Maccabi Tel Aviv downed Real Madrid 92-91 on Wednesday night in Euroleague action as Tamir Blatt hit a game-winning 3-pointer and Lonnie Walker scored 27 points to give the yellow-and-blue its second win of the continental campaign.
Oded Katash’s squad had a rough opening frame in Belgrade, Serbia, as Mario Hezonja and Usman Garuba did as they pleased to help Los Blancos to a 27-17 lead. However, Walker went off in the second quarter with 20 points, and Oshae Brissett also scored as Maccabi scored 40 points in the period to head into halftime with a 57-48 advantage.
The yellow-and-blue continued to stay in front as Roman Sorkin keyed the offense in the second half, but Trey Lyles and Facundo Campazzo cut down the lead and jumped ahead 91-89 as time wound down.
But Blatt’s heroics from downtown ultimately gave Maccabi the well-earned win. With the victory, the yellow-and-blue move to 2-4 and will get ready for another double week vs Panathinaikos and Red Star Belgrade.
In addition to Walker’s 27 points, Sorkin added 21, and Brissett scored 18 in the win. Hezonja scored 24 points for Real, Lyles put in 16 points, and Campazzo scored 14 points in the loss. “We played well and we played a tough team that was athletic and has size, it wasn’t simple,” Katash began. “The rotation was much shorter than usual, and the guys really put in an effort. It was almost not enough to hold on at the end, but I am really happy for the guys.”
“Maccabi played a good game and they are a tough team with many good shooters,” said Real Madrid coach Sergio Scariolo. “We had a good start, but the last five minutes of the second quarter, we had a disconnect. But we had faith and made a comeback, and we had the game in our hands, but on the out-of-bounds play, we separated from Blatt, which we should never do.”
Walker also spoke about the win.
“It was a good overall game and effort from not just myself but from the entire team. I think we capitalized, and we did a good jump with a bounce-back from our last game, where we were up by 13 points with three minutes left [and lost]. We capitalized this time, and this is growth. We still have room for improvement, but I am really happy about today.”
Sorkin also reflected on the victory.
“This was an important win for us as we are a new team and we are building something new here. I think we showed character, we had the tough loss against Olympiacos, and we didn’t want it to happen again. We are a good team and we want to show it now.” In Basketball Champions League action, Hapoel Holon topped Cholet 103-92 as Jordan McRae starred for the Purples in France.
Danny Franco’s side had a slow start to the game, but picked up the pace in the middle quarters to jump ahead and take the double-digit win.
McRae scored 24 points as Netanel Artzi and Xavier Munford each scored 17 points in the victory. Daylen Kountz led Cholet with 15 points while Gerald Ayayi and Isaiah Miles scored 13 points apiece in the loss.
“It was a very high-tempo game,” Franco said. “It was not really what we had planned at the beginning, but we were able, with our determination, to minimize the huge athletic ability that Cholet has. It was a team effort, and we are a new team, and our first game on the road, and the arena was full with an amazing atmosphere with great fans.”
Artzi, Holon’s captain, spoke about the victory, “The staff prepared us well before the game, and we know that every game in the BCL is important, which is something we think about. It wasn’t easy. Every team is good in the BCL, so we have to stick together and believe in ourselves. We are 2-1, but we have to keep believing. We can’t celebrate too much as tomorrow we have to start all over again.”
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