Maccabi Tel Aviv secured a win in Belgrade against Anadolu Efes with a score of 95:86 in the 14th round of the EuroLeague, and three-pointers played a decisive role.
The first attack was capitalized upon by Josh Nebo at the sound of the buzzer. Shane Larkin opened the game with a characteristic three-pointer, and Nebo scored again from the low post. Then we witnessed two phenomenal dunks from Nebo and Tyrique Jones. Bonzie Colson then hit the first three-pointer for the ‘home’ team in the game. After a television timeout, Jones scored again, and Anadolu Efes took the lead for the first time after Ercan Osman’s points. The battle heated up, and both teams shot exceptionally well from beyond the arc. After an exciting first ten minutes and a series from the team in blue, the score was 29:20.
Jones scored the first points, followed by Mike Daum, reducing the difference to 5 points. Roman Sorkin scored the first points with a foul for Maccabi Tel Aviv after a little over two minutes. Daum hit again for the team from Anatolia, proving to be a valuable addition for the blue and whites. Then Larkin hit a three-pointer, and Oded Kattash had to call a timeout. Antonius Cleveland lifted the Israeli team out of the crisis after a beautiful layup, and then Lorenzo Brown recorded his first points in the game.
The excitement in this part of the game was far from over. Brown showed excellent play, as did Larkin, who made incredible three-pointers. Nebo grabbed rebounds, Thompson missed a dunk, and the atmosphere on the court became increasingly intense. The American point guard hit a three-pointer over the hand, and Larkin did the same 45 seconds before halftime. The score at halftime was 48:45 in favor of Efes, as Bonzie Colson dunked at the buzzer.
The rhythm was unbearable
Brown hit a three-pointer, marking the first points of the second half, and then did it again for a 6-0 start for his team. It began very dynamically, and Jake Cohen’s run was interrupted by a foul. The ball didn’t want to go into either team’s basket, and the scoreboard stayed at 53:53 for a long time. Thompson broke the drought with a layup, and then Daum hit a new three-pointer. Webb hit a crucial three-pointer to level the score. Sorkin then made free throws that put Maccabi in the lead after a long time. The Israeli player scored at the buzzer at the end of the third quarter, and the score was 65:63 in favor of the home team.
Maccabi Tel Aviv takes control
Tamir Blatt opened the final quarter with a three-pointer, and then Cleveland scored after a stolen ball. Then the Maccabi bench received a technical foul. The Israeli point guard hit another three-pointer, and Cleveland made one free throw. Blatt and Webb then hit two crucial three-pointers for a double-digit lead for ‘The Mechanics.’ Brown then made a free throw after a technical foul, and then he made a nice shot from mid-range. Until the end of the game, Maccabi controlled the pace and deservedly celebrated with a score of 95:86.
The best for the home team was Lorenzo Brown, who scored 2 points, followed by Colson with 19. Not to be overlooked were the excellent performances of Webb and Blatt, who played a significant role, especially in the final quarter. On the other side, Thompson stood out with 20 points, and Daum had the same.
Referees: Perez, Obrknezevic, Trawicki
Venue: Hala “Aleksandar Nikolic”
MACCABI TEL AVIV-ANADOLU EFES 95:86 (28:20, 16:28, 21:16, 29:22)
Maccabi Tel Aviv: Cleveland 5, Brown 21, Baldwin 4, Blatt 12, Goldman, Webb 14, Sorkin 8, Nebo 8, Rivero, Cohen, Menco, Colson 19.
Anadolu Efes: Larkin 17, Daum 20, Altunas, Tunca, Gazi 3, Thompson 22, Yildizli, Hollatz3 , Osmani 2, Oturu 7, Jones 12.