Hapoel defeats Aris Thessaloniki!

After a two-week break from European action - during which Hapoel secured two consecutive league wins - the Reds returned to the EuroCup tonight (Thursday) with a 90–85 win over Aris Thessaloniki in their “home” game in Samokov on Round 13. After a close first half, the visitors from Greece opened the third quarter strong and built a 15-point lead. Yonatan Alon’s squad fought back and even managed to tie the game, but time after time failed to take the lead - until the final minute, when Khadeen Carrington and Jared Harper came up clutch from the line, while Aris missed three crucial free throws, sealing Hapoel’s season sweep over the Greek side.

Harper finished another monster night with 29 points - 12 of them in the fourth quarter - along with five assists and an impressive 16-of-17 from the line. Carrington had an off shooting night (3-of-8 from the field) but stayed calm at the stripe and ended the game with 15 points. Justin Smith and Tarik Phillip - who started the Reds' comeback late in the third - added 14 points apiece for the hosts, who grabbed the win despite committing 20 turnovers.

Phillip. A huge win for the Reds

Game flow
Hapoel starting five: Jared Harper, Khadeen Carrington, Yovel Zoosman, Jeremy Morgan, Derek Ogbeide
Aris Thessaloniki starting five: Sharife Cooper, Darel Willis, Tray Woodbury, LJ Figueroa, Josh Roberts

The game opened at a slow pace. Willis got Aris on the board first, but Harper quickly answered with a three off a Morgan assist to give Hapoel a 3–2 lead. The game remained tight, with both teams trading baskets - Cooper scored for Aris, Ogbeide responded for Hapoel, and Roberts regained the lead for the visitors. Harper stood out with four straight free throws to tie it at 14–14, but Willis scored twice to close the quarter with Aris ahead 19–18.

Aris started the second quarter strong, with Woodbury scoring four from the line to make it 23–18. Zoosman hit a key three to cut it to 25–23, and Carrington followed with six straight points to give Hapoel a 33–32 lead. Toliopoulos answered with a three, and although Johnson briefly tied it at 35–35 with a dunk, Figueroa and Woodbury each knocked down threes late in the quarter to give Aris a 41–37 lead at the break.


Smith. Returned to the court after finger injury

Roberts opened the third with points under the basket after four offensive rebounds by Aris, but Johnson hit four straight from the line. Cooper and Figueroa drained back-to-back threes, followed by another from Woodbury and a quick layup from Figueroa, extending the lead to 54–39. Phillip and Carrington responded with five straight, but Cooper matched that with five of his own to restore the 15-point cushion. A Carrington three and four straight by Smith cut it to 59–50, but Woodbury hit a big three to stop the run. Willis added four more for the Greeks, but Phillip ended the quarter with a buzzer-beating three - 67–59 Aris.

The Reds started the final quarter strong, with four points in transition by Smith and three free throws by Harper to cut it to one. Aris looked lost offensively, but Hapoel missed two chances to take the lead, until Harper finally tied it at 75–75 with a triple. Figueroa and Cooper kept Aris in front, but Harper and Carrington answered to keep it within one. Still, Hapoel couldn’t get over the hump. Figueroa and Harper traded buckets, and a huge Zoosman three made it 83–83 with a minute to go.

Cooper hit just one from the line, while Carrington answered with two, giving Hapoel the lead. Harper followed with two more free throws and drew a crucial offensive foul. Vassilis Toliopoulos drew a three-shot foul but missed two, and Zoosman sealed the win from the line - a huge 90–85 victory for the Reds.

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