Women's Hoops: Ramat Hasharon clinches league and cup double

Ambrosia Anderson’s basket with five seconds remaining downs Maccabi Ashdod 64-63.

By ALLON SINAI
Ramat Hasharon claimed its second straight women’s basketball league title on Monday night, defeating Maccabi Ashdod 64-63 to clinch a 3-1 series victory thanks to Ambrosia Anderson’s basket with five seconds remaining.
Ramat Hasharon also lifted the State Cup earlier this season and Monday’s win gave it its first league and cup double since 2003.
“Anderson wasn’t in the game for most of the night, but she came back at the most important moment,” delighted Ramat Hasharon coach Orna Ostfeld said.
Anderson herself was overcome with emotion. “I can not describe what I am feeling right now,” she said after the final buzzer sounded. “This has been a long and difficult season and we deserve it.”
A tight first half ended in a 35-31 Ramat Hasharon lead, but the hosts turned the game on its head in the third period and were ahead by five points (50-45) with 10 minutes to play.
The fourth quarter was pure drama, and the game would be decided in thefinal 30 seconds after Natasha Lacy tied the score at 62-62 with adramatic three-pointer.
Lacy gave Ashdod the lead from theline with nine seconds remaining, but the hosts committed a crucialturnover and a well-worked move by Ramat Hasharon ended with anAnderson lay-up and a sixth league title in club history.
“RamatHasharon were better than us in this series but I thought we would beatthem today,” admitted Ashdod coach Idan Inbar. “My girls gave somegreat performances during the series.”
 This game was in their hands but it just slipped out.”