Pereg leads Holon back to into Super League big time

A last-minute three-pointer returned the once-proud club to the Super League after a six-year absence.

By FRANKIE SACHS
hapoel holon 298.88 (photo credit: Sport5)
hapoel holon 298.88
(photo credit: Sport5)
Adi Pereg drilled a three-pointer as time expired to lead Hapoel Holon to a 70-69 win over Afula/Gilboa that returned the onceproud club to the Basketball Super League after a six-year absence. The victory in Game 4 of the best-of-five series clinched a 3-1 triumph for Holon in the National League playoff finals. Leading by one, Afula had the game in its hands in the last minute. Coach Avner Yaor's team ran the clock down and though Jermain Hall missed a jumper that could have put the game away, Gur Porath snagged the offensive rebound. He was instantly fouled and then had a chance to put Afula in control. But the 91 percent free-throw shooter made the first and missed the second. With 6.8 seconds remaining, Holon raced downcourt looking for the tie. The ball wound up in the palms of Pereg, whose three from the corner left his hands with less than a second on the clock. As the ball rolled in, the 3,000 fans in the sold-out arena erupted with joy and the overwhelmed players embraced each other on the court. Alex Carcamo led Holon with 22, while Ryan Lexer added 20. Maccabi Givat Shmuel 90, Ironi Ramat Gan 66 Givat Shmuel clinched another season in the BSL and all but dropped Ramat Gan to the National League in the most important game of Matchday 30. The win was Givat Shmuel's 10th in its last 11 games, an amazing feat for a team that was seen as a certain relegation victim two months ago. Ramat Gan will need to win its remaining three games starting Thursday when it hosts Maccabi Tel Aviv and have Hapoel Tel Aviv lose its last two to remain in the BSL for another season. In other Sunday night games, Maccabi Rishon defeated Hapoel Tel Aviv 76-60 and Hapoel Galil Elyon-Golan beat Ironi Nahariya 86-80. On Monday night, Hapoel Jerusalem hosts Bnei Hasharon and Elitzur Ashkelon travels to Maccabi Tel Aviv in the remaining games.