse, finished with 21 points and 15 rebounds.
Jerusalem erased the halftime deficit completely by outscoring Bnei Hasharon 27-13 in the third quarter.
Emotions boiled over in the fourth, as double technicals were awarded to Yaron Rokni and Roger Mason Jr. as the two bumped heads and then exchanged words at midcourt. Mason suffered a cut under his left eye and was forced to the locker room for a few minutes.
Upon Mason's return with 6:10 remaining in the game, Austin hit four free throws, and the teams exchanged points, playing evenly down the stretch. Mason scored seven of his 17 points in that period.
Ugonna Onyekwe scored 17 of his game-high 22 points in the first half as Bnei Hasharon surged ahead. Terrence Rencher chipped in with 15 points, and Cisse added 14 points and 10 rebounds
Hapoel Galil Elyon 85, Ramat Hasharon 84
Lior Lifschits spotted Avishai Gordon for the go-ahead three-pointer with 11 seconds to go as Galil came out on top in a see-saw battle.
David Logan and Elad Inbar had chances to win for the hosts on the final possession, but both came up short.
Jordan Bozov scored 20 and Gordon 18 for Galil, while Logan, Patrick Okafor and Roey Berkowitz had 18 apiece for Ramat Hasharon.
In Sunday's other games, Barak Peleg erupted for 28 points to lead Ironi Nahariya past Elitzur Ashkelon 97-83 and at the bottom of the standings, Timmy Bowers scored 24 as Maccabi Givat Shmuel downed Ironi Ramat Gan 87-79.
Besides Jenkins's reduced role, Tamar Slay played only six minutes, and coach Erez Edelstein went with an all-Israeli lineup at one point in the second quarter featuring Izik Ohanon, Matan Naor, Raviv Limonad, Meir Tapiro and Erez Marckovich.
After a week of turmoil-losing to Ramat Hasharon at home by 31 and having Adam Harrington cut from the team for disciplinary reasons, Bnei Hasharon needed a lift, and it looked to be headed in the direction of a major upset, as the visitors led 38-24 at halftime, rousing a chorus of boos from the home crowd.
Ugonna Onyekwe scored 17 of his game-high 22 points in the first half on 6-of-10 shooting, and he threw down a gorgeous alley-oop from Terrence Rencher - one of the point guard's seven assists - with 1:13 remaining in the half to give Bnei Hasharon a 12-point lead.
Rencher chipped in with 15 points, and Cisse added 14 points and 10 rebounds for Bnei Hasharon, who fell to 8-11, adding another heartbreak in a series of tough events for the team.
"We've been through a whole lot of things but we're fighting, just trying to get ready for the next game," Cisse said. "Next week should be much better... it's tough."
Galil Elyon 85, Ramat Hasharon 84
Lior Lifschits spotted Avishai Gordon for the go-ahead three-pointer with 11 seconds to go as Galil came out on top in a see-saw battle.
David Logan and Elad Inbar had chances to win for the hosts on the final possession, but both came up short.
Jordan Bozov scored 20 and Gordon 18 for Galil, while Logan, Patrick Okafor and Roey Berkowitz had 18 apiece for Ramat Hasharon.
In Sunday's other games, Barak Peleg erupted for 28 points to lead Ironi Nahariya past Elitzur Ashkelon 97-83 and at the bottom of the standings, Timmy Bowers scored 24 as Maccabi Givat Shmuel downed Ironi Ramat Gan 87-79.
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