It's a playoff! Hapoel beats Holon
A great performance by Levi and a double-double by Speedy gave Hapoel an 86:93 home win over Holon in the quarterfinals (Photo: Liron Moldovan)
28/05/2024
| Post-Game
The series between Hapoel and Holon promised a lot - and the first course that was served this evening (Tuesday) Arena definitely whetted the appetite. The Purples did come back from a 12-point deficit in the fourth quarter and forced overtime, but the cup holder knew how to come to her senses in time and took the victory by the teeth, 86:93 after 45 nerve-racking minutes. Game #2 will be held at noon on Friday in Holon.
The red team scored 93 points, but what won them the game was the defense in the decisive moments. She didn't make a single field goal in the last six minutes of the evening and from the moment Holon took the lead, two minutes into overtime, she shifted gears and held the guest without a point until the buzzer with a series of stops that ensured the win. Levi Randolph, who woke the team up in the second quarter, was at his peak with 30 points including 5 of 7 from beyond the arc and also jumped for a crucial turnover in overtime. Speedy Smith, who played long minutes despite an injury he sustained during the evening, added 17 points and 10 assists.
"Everyone who wears red jumps!" (Photos: Liron Moldovan)
Game Process:
Hapoel started with Speedy Smith, Levi Randolph, Yovel Zoosman, Nimrod Levi and Jacorey Williams, Holon with Niv Misgav, Tajir McCall, Nathaniel Artzi, Drew Crawford and Justin Smith. The opening was for the guests, who, led by Smith, took a quick 9:2 lead. Williams doubled his team's points after an offensive rebound, Misgav's 3-pointer sent Yonatan Alon to the first timeout, after which Chris Johnson began to minimize damage, but Smith the Holoni added back, 8:14. Noam Dovrat led a quick red conversion together with Alex Tyus who came off the bench with him, but Shahar Amir's 3-pointer closed the quarter with a 15:17 lead.
Nimrod Levi guards the ball from Artzi (Photo: Liron Moldovan)
Khadin Carrington hit two free throws, Shawn Dawson broke the tie with a three and then Randolph's moment came: the captain, who until then had not scored at all, changed the momentum with 11 consecutive points and Levi's triple made it 23:31. Misgav with a third shot from beyond the arc brought the purple-yellows back into the picture, Dawson provided a second defensive block, Carrington scored the first field goal, but Artzi made a steal and sent Dawson to an easy basket in the open court, 33:28. Williams sank from Smith's fifth assist, McCol came through with power and finished well and Randolph with another post up made it 30:37. Meshav scored a fourth three-pointer, before Randolph closed a fantastic quarter from the line, 33:39 for the cup holder at the break.
Zoosman. Advantage at halftime (Photo: Liron Moldovan)
Randolph continued to be eager after the break and crossed the 20-point mark with two three-pointers, McCall and Artzi tried to reduce it, but Williams and Zoosman opened a double-digit gap for the first time, 39:49. Holoni Smith received another nice assist from Misgav and reached double digits, Sussman scored from the corner in transition, Justin Smith continued to collect points in the paint and a three-pointer by Artzi reduced the score to 52:46. Speedy Smith scored a floater with one hand before going down to the dressing room for treatment, Artzi continued to shave points off the gap, but Randolph with another three made it 49:57. Artzi was accurate twice from the line, Doverat scored from the outside with the buzzer for the shot clock, McColl answered in the same coin with an impressive step back, but Levi continued the flood beyond the arc, 54:63. Yotam Hanouchi corrected his own foul, Dovrat brought himself and the difference to double digits after a steal and an assist by Levi, but Crawford got on the board with a three-pointer that shrunk to 65:59.
Randolph. The hot man in red (Photo: Liron Moldovan)
Amir with a steal in defense and a triple on the other side cut half of the deficit, Smith who returned from treatment immediately answered him and Dawson with his right hand with the board narrowed it to 68:64. Smith scored from half distance plus foul and gave a great ball to Williams, Amit Sharaf asked for a timeout but Johnson with an open three made it 64:76. Crawford stopped an 0:8 run, the visiting Smith floated for a tremendous dunk and another basket in the paint sent the host talking about it, 76:70. Local Smith again took charge with a typical jumper, Amir responded with a three-pointer and Crawford put Holon within three points, 78:75. Randolph scored 2 of 2 from the line, Smith the holoni floated to Alli-Hoop Adir from putting the ball in and Amir equalized with a three-pointer from the corner after an excellent ball drive, 80:80. Randolph threw an airball from the outside, Misgav also missed beyond the arc but McCall committed a foul with 19 seconds to play on Smith, who restored the lead with a single shot, 80:81. Zoosman made the last foul that Hapoel had left to give with nine seconds on the clock, Mcall squeezed the touch from Williams and also scored only one, 81:81, five seconds to the buzzer. Hapoel got a chance to win, but Speedy didn't get a good shot and the game went to overtime, 81:81.
Speedy. Money Time (Photo: Liron Moldovan)
Zoosman scored the first basket of overtime, Amir equalized from the line, but Randolph made an amazing fadeaway with the buzzer for the shot clock, making it 83:85. Artzi scored 1 of 2 from the line, Mcall drew another foul and completed a turnover from the line before going down to rest with a leg stretch, Williams jumped the crowd with a big roof, Randolph got the ball with a goalkeeper's jump to the floor and Smith restored the lead from the line, 86:87. Zoosman stole and flew for a layup, Crawford and Randolph missed, Speedy stole to the purple Smith and opened a gap of two attacks from the line, 86:91. Deondra Burns went on the floor for the first time with 1:14 on the clock, Speedy Smith went out with five fouls, Justin Smith left two precious points on the line, Zoosman missed but took his own rebound and Randolph secured the victory from the line, 86:93 at the end for Hapoel, which takes the lead in the series.
