Nikola Vujcic had another amazing game but this time is wasn’t enough as Maccabi Tel Aviv lost at Roma 81-88 after overtime. Niko scored season high 33 points and added 8 rebounds and 7 assists, but he didn’t get enough help from his friends in blue. Jamie Arnold was the only other Maccabi player that scored in double figures (13 points).
Maccabi fell to 6-4, sharing second place with Joventut Badalona, which it meets next Thursday in Spain.
Swingman Tal Burstein made his long-awaited return from a torn Achilles tendon, but finished without scoring. Maccabi also suffered from a bad night at the free throw line, shooting only 64%.
After Rome led for much of a closely played first half, the hosts reeled off 12 unanswered
points for a 44-32 lead. But Vujcic and Arnold led Maccabi back, setting up an exciting finish.
Bynum made a layup, Maccabi led 72-70, but Hawkins tied it at the line and after Askarabic blocked Bynum’s shot, Rome had a chance to win.
Chatman went from zero to hero late in the game, first
missing a game-winning three at the regulation buzzer, but then scoring his team's first 5 points of overtime as Rome shined in the extra period and won 88-81.
To Maccabi: Vujcic 33, Arnold 13, Eliyahu 9, Halperin 7, Bynum 6, Sharp 5, Jasaitis 5, Shason 3.
To Rome: Hawkins 23, Chatman 19, Bodiroga 16, Askrabic 10, Garri 7, Righetti 4, Mavrokefalidis 4, Tonolli 3, Giachetti 2.