Ramat Gan defeated the cup holders
The visiting team from Ramat Gan managed to come back from behind and won a tight 87–86 game decided in the final seconds. Carrington scored 21 points. (Photo: Danny Maron)
05/01/2025
| 22:50
| Post-Game
Hapoel’s winning streak was snapped Sunday evening as they lost 87–86 to Ramat Gan at the Toto Hall in Holon following a penalty radius ruling, after a very tight and dramatic game. The visitors had blown a double-digit lead early in the second quarter and watched their opponent open a 17-point gap in the third, but from there to the end, they went on a 32–14 run and won the game. The hosts, who were missing not only their usual injured players but also Chris Johnson due to the flu, were stopped after three consecutive wins in all competitions.
For much of the game, the hosts dominated the court and looked on course for a sure victory, having come back from a 10-point deficit to take a lead that looked almost unassailable following two excellent quarters on both sides of halftime. However, in the final quarter, they scored only 12 points, while their famous defense failed to prevent the opponent from scoring 21.
Khadeen Carrington led his teammates with 21 points including a perfect 5-for-5 from the free-throw line, adding four assists and three steals. Justin Smith continued his strong form since returning from injury with 18 points and eight rebounds. Jared Harper contributed 15 points and seven assists - although he made just 4-of-12 from the field and 4-of-6 from the line. Besides these three, no other player scored in double digits. Gabriel Chachashvili, although close with 9 points, missed all three free throws, while Yovel Zoosman struggled with his shooting (2-of-11) but grabbed the most rebounds alongside Smith, with eight each.
Yonatan Alon’s players distributed 20 assists against 12 turnovers, forcing Ramat Gan into 16 turnovers through 12 steals - triple the amount they themselves allowed. However, they shot worse from three-point range (nine made threes on 34.6%) and lost the defensive rebound battle 20–25, allowing Ramat Gan to secure several crucial rebounds in the game’s closing moments.
The cup holder fell to a 10–3 record and missed a chance to return to the top of the table. They hope to recover already next Wednesday when they visit Cluj Napoca in the EuroCup.
The Red Crowd in Holon (Photos: Danny Maron)
Alon and Zoosman Receive December MVP Awards (Photo: Danny Maron)
Game Flow:
Hapoel starting five: Jared Harper, Tarik Phillip, Yovel Zoosman, Gabriel Chachashvili, Justin Smith.
Ramat Gan starting five: Kendall McCollum, Roberto Glinat, Adam Ariel, Isaiah Miles, Amin Stevens.
Chachashvili, Harper, and Phillip opened with a quick 7–0 run. Smulik Brener called timeout, and Glinat responded with Ramat Gan’s first three-pointer. Smith replied with a layup that made it 9–3. Ariel and Glinat cut the lead to two, Smith scored twice inside while Glinat again nailed a three. McCollum and Roi Huber scored to give their team a 14–13 lead. Stevens and Yahel Melamed extended the gap to five, Harper stopped a 2–11 run from the visitors with two free throws. Glinat hit his third three to put Ramat Gan ahead 21–15. Carrington scored his first basket, and after a three from Roi Huber, added two free throws. Phillip made just one from the line, but four straight points from Ariel opened a record 28–20 lead for the visitors. Igor Kolshov completed a and-one play, McCollum responded similarly to make it 31–23 for Ramat Gan at the end of a highly offensive first quarter.
