Local hoops: Hapoel J'lem bounces back, beats Bnei Hasharon

Reds rebound from disappointing State Cup semifinal loss with 92-85 victory over Bnei Hasharon.

By ALLON SINAI
timmy bowers 224 (photo credit: Asaf Kliger)
timmy bowers 224
(photo credit: Asaf Kliger)
Hapoel Jerusalem rebounded from its disappointing State Cup semifinal loss with a 92-85 victory over Bnei Hasharon at Malha Arena on Saturday night. Jerusalem, which won the cup in 2007 and 2008, suffered a shock semifinal defeat to Maccabi Haifa last Monday, but can now at least console itself with a ninth league win in 10 games. "In sports you need to know how to recover from disappointment and the players did their job," Hapoel coach Guy Goodes said. "The fans deserve a lot of credit for coming out to support us after the bitter disappointment of losing in the cup." Moran Rot led six Jerusalem players in double figures, scoring 17 points and also adding seven assists. Timmy Bowers and Omar Sneed contributed 16 and 14 points respectively. Sean James scored 21 points for Bnei Hasharon and Richard Roby added 20 points, but the visitors were never in the game. Hapoel began the encounter with a 9-0 run and never looked back. The hosts led 27-11 after 10 minutes and all but clinched the victory by the break after opening a 19 point (51-32) halftime margin over the short-handed visitors. On Sunday, Carlos Arroyo returns from his brief suspension and will play in Maccabi Tel Aviv's road game at Ironi Nahariya. The Puerto-Rican playmaker was suspended by the club for improper conduct on Thursday, but missed just one of the team's training sessions, with Maccabi accepting his apology and bringing him back to the fold after less than 24 hours. Maccabi, which climbed to the top of the BSL standings with a 97-81 victory over Hapoel Jerusalem in its most recent league game two weeks ago, will be hoping to erase bitter memoires when it visits Nahariya. The last time Tel Aviv traveled to Ein Sara it was knocked out in the round of 32 of the State Cup by Nahariya, which lost in the semifinals of the cup last Monday to eventual winner Hapoel Holon. Also Sunday, Hapoel Galil/Gilboa, which has lost five of its last seven games, hosts Ironi Ramat Gan, Maccabi Givat Shmuel visits Maccabi Rishon Lezion and Elitzur Kiryat Ata will look to end its 12 game losing skid when it hosts Ironi Ashkelon. On Monday, Holon hosts Haifa in a rematch of Thursday's thrilling cup final.