It’s a blowout! Hapoel defeats Maccabi Tel Aviv
Hapoel opened with an 18:2 run on their way to an 84:101 win over Maccabi Tel Aviv, shooting 11-of-12 from beyond the arc in the second half. 30 points for Harper (Photo: Alan Shiber).
22/12/2024
| 23:00
| Post-Game
First clash of the season between Hapoel and Maccabi Tel Aviv ends in a big win for the Cup holders. The first matchup of the season between Hapoel and Maccabi Tel Aviv ended this evening (Sunday) in a huge win for the Cup holders, who defeated their rivals from Tel Aviv 101–84 at Pais Arena in Round 11 of the league. Yotam Alon's squad came out on fire and jumped to an 18–2 lead just five minutes into the game. Maccabi managed to respond somewhat in the second quarter, but a phenomenal second half by Hapoel, which included an 11-of-12 shooting performance from beyond the arc, opened a gap the visitors could not close. Thanks to the win, the Reds improved to a 9–2 record and climbed to the top of the table at Maccabi’s expense, who dropped to the same record.
Before the game, a tribute ceremony was held at Pais Arena in honor of the wounded from Operation Iron Swords and IDF veterans. At halftime, a special exhibition game was played by "Guardians of the Walls" - a wheelchair basketball team combining injured soldiers from Beit HaLochem and Hapoel fans. Among the guests of honor were the families of hostages: Bibas, Shem Tov, Breslavsky, and Alexander.
The hosts had a particularly accurate shooting night, going 18/32 from two (56%) and 15/25 from three (60%). Jared Harper led all scorers with 30 points (5/9 from two, 4/7 from three) and five assists. Yovel Zoosman was excellent with 17 points, seven rebounds, and four threes on five attempts, setting a personal career-high against his former team. Chris Johnson added 15 points, and Gabi Chachashvili led the bench with 10 points in an impressive second-quarter stretch.
Game Flow:
Hapoel's starting five: Jared Harper, Tarik Phillip, Yovel Zoosman, Chris Johnson, Derek Ogbeide
Maccabi Tel Aviv’s starting five: Tamir Blatt, Rokas Jokubaitis, Levi Randolph, Roman Sorkin, Jaylen Hoard
Hapoel opened with aggressive defense, holding the visitors scoreless for the first three minutes and dominating the boards for easy points en route to a 9–0 lead, including an alley-oop from Harper to Ogbeide. Hoard finally got Maccabi on the board by tipping in his own miss, but Harper answered with five straight points including a three-pointer. Gabi Chachashvili came off the bench and added three points to cap an 18–2 run. Jake Cohen responded with five straight points in the paint, but Carrington hit a three to restore the double-digit lead. David DeJulius also entered and scored seven points before the quarter ended with a Zoosman layup: 29–18 to Hapoel.
In the second quarter, Marial Shayok scored a layup and a three, DeJulius added a drive, and the visitors closed to 29–25. Zoosman ended the run with a huge fast-break dunk and followed it up with a triple. Blatt drew a foul on a three-point attempt and hit all his free throws, Sorkin added a three, but on the other end, Chachashvili sparked a run - assisting Johnson, scoring twice inside, and finishing an alley-oop from Zoosman to make it 42–33. Randolph, who was booed constantly, hit a big three, Zoosman answered with one of his own, but Randolph had the last bucket of the half: 46–38 at halftime.
Zoosman stayed hot with a three to start the third quarter, Maccabi responded with four points, but Johnson hit from the corner to keep the double-digit lead. Sorkin and Johnson traded threes, and then each added another as the score reached 55–48. Zoosman hit another triple, Carrington drove for two, and it was 61–48. Randolph scored again after a timeout and added a jumper, but Johnson hit another corner three and added two free throws to restore the 12-point lead. Sorkin and Harper hit from the line, Randolph scored again, but Igor Kulechev hit his first three in red, followed by buckets from Harper and Carrington to make it 78–60 after a perfect 8/8 shooting from deep in the third.
Jeremy Morgan joined the three-point party early in the fourth, but was matched by Ryman and Sorkin, cutting the gap to 15. Harper responded again, making it 88–70. Rafi Menco came in and hit a corner three, while Harper and Carrington preserved the big lead. Randolph, Maccabi's best player on the night, added two drives, Sorkin hit a final three, and Harper answered with another drive. Maccabi never got closer - a huge 101–84 win for the Reds.
