Local Hoops: Pinnock lifts Netanya to dramatic triumph

Netanya improves to 12-7 record with win and is tied with Gilboa for fourth position in the standings.

By ALLON SINAI
Barak Netanya's Danilo Pinnock 311 (photo credit: BSL)
Barak Netanya's Danilo Pinnock 311
(photo credit: BSL)
Danilo Pinnock’s basket with 1.5 seconds to play gave Barak Netanya a 75-74 home victory over Hapoel Gilboa/Galil on Sunday night, handing his team a big boost in its battle for a top-four finish and home-court advantage in the BSL playoffs.
Netanya improved to a 12-7 record with the win and is tied with Gilboa for fourth position in the standings with three games remaining in the regular season.
“I got a good shot up and God took care of the rest,” said Pinnock, who led his team with 26 points.
“All year we’ve shown we have a lot of character and we did it again tonight and got the win.”
Also Sunday, Maccabi Haifa strengthened its position in the top four with a 92-76 victory at Ironi Ramat Gan, Bnei Hasharon improved its playoff hopes with an 87-83 win in Herzliya over Hapoel Holon and Maccabi Rishon Lezion won 67-60 on the road against Ironi Nahariya.
In Netanya, the visitors put together the first run of the night and led 28-19 after 10 minutes. The hosts ate away at the lead as the second period progressed and were down by just two points (38-36) at the break.
The game was up for grabs in the final 10 minutes, with the score tied at 58-58, but the teams traded baskets for most of the period and could still not be separated with less than a minute remaining.
In the decisive seconds, Gilboa forward Elishay Kadir scored just one of two free-throw attempts before Pinnock stroke at the other end to snatch the win.
Robert Rothbart added 14 points for Netanya, with Brian Randle scoring 17 for Gilboa.
In Herzliya, Bnei Hasharon and Holon were tied after 10 minutes (23-23) and the score was still extremely close at halftime, with the hosts leading 41-39.
Dan Shamir’s team increased their advantage to nine points at the start of the fourth quarter, but Holon came roaring back, and after Wykeen Kelly tied the score at 75-75, both teams missed chances to win and the encounter went into an extra five minutes.
Even with a minute to play in overtime it was impossible to tell which way the game would go, but the hosts were the more composed and clinched the victory with four straight points.
Sam Clancy led five Bnei Hasharon players in double-figures with 20 points and nine rebounds, with Yoni Nir scoring 18 for Holon.
At Ramat Gan, Haifa dominated from the start, leading 18-6 before taking an eight-point margin (32-24) into the second period.
The hosts managed to close within four points (43-39) at one stage, but Haifa answered with an 11-1 run to open a 54-43 gap at the break.
Despite narrowing the gap to two points (72-70) three minutes into the fourth quarter, Ramat Gan could not complete its comeback and Haifa pulled ahead to claim an important win on its way to securing a top-four finish.
Davon Jefferson led Haifa with 29 points, with Julian Khazzouh scoring 19 points for Ramat Gan.
Nahariyaled throughout the first half of its game against Rishon, but thevisitors were never too far behind and clinched the victory with a goodfinish.
Aaron McGhee had 20 points and 14 rebounds for the winners, with Oded Shaashoa scoring 18 for Nahariya.