The red team scored 93 points, but what won them the game was the defense in the decisive moments. She didn't make a single field goal in the last six minutes of the evening and from the moment Holon took the lead, two minutes into overtime, she shifted gears and held the guest without a point until the buzzer with a series of stops that ensured the win. Levi Randolph, who woke the team up in the second quarter, was at his peak with 30 points including 5 of 7 from beyond the arc and also jumped for a crucial turnover in overtime. Speedy Smith, who played long minutes despite an injury he sustained during the evening, added 17 points and 10 assists.
"Everyone who wears red jumps!" (Photos: Liron Moldovan)
Game Process:
Hapoel started with Speedy Smith, Levi Randolph, Yovel Zoosman, Nimrod Levi and Jacorey Williams, Holon with Niv Misgav, Tajir McCall, Nathaniel Artzi, Drew Crawford and Justin Smith. The opening was for the guests, who, led by Smith, took a quick 9:2 lead. Williams doubled his team's points after an offensive rebound, Misgav's 3-pointer sent Yonatan Alon to the first timeout, after which Chris Johnson began to minimize damage, but Smith the Holoni added back, 8:14. Noam Dovrat led a quick red conversion together with Alex Tyus who came off the bench with him, but Shahar Amir's 3-pointer closed the quarter with a 15:17 lead.
Nimrod Levi guards the ball from Artzi (Photo: Liron Moldovan)
Khadin Carrington hit two free throws, Shawn Dawson broke the tie with a three and then Randolph's moment came: the captain, who until then had not scored at all, changed the momentum with 11 consecutive points and Levi's triple made it 23:31. Misgav with a third shot from beyond the arc brought the purple-yellows back into the picture, Dawson provided a second defensive block, Carrington scored the first field goal, but Artzi made a steal and sent Dawson to an easy basket in the open court, 33:28. Williams sank from Smith's fifth assist, McCol came through with power and finished well and Randolph with another post up made it 30:37. Meshav scored a fourth three-pointer, before Randolph closed a fantastic quarter from the line, 33:39 for the cup holder at the break.
Zoosman. Advantage at halftime (Photo: Liron Moldovan)
Randolph continued to be eager after the break and crossed the 20-point mark with two three-pointers, McCall and Artzi tried to reduce it, but Williams and Zoosman opened a double-digit gap for the first time, 39:49. Holoni Smith received another nice assist from Misgav and reached double digits, Sussman scored from the corner in transition, Justin Smith continued to collect points in the paint and a three-pointer by Artzi reduced the score to 52:46. Speedy Smith scored a floater with one hand before going down to the dressing room for treatment, Artzi continued to shave points off the gap, but Randolph with another three made it 49:57. Artzi was accurate twice from the line, Doverat scored from the outside with the buzzer for the shot clock, McColl answered in the same coin with an impressive step back, but Levi continued the flood beyond the arc, 54:63. Yotam Hanouchi corrected his own foul, Dovrat brought himself and the difference to double digits after a steal and an assist by Levi, but Crawford got on the board with a three-pointer that shrunk to 65:59.
Randolph. The hot man in red (Photo: Liron Moldovan)
Amir with a steal in defense and a triple on the other side cut half of the deficit, Smith who returned from treatment immediately answered him and Dawson with his right hand with the board narrowed it to 68:64. Smith scored from half distance plus foul and gave a great ball to Williams, Amit Sharaf asked for a timeout but Johnson with an open three made it 64:76. Crawford stopped an 0:8 run, the visiting Smith floated for a tremendous dunk and another basket in the paint sent the host talking about it, 76:70. Local Smith again took charge with a typical jumper, Amir responded with a three-pointer and Crawford put Holon within three points, 78:75. Randolph scored 2 of 2 from the line, Smith the holoni floated to Alli-Hoop Adir from putting the ball in and Amir equalized with a three-pointer from the corner after an excellent ball drive, 80:80. Randolph threw an airball from the outside, Misgav also missed beyond the arc but McCall committed a foul with 19 seconds to play on Smith, who restored the lead with a single shot, 80:81. Zoosman made the last foul that Hapoel had left to give with nine seconds on the clock, Mcall squeezed the touch from Williams and also scored only one, 81:81, five seconds to the buzzer. Hapoel got a chance to win, but Speedy didn't get a good shot and the game went to overtime, 81:81.
Speedy. Money Time (Photo: Liron Moldovan)
Zoosman scored the first basket of overtime, Amir equalized from the line, but Randolph made an amazing fadeaway with the buzzer for the shot clock, making it 83:85. Artzi scored 1 of 2 from the line, Mcall drew another foul and completed a turnover from the line before going down to rest with a leg stretch, Williams jumped the crowd with a big roof, Randolph got the ball with a goalkeeper's jump to the floor and Smith restored the lead from the line, 86:87. Zoosman stole and flew for a layup, Crawford and Randolph missed, Speedy stole to the purple Smith and opened a gap of two attacks from the line, 86:91. Deondra Burns went on the floor for the first time with 1:14 on the clock, Speedy Smith went out with five fouls, Justin Smith left two precious points on the line, Zoosman missed but took his own rebound and Randolph secured the victory from the line, 86:93 at the end for Hapoel, which takes the lead in the series.
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