Hapoel Jerusalem all but wrapped up second place with six games to go after a 91-75 road win.
By FRANKIE SACHShapoel jerusalem 88(photo credit: )
Hapoel Jerusalem all but wrapped up second place with six games to go after a 91-75 road win over Ironi Nahariya in the feature game of BSL Matchday 27.
Jerusalem improved to 18-6 and opened up a three-game lead over idle Maccabi Rishon and 3 1 /2 over Nahariya while holding any potential tiebreaker against both clubs. Rishon and Nahariya will clash with third place at stake on Sunday.
However, the story continues to be at the bottom of the standings, where red-hot Givat Shmuel continued its run out of the relegation zone, while Ironi Ramat Gan and Ramat Hasharon both lost and damaged their chances of survival. The last two teams at the end of the 33-game season will drop to the National League.
In Nahariya, Horace Jenkins proved he's back in form after missing a handful of games with an injury as he racked up 24 points, eight assists and four steals to lead Jerusalem. Roger Mason Jr. added 20 points and five steals and Meir Tapiro had 12 points and seven assists off the bench.
Nahariya kept the game tight through three quarters, but Jerusalem turned up its game in the fourth quarter to earn the victory.
The bizarre play of the evening took place early in the third period when ex-Jerusalemite Jayson Wells tied the score at 49. The ball fell into the forward's hands and he in turn passed it to the closest referee, who called Wells for a technical foul - his fourth personal foul. With Wells on the bench, Jerusalem scored the game's next seven points and never trailed again.
Otis Hill was dominant inside with 25 points on 9-of-14 shooting and 12 rebounds for Nahariya, but with Wells sidelined for much of the second half, Hill couldn't carry the team.
Maccabi Givat Shmuel 89,
Hapoel Tel Aviv 83 (OT)
At Nokia Arena, Givat Shmuel remained the hottest team in the league, winning its fifth straight and seventh in its last eight games.
Red-hot Timmy Bowers scored 29 points and grabbed nine rebounds and Amit Tamir and Wayne Wallace added 14 points and 11 boards apiece for Givat Shmuel.
The league's top scorer, Marcus Hatten, led Tel Aviv with 24 and Gili Mossinson chipped in 16 points and nine rebounds.
Maccabi Tel Aviv 93,
Hapoel Galil-Golan 91
Anthony Parker made the game-winning jumper with 19.2 seconds to go to give Maccabi Tel Aviv a road win over Hapoel Galil Elyon-Golan. Lior Lipshits missed a three-pointer with six seconds remaining that could have won the game for coach Oded Katash's side.
Jamie Arnold scored a season-high 31 for Tel Aviv against his former club, while Parker added 18. Bryant Smith led Galil with 22.
In other games, Terrence Rencher had 19 points, seven rebounds and 10 assists and Ugonna Onyekwe added 20 to lead Bnei Hasharon to a 93-81 win over visiting Ramat Hasharon and Brandon Kurtz and Alvin Snow scored 18 and 17 points, respectively, as Elitzur Ashkelon overcame Ramat Gan 84-68.
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