By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
After the incidents that took place in Athens during Game 2, the win-or-go-home third clash between Hapoel Jerusalem and AEK was all about excitement and led the home side to be dragged by its beloved fanbase all the way to the Basketball Champions League Final Four, by beating AEK 91-51.
Levi Randolph was by far the best player on the Israeli side, pushing Hapoel Jerusalem to its first-ever BCL Final Four with 25 points, 5 rebounds, and 8/14 from the field. Speedy Smith, who made three or more 3-pointers in each of his previous three home games, more often than in his previous 12 games at home, ended the encounter with 7 points, 4 assists, and 1/3 from the arc.
Siim-Sander Vene and Khadeen Carrington added both 15 points off the bench. The American guard added 6 assists, while the Estonian power forward was perfect from two (3/3) and from beyond the arc (3/3), helping Hapoel Jerusalem reach its goal.
Zach Hankins was limited due to the physical matchup he faced with Akil Mitchell, who combined for 10+ points, 5+ rebounds and 5+ assists in each of his previous two games against Hapoel Jerusalem. The former finished with 8 points and 6 rebounds, and the latter had a tough shooting night with 3/8.
The last man to surrender on the away team was Brynton Lemar, who joined AEK mid-way through the season and provided 21 points and 4 rebounds for the Greek side in Game 3. Vlado Jankovic followed by adding 11 points, being perfect at the line (6/6).
Following the first two games in which both teams shared victories, in this do-or-die Game 3 Hapoel Jerusalem completely dominated the encounter, closing the second quarter up by 21 points and leaving AEK with only 36 points scored as they entered the fourth quarter. In the end, Ilias Kantzouris’ team went home with its worst scoring performance of this year’s Basketball Champions League.
Aleksandar Dzikic’s team had the better of its opponents in many different ways, especially shooting both from beyond the arc (Hapoel 64.71% vs AEK 17.24%) and with points from the bench (40 vs 19). Hapoel Jerusalem never lost control of the game, always being ahead and reaching a huge 40-point lead.
Waiting for Game 3 between last year’s champions Lenovo Tenerife and the runner-up BAXI Manresa, Hapoel Jerusalem reached Unicaja Malaga and Telekom Baskets Bonn in the 2023 Basketball Champions League Final Four, which will take place from April 12-14 in a venue yet to be announced.
In the aftermath of Game 3, the visitors complained about game conditions, including fans attacking GM Giorgos Chinas.
PHOTO CREDIT: Basketball Champions League