Scorers – Hapoel:
Harper 30 (5/9 2PT, 4/7 3PT, 5 AST), Zoosman 17 (4/5 3PT, 7 REB), Johnson 15 (4/6 FG), Carrington 12, Chachashvili 10 (4/6 2PT), Ogbeide 6, Phillip & Morgan 4 each, Koulechov 3
Scorers – Maccabi Tel Aviv:
Randolph 22 (6/11 2PT, 2/3 3PT, 6 REB), Sorkin & DeJulius 14 each, Cohen 8, Blatt 7 (5 AST), Shayok & Menco 5 each, Hoard 4, Ryman 3, Jokubaitis 2. Also played: DiBartolomeo.
Before the game, a tribute ceremony was held at Pais Arena in honor of the wounded from Operation Iron Swords and IDF veterans. At halftime, a special exhibition game was played by "Guardians of the Walls" - a wheelchair basketball team combining injured soldiers from Beit HaLochem and Hapoel fans. Among the guests of honor were the families of hostages: Bibas, Shem Tov, Breslavsky, and Alexander.
The hosts had a particularly accurate shooting night, going 18/32 from two (56%) and 15/25 from three (60%). Jared Harper led all scorers with 30 points (5/9 from two, 4/7 from three) and five assists. Yovel Zoosman was excellent with 17 points, seven rebounds, and four threes on five attempts, setting a personal career-high against his former team. Chris Johnson added 15 points, and Gabi Chachashvili led the bench with 10 points in an impressive second-quarter stretch.
Game Flow:
Hapoel's starting five: Jared Harper, Tarik Phillip, Yovel Zoosman, Chris Johnson, Derek Ogbeide
Maccabi Tel Aviv’s starting five: Tamir Blatt, Rokas Jokubaitis, Levi Randolph, Roman Sorkin, Jaylen Hoard
Hapoel opened with aggressive defense, holding the visitors scoreless for the first three minutes and dominating the boards for easy points en route to a 9–0 lead, including an alley-oop from Harper to Ogbeide. Hoard finally got Maccabi on the board by tipping in his own miss, but Harper answered with five straight points including a three-pointer. Gabi Chachashvili came off the bench and added three points to cap an 18–2 run. Jake Cohen responded with five straight points in the paint, but Carrington hit a three to restore the double-digit lead. David DeJulius also entered and scored seven points before the quarter ended with a Zoosman layup: 29–18 to Hapoel.
In the second quarter, Marial Shayok scored a layup and a three, DeJulius added a drive, and the visitors closed to 29–25. Zoosman ended the run with a huge fast-break dunk and followed it up with a triple. Blatt drew a foul on a three-point attempt and hit all his free throws, Sorkin added a three, but on the other end, Chachashvili sparked a run - assisting Johnson, scoring twice inside, and finishing an alley-oop from Zoosman to make it 42–33. Randolph, who was booed constantly, hit a big three, Zoosman answered with one of his own, but Randolph had the last bucket of the half: 46–38 at halftime.
Zoosman stayed hot with a three to start the third quarter, Maccabi responded with four points, but Johnson hit from the corner to keep the double-digit lead. Sorkin and Johnson traded threes, and then each added another as the score reached 55–48. Zoosman hit another triple, Carrington drove for two, and it was 61–48. Randolph scored again after a timeout and added a jumper, but Johnson hit another corner three and added two free throws to restore the 12-point lead. Sorkin and Harper hit from the line, Randolph scored again, but Igor Kulechev hit his first three in red, followed by buckets from Harper and Carrington to make it 78–60 after a perfect 8/8 shooting from deep in the third.
Jeremy Morgan joined the three-point party early in the fourth, but was matched by Ryman and Sorkin, cutting the gap to 15. Harper responded again, making it 88–70. Rafi Menco came in and hit a corner three, while Harper and Carrington preserved the big lead. Randolph, Maccabi's best player on the night, added two drives, Sorkin hit a final three, and Harper answered with another drive. Maccabi never got closer - a huge 101–84 win for the Reds.
Scorers – Hapoel:
Harper 30 (5/9 2PT, 4/7 3PT, 5 AST), Zoosman 17 (4/5 3PT, 7 REB), Johnson 15 (4/6 FG), Carrington 12, Chachashvili 10 (4/6 2PT), Ogbeide 6, Phillip & Morgan 4 each, Koulechov 3
Scorers – Maccabi Tel Aviv:
Randolph 22 (6/11 2PT, 2/3 3PT, 6 REB), Sorkin & DeJulius 14 each, Cohen 8, Blatt 7 (5 AST), Shayok & Menco 5 each, Hoard 4, Ryman 3, Jokubaitis 2. Also played: DiBartolomeo.
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