The cup holder guaranteed home in the quarter finals

Set at the same place next week: Hapoel beat Holon tonight (Wednesday) 76:94 at the Arena, securing the fourth place in the table - and with it the home advantage in the quarter-final order of the playoffs between the teams, which will start in about a week. After a tight first quarter, the Reds switched gears, ran to a double-digit gap and maintained a safe distance the whole way. Before the game, the host hung the new trophy flag, in an emotional ceremony in which the sisters of Hersh Goldberg-Polin, who is kidnapped in Gaza, Libby and Orly, took part.

Similar to the cup final, Hapoel went strong for the offensive rebound, pressured the opponent's ball handlers and forced many turnovers on the creator in their attack. Yonatan Alon's team closes a regular season full of ups and downs with a very important win that guarantees the fourth place, but they remember very well that in their previous series against Holon, the home team was not enough. Levi Randolph maintained stability and high ability throughout the game, Zoos again did a little of everything, Jacorey Williams celebrated in the paint and Nimrod Levi, was in excellent shape, was the X factor.





Libby and Orly Goldberg-Pollin, the sisters of Hersh, who is kidnapped in Gaza (photos: Bernie Ardov)


Matan Adelson thanks the fans (Photo: Barney Ardov)


The cup flag rises to the ceiling of the arena (photo: Barney Ardov)

Game Process: Hapoel started with Speedy Smith, Levi Randolph, Yuval Zoosman, Nimrod Levi and Jacorey Williams, Holon with Niv Misgav, Tajir McCall, Drew Crawford, Justin Smith and Hanouchi. Both teams started well in the attack: Williams and Smith scored easily in the paint and Levi Epps handled from the outside, on the other side Crawford and McCall scored from the corners and penetration of the last set gave the guests a 7:10 advantage. Williams equalized with a basket and a foul, Smith floated the first Eli Hope of the evening, but Randolph with a typical jump shot and Khadin Carrington with a three-pointer at 12:15. Shawn Dawson, Noam Dovrat and Kevin Hervey got on the board, Smith scored a big basket from an offensive rebound and also floated an impressive roof over Alex Tyus, but Randolph broke the tie with a three-pointer, 19:22 for the Reds after 10 minutes.


Zoosman. Advantage at the end of the quarter (Photo: Barney Ardov)

Baskets by Randolph and Chris Johnson sent Holon to a fast timeout, Dawson dealt damage with a 3-pointer but a left hook from Tyus made it 22:28. Hapoel kept strong and flew forward at every chance, Randolph brought himself and the difference to double digits with a basket and a foul in the open court and Levi with another basket from a second chance sent Amit Sharaf to another timeout, 35:23. Shahar Amir intercepted in the form of a virtue, Levi answered him with a three-pointer and Zoosman picked up Williams for a mighty Alli-Hope, 25:40. Dovrat continued the escape with a three-pointer, Hervey also scored on the other end, Zoosman paved the way for an impressive 3-point move, but Crawford made two consecutive shots from the outside to reduce the score to 46:35. A basket by Williams after three consecutive rebounds by Hapoel in the attack sent to the break with a 35:48 advantage.


Speedy and Randolph. Sharing in red control (Photo: Barney Ardov)

Zoosman came back great from the locker room with a 3-pointer and a left-handed dunk in a burst, Nathaniel Artzi and McCall brought Holon back to business, but Carrington kept 100% as a team from the line, 40:55. McCall reached double digits with an aggressive penetration, Carrington stole and flew to the basket in a burst, but Misgav with a debut basket and an assist to Smith brought it down to 57:46 in the middle of the quarter. Or Cornelius and Smith re-established the advantage, Tyus and Carrington provided big roofs, Levi walked the baseline for a great basket, Hanouchi prevented a stronger escape and Ravi from half court with the buzzer brought it down to 64:55.


Hanochi tries to free himself from Mazosman (photo: Barney Ardov)

Randolph started the fourth quarter with a three and a typical shot from the baseline, Holon came back from a timeout with a basket by Amir but Williams responded with a hook, 57:71. Randolph added 2 points from the line, Harvey responded with a three-pointer on a pass by Smith, the visitor sent Yonatan Alon to a timeout, 73:62. Levi scored a hard basket at the end of the shot clock, Justin Smith floated for another big dunk but Chris Johnson made it 64:78 with a three from the corner. Dawson again missed a basket and a foul, Williams took advantage of a miss for a layup and Randolph made it 67:82 from the line after an unsportsmanlike foul on Dawson. Zoosman scored with the buzzer for the shot clock, Randolph collected another point after a technical for Crawford's duty, Williams left points on the line and the visiting Smith bit into the gap, but a dunk by Tyus and a three by Zoosman sent Scharf to a timeout, about a minute to the end, trailing 91:74. McColl floated for a nice dunk, Tios responded with a basket and a foul and in the end 76:94 is important for Hapoel, which locks fourth place in the regular season.


Khadin shines Crawford from behind (photo: Bernie Ardov)


Randolph. Guaranteed the home team in the series (Photo: Barney Ardov)

Scorers for Hapoel: Randolph 20 (4-7 for two, 2-7 for three, 6-6 from the line, 8 rebounds), Williams (6-8 from the field, 2-5 from the line, 7 rebounds) and Levy (3-4 for two, 2-3 for three, 6 rebounds) 14 each, Zoosman 13 (3-5 for two, 2-4 for three, 5 assists), Johnson 8 (3-5 from the field), Carrington (2-9 from the field) and Tyus (3-5 ).from the field) 7 each, Dovrat 5, Smith 4 (5 assists, 3 steals, 4 turnovers), Cornelius 2. Yes partner: Amsalem.

Scored in Holon: Smith 17 (5-10 from the field, 7-10 from the line), McColl 15 (4-5 for twos, 2-5 for threes, 10 assists, 7 turnovers), Crawford (3-4 for threes) and Harvey (3-7 ). for three) 11 KA, Dawson 10 (3-4 for two, 1-4 for three), Amir and Hanouchi (1-5 from the field) 4 KA, Mashgav (6 assists) and Artzi 2 KA yes partner: Solomon.


The players celebrate with the audience at the end (photos: Barney Ardov)