Harper Shoots to the Basket. Very Offensive First Quarter (Photo: Danny Maron)
Justin opened the second quarter with a thunderous dunk, but Stevens assisted by Miles and then found him for a three that gave Ramat Gan their first double-digit lead at 36–25. Yonatan Alon called timeout. After it, Smith became Hapoel’s first double-digit scorer. McCollum hit two free throws, but Yovel Zoosman scored a layup and Smith corrected a missed shot to cut it to 38–31. Stevens found a hole in the paint and exploited it fully. Harper answered with a transition three. Brener quickly called timeout with Ramat Gan leading 40–34. Huber made two free throws, but Jeremy Morgan responded with a three-pointer. After points from Chachashvili, he also lifted Smith for an alley-oop that cut the gap to one. A Carrington drive completed a 9–0 run, putting Hapoel ahead 43–42. Glinat returned the lead with his fourth three-pointer out of five attempts. Zoosman tied it from the line, and Ariel fixed a Glinat miss on the other side before a three from Carrington flipped the score again. A tough shot by Melamed at the shot clock’s end gave Ramat Gan a 49–48 lead at halftime.
Carrington Helped His Team Come Back from Double-Digit Deficit Before the Break (Photo: Danny Maron)
Morgan’s three-pointer changed the lead early in the second half. Stevens tied with a spinning jump shot, but Smith’s dunk continued the seesaw battle. Harper extended with two free throws for a 55–51 Hapoel lead. Ariel cut it to two with a drive, and after points from Carrington at the line, he assisted Stevens. Harper nailed a three on the other end. Brener quickly headed to the scorers’ table with a 60–55 deficit. Morgan capitalized on a slip by Huber for a fastbreak dunk, Zoosman hit a three to give his team their first double-digit lead. Carrington’s three and a layup from Chachashvili completed a 13–0 run and a record 70–55 gap. Brener tried to stop the momentum with another timeout, but Harper came back with a and-one play - missing the bonus free throw, but Stevens also missed from the line after an and-one, with the score 72–57. Two back-to-back threes from Huber cut the lead to single digits. Alon called timeout before Phillip hit a mid-range shot. Glinat’s fifth three of seven attempts closed the third quarter at 74–66 for Hapoel.
Zoosman Contributed to Hapoel’s Post-Halftime Run (Photo: Danny Maron)
Ariel assisted by Stevens opened the final quarter. On the other side, Smith scored two more points but was answered immediately by a three-pointer that cut it to 76–71. Carrington extended the lead to eight with a jump shot, Huber answered with his fourth three-pointer of the game and third in the second half. Stevens assisted by Ariel cut the gap to two. A three-pointer from Chachashvili calmed Hapoel to 81–76. Huber and Stevens had 18 and 6 points respectively, lowering the gap to one at the end of a 25–9 run. The hosts requested another timeout. Carrington returned with a successful and-one play that pushed his team’s lead to two possessions, 84–80. McCollum stole the ball and scored a quick basket. Huber grabbed a rebound after a chaotic attack and nailed an important three to put Ramat Gan up by one. McCollum drew a foul and hit both free throws to extend the lead to 87–84 with 1:30 left. Carrington cut the difference to one with an important basket. Stevens missed a very close shot, but the ball remained with Ramat Gan. McCollum secured an offensive rebound after Ariel’s missed three - although missing two free throws - leaving Hapoel with insufficient time to respond. The game ended 87–86 in a dramatic win for Ramat Gan after a fantastic match.
Hapoel Players (Photo: Danny Maron)
Scorers for Hapoel:
Carrington 21 (5-8 two-pointers, 2-6 three-pointers, 5-5 free throws, 4 assists, 3 steals), Smith 18 (9-13 two-pointers, 8 rebounds), Harper 15 (1-4 two-pointers, 3-8 three-pointers, 4-6 free throws, 7 assists), Chachashvili 9 (3-5 two-pointers, 0-3 free throws), Morgan 8 (2-3 three-pointers), Zoosman 7 (1-5 two-pointers, 1-6 three-pointers, 8 rebounds), Phillip 5 (2-5 field goals), Kolshov 3. Also played: Ogbeide.
