Local Hoops: Down 20, Mac TA storms back to beat Hapoel

Despite trailing by as many as 20 points during the second half, Maccabi Tel Aviv defeated Hapoel Jerusalem 113-111 in overtime at the Nokia Arena on Sunday night.

By ALLON SINAI
Israel basketball 224.88 (photo credit: AP)
Israel basketball 224.88
(photo credit: AP)
Despite trailing by as many as 20 points during the second half, Maccabi Tel Aviv defeated Hapoel Jerusalem 113-111 in overtime at the Nokia Arena on Sunday night. Maccabi was clearly hung-over from advancing to the Euroleague Final Four 72 hours earlier and struggled throughout Sunday's encounter. Hapoel was ahead 75-55 with just over three minutes to play in the third period, but Maccabi closed the gap as the encounter drew to a close and Will Bynum sent the game into overtime with a lay-up 4.6 seconds to the buzzer. Jerusalem managed to retake the lead during the overtime, but Maccabi's deeper roster proved crucial and Tel Aviv clinched the prestigious win. Bynum led Maccabi with 29 points, with Yotam Halperin and David Bluthenthal adding 18 and 15 points respectively. Terence Morris scored 12 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. Jamie Arnold scored 24 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for Jerusalem, which has now lost four straight league games. Timmy Bowers also scored 24 points, with Erez Markovitch adding 23 points and 16 rebounds. Also Sunday, Hapoel Galil Elyon won its third straight game, defeating Hapoel Afula/Gilboa 91-85 on the road. Ironi Nahariya's new coach Roni Bosani guided the team to a 94-76 victory at rock-bottom Maccabi Rishon Lezion and Ironi Ashkelon handed Ironi Ramat Gan its sixth straight defeat, winning 104-100 after overtime. In Tel Aviv, Maccabi were ahead at the start of the game, but Guy Pnini's dunk four minutes into the encounter gave the visitors their first lead of the night (14-13), and Jerusalem pulled further and further in front as the half drew to a close. An 11-2 Maccabi run, which was capped by Bluthenthal's three point move, seemed to mark a shift in the momentum, but Arnold and Orien Greene scored five quick points and Hapoel was had a substantial lead once more (60-46). Tel Aviv had no intent on allowing Jerusalem to sail to the victory and ate away at the margin as the quarter progressed. Two Bynum free-throws cut the gap to a mere two points (95-93). Greene raced from coast to coast to give the visitors the lead once more with 7.5 seconds to play, but a clever team move 4.6 seconds to the buzzer was finished off by Bynum and the game went into overtime. Maccabi opened a quick four point advantage at the start of the overtime and Hapoel looked finished. A Pnini three, however, capped a 5-0 run and amazingly Jerusalem was ahead once more with three minutes to play (103-102). The visitors, however, couldn't hold on to their slender lead and clutch scoring by Bynum helped Tel Aviv regain the lead. A Pnini three unbelievably tied the score once more with 32 seconds to go (111-111), but Halperin scored twice from the free-throw line and gave Maccabi the lead for good.