By Eurohoops Team/ info@eurohoops.net
Rokas Jokubaitis scored 27 points and dished out eight assists as Maccabi Tel Aviv beat archrival Hapoel Tel Aviv 97 – 95 to advance to the Israeli State Cup Final.
Hapoel had the lead for the larger part fo the first 30 minutes and was up 79 – 72 early in the fourth period thanks to back-to-back triples by Yam Madar and Marcus Foster. Maccabi recovered and Levi Randolph put the Yellows up 87 -85 with six seconds left in regulation. Johnathan Motley tied the score for Hapoel and a bucket by Madar didn’t count as the game clock had expired.
Once again, Hapoel had the better start but Maccabi responded with Randolph scoring for the go-ahead basket for the 94 – 93 in the last seconds. Madar missed the layup and John DiBartolomeo made a pair of free throws for Maccabi on the other end.
Randolph finished with 21 points and eight rebounds while Roman Sorkin contributed 22 points and eight boards of his own to Maccabi’s win.
Madar posted 23 points, eight assists and six rebounds for Hapoel. Tomer Ginat had 19 points plus five rebounds and Motley scored 15. The team was without suspended star guard Patrick Beverley. He tweeted “man wish i was out there tonight” after the game.
Maccabi will face Hapoel Jerusalem in the Final.
Photo: EuroLeague Basketball