By ALLON SINAIMaccabi Tel Aviv's Yogev Ohayon 311(photo credit: Maccabi Tel Aviv website)
Maccabi Tel Aviv’s Euroleague campaign got off to a disappointing start on Thursday night.Maccabi struggled in its first real test of the season, losing 89-82 at Olimpia Milano.Milano outscored Tel Aviv 51-33 in the second and third quarters combined, with the Italians holding the lead throughout the second half.Lior Eliyahu had 23 points and eight rebounds for Maccabi, which shot just three of 14 from three-point range.
David Blu and Theo Papaloukas scored 15 and 13 points, respectively, but Jordan Farmar had just six points, hitting three of 11 shots, in a disappointing Euroleague debut.Malik Hairston scored 25 points for Milano, with Danilo Gallinari adding 23.Maccabi struggled to find its rhythm at the start of the game and Leon Radosevic’s basket with just under three minutes to play in the first period gave the hosts a 14-7 lead.However, Tel Aviv would end the quarter with a 12-0 run, with Papaloukas scoring the final five to give the visitors a 19-14 advantage after 10 minutes.Tal Burstein’s two points to open the second period opened a seven-point cushion (21-14), but Milano erased it almost immediately with a 7-0 run and the Italians held a 41- 38 gap at the break.A Drew Nicholas three-pointer capped a 10-2 Milano run that opened a nine-point gap (55-46) and Tel Aviv left itself with a mountain to climb in the fourth frame, trailing 65-52 with 10 minutes remaining.Maccabi managed to close to within four points (71-67), but that would be as close as it would come as Milano held on for a confidence-boosting win.
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