By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv continues playing at their temporary home in Belgrade due to the current war situation in Israel and secured their third win since the move.
After losing two consecutive matches at Aleksandar Nikolic Hall to Barcelona and Real Madrid, Oded Kattash’s side dominated against ALBA Berlin for a convincing 102-81 win.
Wade Baldwin led Maccabi with 18 points and six assists, while Bonzie Colson added 17. Rafi Menco followed with 13, while James Webb added 12. Roman Sorkin also finished in double digits with 10 points.
“It was an important victory. We needed to get back to our game, make stops. It’s good to secure this win. It was crucial to bounce back after the defeat against Real Madrid and keep moving forward,” Colson said.
For ALBA, Gabriele Procida had a good game with 22 points, while Justin Bean and Johannes Thieman added 11 points each.
Maccabi seized a commanding 29-14 lead to conclude the first quarter and maintained their dominance throughout. They sustained a double-digit surplus until the end, even extending it to a game-high 98-71 near the conclusion of the final quarter.
Kattash’s side dazzled with their shooting, registering an impressive 15/25 from beyond the arc, translating to an outstanding 60% three-point shooting percentage. The Tel Aviv team also excelled in other aspects, recording significantly more assists (27-18) and steals (12-6). Additionally, they missed only two out of 19 free throws.
Kattash was very pleased with the win.
“A very good victory for us. It was a high-paced game by both teams. Offensively, we shared the ball effectively, got into favorable situations, and scored. We had two runs where we focused on defense and converted them into easy baskets. I’m glad we picked ourselves up after a tough loss,” Maccabi’s head coach said.
Maccabi will face ASVEL and Virtus in the upcoming double week.
“Looking ahead to the games against Villarban and Virtus Bologna next week, Kattash said: ‘We finished a double week, and now we have another one against good teams, especially when we play away. It will be challenging.”
Photo: euroleaguebasketball.net