Hapoel Jerusalem, Maccabi Tel Aviv notch crucial victories

Hapoel Tel Aviv downed Hapoel Holon 90-78 to exact an ounce of revenge for the last time the two faced one another in a game that the Purples won at home.

By JOSHUA HALICKMAN

MARCH 4, 2024 08:23

BRYNTON LEMAR and Hapoel Jerusalem have a big month coming up, with key games in Europe and locally (photo credit: YEHUDA HALICKMAN) — BRYNTON LEMAR and Hapoel Jerusalem have a big month coming up, with key games in Europe and locally

(photo credit: YEHUDA HALICKMAN)

Hapoel Jerusalem got by Kiryat Ata 97-83 on Sunday night to put a poor February in the rearview mirror and begin the month of March with a win ahead of the Basketball Champions League Round-of-16 clash at Tenerife.

Speedy Smith orchestrated the offense as Or Cornelius and Brynton Lemar shot lights out to get the game started to allow Jerusalem to quickly build up a 38-22 lead after the first quarter. James Batemon and Raz Adam tried to keep the visitors close, and they cut the lead down to just a point with a 13-0 run in the third quarter. But Khadeen Carrington made sure to keep the Reds in front the rest of the way to notch the win.

Smith scored 16 points and dished out 11 assists, Carrington added 16 points, Cornelius scored 15 points, and Lemar chipped in with 14 points for Jerusalem in the win. Batemon scored 23 points to lead Kiryat Ata, Adam added 16 points, and Akia Pruitt scored 12 points in the loss.

“It was a game that we really needed to bounce back after the last results,” Hapoel coach Ilias Kantzouris said. “Now we move onto our next game at Tenerife but we have a very busy and important month of March and if the guys keep working hard we will have a good month.”

In continental action, Maccabi Tel Aviv cruised to a 106-71 win over ALBA Berlin to break its three-game losing streak and move to 14-13 in Euroleague play with seven games to go in the regular season.

XAVIER MUNFORD caught fire in the fourth quarter for Hapoel Tel Aviv to propel the Reds past Maccabi Tel Aviv in a tight derby on Saturday night at Drive-In Arena. (credit: YEHUDA HALICKMAN)

The yellow-and-blue rattled off an 11-0 run midway through the first quarter to take the lead for good, as they never looked back to notch the easy victory. Next up for Oded Katash’s crew is an Israeli league date at Hapoel Eilat and then a Euroleague clash against Zalgiris at their home away from home in Belgrade.

Against Alba, James Webb led the way with 17 points, Wade Baldwin added 16 points, and Josh Nebo chipped in with 15 points in the win. Johannes Theimann scored 14 points, and Sterling Brown added 11 points for Berlin in the loss.“I liked the way we played and competed,” Katash said. “We have to play like this every game until the end of the season if we want to make the playoffs.”

Hapoel Tel Aviv wins against Hapoel Holon

Meanwhile, back in local play, Hapoel Tel Aviv downed Hapoel Holon 90-78 to exact an ounce of revenge for the last time the two faced one another in a game that the Purples won at home.

Timer Ginat scored 21 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, Bar Timor added 18 points, and Jaylen Hoard scored 13 points in the win. Tahjere McCall and Yotam Hanochi each scored 15 points for Holon, and Vanwign chipped in with 14 points in the loss.

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“We really defended well for many minutes of the game, and we were very intense in doing so,” Tel Aviv coach Danny Franco said. “This was an important game for us against a team that came into this game with confidence.”

Elsewhere, Hapoel Eilat just clipped Hapoel Galil Elyon 72-69, and Hapoel Afula overwhelmed Hapoel Haifa 91-73.