By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Zvezda put Hapoel to the test, but still, the top team of the EuroLeague standings got the win.
The hosts gave their first-ever EuroLeague game back in Israel for the season and got the 84-78 win over Zvezda, having a 12-4 record and the top spot of the standings, while the Serbs dropped to 9-7.
The game was a duel between Elijah Bryant and Jared Butler, even if in the end, Chris Jones, with 15 points, made the most crucial plays of the night.
For the home side, Bryant was spectacular with a career high of 28 points, nine rebounds, and five assists.
On the other side, Butler also had a career high of 27 points, four rebounds, and eight assists, but missed some big shots in crunch time.
After 14 lead changes, with both teams walking side by side, the score was tied at 71 with four minutes left. Butler gave Zvezda the advantage (73-71), only for Bryant to tie the score again (73-73).
That was the start of a 7-0 run with Antonio Blakeney scoring his first and only five points in the game, giving Hapoel a five-point cushion (78-73).
Jordan Nwora answered with a three-pointer for Zvezda (78-76), Chris Jones also made a big shot for Hapoel (80-76), and Codi Miller-McIntyre trimmed the score to 80-78 in the closing seconds.
With 17 seconds left, Jones scored again (82-78), Butler missed, and the game was over.