By Eurohoops Team/ info@eurohoops.net
Maccabi FOX Tel Aviv needed a win and got it against the Italian champs. The Israelis prevailed over Dinamo Banco Di Sardegna Sassari 79-63 and proved in the second half that they can also play defense.
Maccabi had just a 35-33 lead after the first 20 minutes of action, but the second half was a different story. The partial score was 44-30 for the hosts who had a 44-29 advantage in the rebounds and an inspired Devin Smith. The veteran leader of Maccabi had his best game yet for the season with 22 points and 7 rebounds. Brian Randle (12 p.), Trevor Mbakwe (11 p.), Sylven Landesberg (11 p.) and Yogev Ohayon (10 p., 6 as.) scored in double digits, while Jordan Farmar went scoreless in 9 minutes of action.
Christian Eyenga had 21 points for the Italians, who got little else from their other main players. David Logan had 11 points but 2/11 threes and Jarvis Varnado had also 11 points on 5/10 shots and 7 rebounds. Sassari just couldn’t get the ball in the paint, took too many outside shots – as usual – but with just 6/24 threes couldn’t do much damage, even if Maccabi was not much better than them behind the arc with 8/24 shots.