Scorers for Ramat Gan:
Huber 21 (2-6 two-pointers, 5-6 three-pointers, 2-2 free throws), Glinat 17 (1-3 two-pointers, 5-7 three-pointers), Stevens 16 (8-13 two-pointers, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, 4 turnovers), Ariel 15 (6-8 two-pointers, 1-3 three-pointers, 4 assists), McCollum 11 (3-7 field goals, 5-7 free throws, 4 assists, 5 turnovers), Melamed 4 (2-3 two-pointers), Miles 3 (1-4 three-pointers). Also played: Sahar, Sarur, Erez, Dalid.
For much of the game, the hosts dominated the court and looked on course for a sure victory, having come back from a 10-point deficit to take a lead that looked almost unassailable following two excellent quarters on both sides of halftime. However, in the final quarter, they scored only 12 points, while their famous defense failed to prevent the opponent from scoring 21.
Khadeen Carrington led his teammates with 21 points including a perfect 5-for-5 from the free-throw line, adding four assists and three steals. Justin Smith continued his strong form since returning from injury with 18 points and eight rebounds. Jared Harper contributed 15 points and seven assists - although he made just 4-of-12 from the field and 4-of-6 from the line. Besides these three, no other player scored in double digits. Gabriel Chachashvili, although close with 9 points, missed all three free throws, while Yovel Zoosman struggled with his shooting (2-of-11) but grabbed the most rebounds alongside Smith, with eight each.
Yonatan Alon’s players distributed 20 assists against 12 turnovers, forcing Ramat Gan into 16 turnovers through 12 steals - triple the amount they themselves allowed. However, they shot worse from three-point range (nine made threes on 34.6%) and lost the defensive rebound battle 20–25, allowing Ramat Gan to secure several crucial rebounds in the game’s closing moments.
The cup holder fell to a 10–3 record and missed a chance to return to the top of the table. They hope to recover already next Wednesday when they visit Cluj Napoca in the EuroCup.
The Red Crowd in Holon (Photos: Danny Maron)
Alon and Zoosman Receive December MVP Awards (Photo: Danny Maron)
Game Flow:
Hapoel starting five: Jared Harper, Tarik Phillip, Yovel Zoosman, Gabriel Chachashvili, Justin Smith.
Ramat Gan starting five: Kendall McCollum, Roberto Glinat, Adam Ariel, Isaiah Miles, Amin Stevens.
Chachashvili, Harper, and Phillip opened with a quick 7–0 run. Smulik Brener called timeout, and Glinat responded with Ramat Gan’s first three-pointer. Smith replied with a layup that made it 9–3. Ariel and Glinat cut the lead to two, Smith scored twice inside while Glinat again nailed a three. McCollum and Roi Huber scored to give their team a 14–13 lead. Stevens and Yahel Melamed extended the gap to five, Harper stopped a 2–11 run from the visitors with two free throws. Glinat hit his third three to put Ramat Gan ahead 21–15. Carrington scored his first basket, and after a three from Roi Huber, added two free throws. Phillip made just one from the line, but four straight points from Ariel opened a record 28–20 lead for the visitors. Igor Kolshov completed a and-one play, McCollum responded similarly to make it 31–23 for Ramat Gan at the end of a highly offensive first quarter.
Harper Shoots to the Basket. Very Offensive First Quarter (Photo: Danny Maron)
Justin opened the second quarter with a thunderous dunk, but Stevens assisted by Miles and then found him for a three that gave Ramat Gan their first double-digit lead at 36–25. Yonatan Alon called timeout. After it, Smith became Hapoel’s first double-digit scorer. McCollum hit two free throws, but Yovel Zoosman scored a layup and Smith corrected a missed shot to cut it to 38–31. Stevens found a hole in the paint and exploited it fully. Harper answered with a transition three. Brener quickly called timeout with Ramat Gan leading 40–34. Huber made two free throws, but Jeremy Morgan responded with a three-pointer. After points from Chachashvili, he also lifted Smith for an alley-oop that cut the gap to one. A Carrington drive completed a 9–0 run, putting Hapoel ahead 43–42. Glinat returned the lead with his fourth three-pointer out of five attempts. Zoosman tied it from the line, and Ariel fixed a Glinat miss on the other side before a three from Carrington flipped the score again. A tough shot by Melamed at the shot clock’s end gave Ramat Gan a 49–48 lead at halftime.
