By Eurohoops Team/ info@eurohoops.net
Forcing a Game 3 to decide the next Ligat Winner champion, Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv earned a home win, 85-67, versus Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv on Saturday.
Following a 15-minute delay to tipoff due to fans stuck in lengthy lines outside the arena, the game was interrupted for nearly 30 minutes due to smoke from flares in Shlomo Group Arena. Both sides returned to their respective locker rooms with a 2-2 tie after 81 seconds of action.
Pacing the team coached by Stefanos Dedas the rest of the way, Jaylen Hoard tallied 15 points and eight rebounds in a game-high performance index rating of 24. Xavier Munford recorded a game-high 25 points behind 8/16 field goals, including six from beyond the arc. Tyler Ennis and Kyle Alexander chipped in 11 points each. John Holland, Isaiah Miles, and J’Covan Brown were ruled out by the Reds.
The reigning champions in Israel improved perimeter defense after the break and reduced the deficit to six points but the hosts quickly restored a safe advantage, preventing the Tel Aviv rivals from winning a 57th domestic league championship. A former player of Hapoel, Yam Madar was in attendance, enjoying the win. Greek coach Dimitris Itoudis made his way to Tel Aviv for Game 2 of the Finals as well.
For the team guided by Oded Kattash, Bonzie Colson was issued a technical foul due to a heated argument with numerous opponents in the first period but bounced back with 15 points. Tamir Blatt had 11 points and nine assists. Roman Sorkin logged a team-high 16 points and Lorenzo Brown fouled out with 13 points. Antonius Cleveland, James Webb III, and Wade Baldwin IV were out for the Yellows.
With the best-of-three championship series tied 1-1, Game 3 in Menora Mivtachim Arena will wrap up the 2023-24 campaign and crown the Israel champion on Monday.
Ligat Winner Playoffs
Quarterfinals (best-of-five)
Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv – Ironi Hai Motors Ness Ziona 3-0 (109-83, 99-66, 105-64)
Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem – Hapoel Netanel Group Holon 3-0 (93-86, 70-68, 93-75)
Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv – Hapoel Shoval Haifa 3-0 (97-66, 100-91, 83-65)
Maccabi Ironi Ramat Gan – Ironi Kiryat Lati Ata 0-3 (94-95, 84-94, 72-74)
Semifinals (best-of-three)
Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv – Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem 2-0 (89-82, 82-73)
Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv – Ironi Kiryat Lati Ata 2-1 (79-82, 70-62, 100-83)
Finals (best-of-three)
Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv – Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv 1-1 (84-76, 67-85)
Photo Credit: EuroleagueBasketball.net