Hap J’lem continues to tease with another OT setback

Four of Jerusalem’s last five league games went into overtime and it lost for the third time in that stretch.

By ALLON SINAI
BRIAN RANDLE of Hapoel Jerusalem 311 (photo credit: Hapoel Jerusalem website)
BRIAN RANDLE of Hapoel Jerusalem 311
(photo credit: Hapoel Jerusalem website)
Hapoel Jerusalem fans were forced to suffer yet another dramatic defeat on Sunday night, with the Reds falling to a 69-64 overtime BSL loss at Maccabi Rishon Lezion.
Four of Jerusalem’s last five league games went into overtime and it lost for the third time in that stretch on Sunday, making a late run to force an extra five minutes, only to lose its head after Brian Randle fouled out in OT.
Rishon seemed to be cruising when Joe Crawford gave the hosts a nine-point lead (53-44) late in the fourth quarter of a low-scoring game. However, Randle inspired a quick 10-0 Hapoel run, giving the visitors a 54-53 lead with a three-point play with 30 seconds remaining.
Rishon looked to be dead and buried after Crawford missed at the other hand, but Yuval Naimi handed the hosts a lifeline, turning over the ball and allowing Derwin Kitchen to put Rishon back in front before Randle hit just one of his shots from the line to send the game into overtime.
But Jerusalem lost Randle early in the extra period after he committed his fifth foul and Kitchen scored nine points to clinch the win.
Kitchen ended the game with 22 points and 10 rebounds, while Crawford scored 18.
Ramel Bradley had 16 points for Jerusalem, with Randle contributing 13 points and nine rebounds.
Elsewhere, Eric Campbell secured Barak Netanya’s second straight win, hitting a three-pointer at the buzzer to give his team an 81-78 victory at Hapoel Gilboa/Galil.
Gilboa, which had won five of its previous six games, got off to the better start, leading 19-9 after 10 minutes.
The hosts remained in front until the fourth quarter when Netanya tied the score and set up a nail-biting finish to the game eventually won by Campbell as time expired.
Adrian Banks led Netanya with 27 points, while Romeo Travis had 18 points for Gilboa.
Maccabi Ashdod won for the sixth time in seven games on Sunday, thrashing Bnei Hasharon 91-69 on the road.
A 14-2 run midway through the second period helped Ashdod build a 47-34 halftime lead it had little trouble maintaining in the second half.
Alex Tyus had 18 points and nine boards for Ashdod.
Tweety Carter scored 21 points for Bnei Hasharon, which is only kept off the bottom of the standings by Maccabi Haifa, which visits Hapoel Holon on Monday.