Carrington Helped His Team Come Back from Double-Digit Deficit Before the Break (Photo: Danny Maron)
Morgan’s three-pointer changed the lead early in the second half. Stevens tied with a spinning jump shot, but Smith’s dunk continued the seesaw battle. Harper extended with two free throws for a 55–51 Hapoel lead. Ariel cut it to two with a drive, and after points from Carrington at the line, he assisted Stevens. Harper nailed a three on the other end. Brener quickly headed to the scorers’ table with a 60–55 deficit. Morgan capitalized on a slip by Huber for a fastbreak dunk, Zoosman hit a three to give his team their first double-digit lead. Carrington’s three and a layup from Chachashvili completed a 13–0 run and a record 70–55 gap. Brener tried to stop the momentum with another timeout, but Harper came back with a and-one play - missing the bonus free throw, but Stevens also missed from the line after an and-one, with the score 72–57. Two back-to-back threes from Huber cut the lead to single digits. Alon called timeout before Phillip hit a mid-range shot. Glinat’s fifth three of seven attempts closed the third quarter at 74–66 for Hapoel.
Zoosman Contributed to Hapoel’s Post-Halftime Run (Photo: Danny Maron)
Ariel assisted by Stevens opened the final quarter. On the other side, Smith scored two more points but was answered immediately by a three-pointer that cut it to 76–71. Carrington extended the lead to eight with a jump shot, Huber answered with his fourth three-pointer of the game and third in the second half. Stevens assisted by Ariel cut the gap to two. A three-pointer from Chachashvili calmed Hapoel to 81–76. Huber and Stevens had 18 and 6 points respectively, lowering the gap to one at the end of a 25–9 run. The hosts requested another timeout. Carrington returned with a successful and-one play that pushed his team’s lead to two possessions, 84–80. McCollum stole the ball and scored a quick basket. Huber grabbed a rebound after a chaotic attack and nailed an important three to put Ramat Gan up by one. McCollum drew a foul and hit both free throws to extend the lead to 87–84 with 1:30 left. Carrington cut the difference to one with an important basket. Stevens missed a very close shot, but the ball remained with Ramat Gan. McCollum secured an offensive rebound after Ariel’s missed three - although missing two free throws - leaving Hapoel with insufficient time to respond. The game ended 87–86 in a dramatic win for Ramat Gan after a fantastic match.
Hapoel Players (Photo: Danny Maron)
Scorers for Hapoel:
Carrington 21 (5-8 two-pointers, 2-6 three-pointers, 5-5 free throws, 4 assists, 3 steals), Smith 18 (9-13 two-pointers, 8 rebounds), Harper 15 (1-4 two-pointers, 3-8 three-pointers, 4-6 free throws, 7 assists), Chachashvili 9 (3-5 two-pointers, 0-3 free throws), Morgan 8 (2-3 three-pointers), Zoosman 7 (1-5 two-pointers, 1-6 three-pointers, 8 rebounds), Phillip 5 (2-5 field goals), Kolshov 3. Also played: Ogbeide.
Scorers for Ramat Gan:
Huber 21 (2-6 two-pointers, 5-6 three-pointers, 2-2 free throws), Glinat 17 (1-3 two-pointers, 5-7 three-pointers), Stevens 16 (8-13 two-pointers, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, 4 turnovers), Ariel 15 (6-8 two-pointers, 1-3 three-pointers, 4 assists), McCollum 11 (3-7 field goals, 5-7 free throws, 4 assists, 5 turnovers), Melamed 4 (2-3 two-pointers), Miles 3 (1-4 three-pointers). Also played: Sahar, Sarur, Erez, Dalid.
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