By Amy Samin
In their third game in five days, Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv defeated Maccabi SCE Ashdod 84-81 at Menora Mivtachim Arena. Jeremy Pargo was outstanding with an impressive double double: 18 points and 10 assists. MarQuez Haynes led Maccabi's scorers with 20 points, Alex Tyus contributed 14 points and 8 rebounds, Brian Randle added 11 points, and Yogev Ohayon was close to a triple double with 10 points, 8 assists, and 7 rebounds.
Maccabi's starters were Alex Tyus, Yogev Ohayon, Brian Randle, Jeremy Pargo, and MarQuez Haynes. Ohayon with five straight, and Haynes with back to back to back triples took Maccabi to 14-6 close to the halfway mark. The visitors woke up and got into the game with a run that gave them a15-14 lead. A putback by Joe Alexander, points in the paint by Randle, and a bucket and one by Jake Cohen tied the score, but the period ended with Ashdod in front, 24-23.
Points by Alexander and another three from Haynes, along with points from the foul line by Tyus, put Maccabi up 30-26 after two and a half minutes, but Ashdod soon tied the score again. The lead changed hands repeatedly over the next few minutes, with Cohen, Tyus and Randle scoring for Maccabi. Ashdod opened up a five point lead with a minute and a half to go in the half, but a reverse dunk by Pargo and a flying dunk by Tyus (assist Randle) put Maccabi within one. Ashdod's Kelly made a layup, but Pargo scored from downtown at the buzzer to tie the score 45-45 going into the break.
The third quarter started with points from Randle, Ohayon, and Tyus to make it 51-47 Maccabi, but Ashdod responded with a run that gave them a 53-51 lead. A layup by Randle, another triple by Haynes, and a bucket and one by Pargo made it 61-58 Maccabi with four minutes left in the period. Pargo and Haynes continued to light up the scoreboard, including another buzzer beater (layup) from Pargo to end the period with Maccabi up 71-66.
Four straight by Tyus extended Maccabi's lead to 75-67 in the first two minutes of the fourth quarter, but were answered by five straight from Ashdod to bring them within three halfway through the period. Ohayon and Haynes scored from outside the arc, opening it up to 81-74 with three and a half minutes left in the game. Once again Ashdod clawed their way back, tying the score at 81 with a minute and a half left. Randle scored in the lane and from the foul line to give Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv an 84-81 victory over Maccabi SCE Ashdod.