Holon edges Ashdod in thriller thanks to Dyson

Hapoel Holon came back from a 20-point second-half deficit to defeat Maccabi Ashdod 107- 103 in overtime.

By ALLON SINAI
Hapoel Tel Aviv's CURTIS KELLY 370 (photo credit: Adi Avishai)
Hapoel Tel Aviv's CURTIS KELLY 370
(photo credit: Adi Avishai)
Hapoel Holon came back from a 20-point second-half deficit on Saturday night to defeat Maccabi Ashdod 107- 103 in overtime behind Jerome Dyson’s 40 points.
Ashdod held a 16-point gap (57-41) at the break and its lead reached 20 points (61-41) early in the second half.
However, Holon gradually ate away at the margin, with a Dyson free-throw forcing overtime (98-98). The visitors scored all nine of their points in the extra period from the line to clinch a second straight win after losing their previous seven games.
Dyson hit 12-of-24 fieldgoals, including five threepointers, on his way to becoming the first player to score 40 points or more in the BSL since the 2006/07 season.
Sean Daniel added 17 points and eight rebounds for Holon, which visits Paris Levallois in its EuroChallenge Last 16 Group J opener on Tuesday.
Diamon Simpson had 34 points and seven boards for Ashdod.
On Sunday, Hapoel Tel Aviv will look to snap a three-game losing streak when it faces Hapoel Jerusalem.
Tel Aviv will host the showdown in Ashdod after being sentenced to play the game away from its home arena in Rishon Lezion due to the unruliness of its fans during an encounter against Maccabi Ashdod last month.
Tel Aviv has lost five of its past six games to drop to 5-7, but will be playing with new American guard Jermaine Taylor for the first time on Sunday.
Erez Edelstein’s side beat Jerusalem 84-77 at Malha Arena earlier this season, but captain Matan Naor is expecting a far tougher challenge this time around.
“Jerusalem is a good team which has improved with every game and gave Maccabi Tel Aviv a run for its money last week,” said Naor.
Jerusalem led Maccabi by nine points late in the third quarter last week before falling to a 79- 71 loss and dropping to 6-6.
Also Sunday, Hapoel Eilat hosts Maccabi Rishon Lezion and Maccabi Haifa visits Hapoel Gilboa/Galil.
On Monday, Maccabi Tel Aviv hosts Ironi Asheklon, while Bnei Herzliya visits Barak Netanya.
Maccabi’s Ricky Hickman claimed Euroleague Top 16, Game 3 MVP honors after amassing a performance index rating of 34. Hickman scored 17 of his 24 points in the fourth quarter as Maccabi beat Fenerbahce Ulker 91-73 at Nokia Arena. He missed only four shots, went 9-for-9 from the free throw line, adding five rebounds and five assists, while committing just one turnover and drawing nine fouls.