By Amy Samin
Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv cruised to an easy win on the road, 103-76 against Ironi Nahariya, in week 15 of the Israeli Winner Sal League. Joe Alexander was outstanding with 17 points and 8 rebounds, while Jake Cohen and Sylven Landesberg added 14 and 13 points, respectively. MarQuez Haynes (5 assists) and Devin Smith contributed 12 points each, and Alex Tyus flirted with a double double: 11 points and 9 rebounds.
Starters for Maccabi were Alex Tyus, Devin Smith, Brian Randle, Jeremy Pargo, and Yogev Ohayon. Every player scored in the early minutes of the game, putting Maccabi up 14-5 at the halfway mark. The hosts woke up and got into the game, running to 14-10 in a minute and a half. Newcomer Joe Alexander scored his first points for Maccabi with a layup and 1, and Jake Cohen extended Maccabi's lead from downtown, 22-14 with a minute and a half left in the period. Once again Nahariya was able to cut their deficit to four, but a trey on the left wing by MarQuez Haynes ended the quarter with Maccabi up 27-20.
Five straight points by Haynes put Maccabi's lead in double digits at the start of the second quarter, but Nahariya once again got back in the game, 34-29. Maccabi came back from a time out with renewed focus, with a bucket and one by Tyus and a string of buckets by Landesberg taking the yellows to 46-31 with three and a half minutes left in the half. Those last few minutes belonged to Alexander, who scored twice off assists from Pargo and added a baseline drive to wrap up the period; 52-35 Maccabi going into the break.
Pargo and Tyus got things started for Maccabi in the second half, and were joined by points from Randle, Smith and Ohayon that brought the score to 66-39 after three minutes. Nahariya showed signs of getting back in the game, but a triple by Haynes crushed that comeback attempt. Another bucket by Haynes brought the third period to a close with the visitors leading by almost thirty, 82-54.
The fourth quarter provided a fine opportunity for the first string to get some rest ahead of Maccabi's Euroleague game against Barcelona on Thursday, but the bench players showed no signs of slacking off. Cohen, Landesberg, and Alexander continued to impress, and Arad Harari added a deuce from the foul line. In the end, Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv crushed Ironi Nahariya 103-76.