Mac TA loses early lead, but hangs on to defeat French champion.
By ALLON SINAIMaccabi Tel Aviv’s Sylven Landesberg(photo credit: ADI AVISHAI)
Maccabi Tel Aviv continued its recent revival with a third win in a week on Thursday, overcoming Limoges 79-73 in France to improve to 4-2 in Euroleague regular season Group B.The yellow-and-blue looked to have completely lost its way earlier this month after suffering three humbling defeats in succession over a nightmarish eight days.However, it has bounced back in impressive fashion over the past week, although it required some late heroics by Jeremy Pargo to clinch Thursday’s win.Maccabi led by as many as 18 points in the third quarter before allowing Limoges to storm back, with the French champion leading by a point entering the final minute. Nevertheless, after scoring just four points until the last minute, Pargo added nine points to his tally when his team needed him most to clinch the victory.Pargo finished with 13 points and six assists, with Sylven Landesberg leading Maccabi with 22 points and nine rebounds.Yogev Ohayon added 11 points, eight steals and six assists.Leo Westermann had 16 points for Limoges (1-5).After a tight first half, a Devin Smith lay-up to beat the buzzer gave Tel Aviv a promising 42-35 gap at the break. Maccabi got the second half off to a superb start, opening with an 11-0 surge to establish what seemed like an unassailable 18-point margin (53-35). However, Tel Aviv took its foot off the gas and Limoges took full advantage, with Westermann’s crazy buzzer-beater from his own half capping a 10-1 run which brought the hosts within nine points (57-48).Nobel Boungou-Colo’s lucky triple off the backboard gave the French champion a 66-64 advantage with five minutes to play and a tight finish would ensue. Jamar Smith’s basket handed Limoges a one-point edge (71-70) entering the final minute, but Pargo would come to Maccabi’s rescue.
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