Mac TA handily dispatches Haifa in BSL

Bnei Hasharon falters in Ashkelon; Gilboa/Galil humbled at home by Ashdod.

By ALLON SINAI
Lior Eliyahu_311 (photo credit: (Adi Avishai))
Lior Eliyahu_311
(photo credit: (Adi Avishai))
Maccabi Tel Aviv claimed yet another ridiculously easy victory in the BSL on Sunday, but there were surprises in the night’s two other games.
While Maccabi all but clinched the win by the end of the first period, opening a 39-12 lead over Maccabi Haifa, Bnei Hasharon stumbled to a 91-80 loss at Ironi Ashkelon and Hapoel Gilboa/Galil dropped to an 89- 83 home defeat to Maccabi Ashdod.
Tel Aviv’s victory was never in doubt, with the yellow-and-blue going on a 27- 2 run in the first quarter and strolling for the remainder of the encounter on the way to a 101-92 win.
David Blu had 23 points for Tel Aviv, with Sofoklis Schortsanitis scoring 20 points and hauling down nine rebounds and Guy Pnini adding 19 points.
Sylven Landesberg and Marco Killingsworth scored 26 and 23 points, respectively, for Haifa, which has lost five straight games.
In Ashkelon, a tight first quarter ended in a slender Bnei Hasharon lead (18-17) and a three-point play by Dan Grunfeld midway through the second period gave the visitors a double-digit margin (37-27).
Dan Shamir’s men held just a fivepoint cushion (43-38) at the break, but began the second half well and a Shawn James basket opened a 49-39 gap.
However, a 9-0 Ashkelon run would bring the hosts within striking distance once more, and with 10 minutes to play the game was wide open, with Bnei Hasharon in the lead 68-64.
The visitors were in the driving seat, but the final quarter belonged to Ashkelon, with the hosts beginning the frame with a 17-4 run to take control of the encounter.
Rashon Turner was running roughshod under the basket and a Desmon Farmer three-pointer opened an 86-76 margin and clinched the win.
Turner had a monster night for Ashkelon, scoring 34 points, grabbing nine rebounds, while also adding three steals and two blocks.
The American forward hit nine of 15 field goals, while scoring 16 of 17 free throws.
Dror Hagag added 19 points, with Farmer scoring 14.
Ron Steele had 18 points for Bnei Hasharon, which has lost two consecutive games since beating Maccabi Tel Aviv.
“We played smart and determined basketball and my players deserve all the credit,” said Ashkelon coach Ariel Beit-Halachmi, whose team snapped a two-game losing streak.
“I have no words to describe Turner’s contribution. We’ve come through a difficult period and we played a great game against a strong team tonight.”
At Gan Ner, Gilboa entered the game as one of the league’s in-form teams, winning its last three contests, and it was in control at the end of the first period, leading 22-14.
The hosts held a double-figure gap for much of the second quarter, but could not kill off Ashdod’s resistance and at halftime was ahead by just eight points (44-36).
Ashdod ate away at the lead as the third period progressed and tied the score at 62-62 after a Ramel Bradley three.
Gilboa led by two points with 10 minutes to play (64-62), but Ashdod would hold its nerve the better of the two teams in the tight fourth quarter and the visitors would secure the win from the free-throw line, hitting 10 of 10 shots to end the game.
Josh Carter led Ashdod with 28 points, with Bradley adding 21 and Josh Duncan contributing 19 points and 12 rebounds.
Dagan Yavzuri had 18 points for Gilboa, which hosts Cedevita Zagreb in a must-win Eurocup encounter on Tuesday.
Maccabi Rishon Lezion hosts Hapoel Holon in the BSL on Monday.