Ten years after departing to the NBA, Omri Caspi was spectacular on both sides of the court in his return to Israeli hoops action. Maccabi Fox Tel Aviv enjoyed every second of it as they beat Hapoel 87:67, as they'll face Ironi Nahariya on Thursday in the Winner cup semi-finals.
Scored for Maccabi: Omri Caspi 18 points (20 minutes, 6-8 from the field, 5-6 from the free-throw line, 8 rebounds & 4 assists), Nate Wolters 15 (3-6 from 3, 3 steals), Yovel Zoosman 11 (5-8 from the free-throw line, 5 assists), Elijah Bryant 9 (1-6 from 3), John DiBartolomeo, Jack Cohen, Tarik Black (8 rebounds) 7 each, Scottie Wilbekin 6 (0-4 from 3), Deni Avdija 4 (11 rebounds), Othello Hunter 3. Scored For Hapoel: Tomer Ginat 17 points (3-6 from the field, 9-12 from the free-throw line, 6 rebounds & 4 assists), Demetrius Treadwell 15 (7-10 from the field, 1-6 from the free-throw line, 7 rebounds) Desi Rodriguez 11, Yam Madar 10 (5 turnovers).
Maccabi opened the game with Wolters, DiBartolomeo, Zoosman, Cohen, and Black. On the other hand, Hapoel started with Griffin, Szuchman, Rodriguez, Ginat, and Treadwell. Black scored the games first two points, DiBartolomeo hit a shot from behind the arc and Wolters gave Maccabi a quick 7:0 advantage. Ginat got it going for the Reds with points from the free-throw line and dished an assist to Treadwell to narrow the lead 9:12. Cohen with efficient minutes scoring from all cylinders and threes from each side of the court by Wolters and Ginat put Maccabi's lead at 17:14. Hapoel was able to grab the lead with a jumper by Madar and a bucket by Purvis, but then Caspi with five straight points and Hunter with his first 2 gave the Yellow & Blue a 25:19 lead after 10 minutes.
Caspi continued his hot start scoring his 9th point of the day early in the second quarter to ramp up the lead 29:21. Bryant with 5 points gave a double-digit lead 34:24, as Maccabi was in control going into the half with a 47:36 advantage.
After a scoreless first half for Griffin, the guard got into a groove scoring three buckets, on the Yellow side, Zoosman and Caspi kept Maccabi on top 53:42. Szuchman saw his fifth foul midway through the third quarter as Wilbekin and Bryant increased the lead 61:47. Ginat with his first two points of the half ended the quarter with a 62:49 Maccabi lead going into the last 10 minutes.
The Reds were able to bring the lead down to single digits 53:62, but Elishai Kadir was thrown out of the game after executing his second unsportsmanlike foul. Hunter and DiBartolomeo gave Maccabi a 12 point cushion, Zoosman with a corner three and Caspi with a beautiful basket brought the lead up 70:55. Wolters Zoosman and Avdija didn't take the leg of the peddle giving the Yellow & Blue a spot in the semi-finals after a convincing 87:67 victory.
Scored for Maccabi: Omri Caspi 18 points (20 minutes, 6-8 from the field, 5-6 from the free-throw line, 8 rebounds & 4 assists), Nate Wolters 15 (3-6 from 3, 3 steals), Yovel Zoosman 11 (5-8 from the free-throw line, 5 assists), Elijah Bryant 9 (1-6 from 3), John DiBartolomeo, Jack Cohen, Tarik Black (8 rebounds) 7 each, Scottie Wilbekin 6 (0-4 from 3), Deni Avdija 4 (11 rebounds), Othello Hunter 3. Scored For Hapoel: Tomer Ginat 17 points (3-6 from the field, 9-12 from the free-throw line, 6 rebounds & 4 assists), Demetrius Treadwell 15 (7-10 from the field, 1-6 from the free-throw line, 7 rebounds) Desi Rodriguez 11, Yam Madar 10 (5 turnovers).
Maccabi opened the game with Wolters, DiBartolomeo, Zoosman, Cohen, and Black. On the other hand, Hapoel started with Griffin, Szuchman, Rodriguez, Ginat, and Treadwell. Black scored the games first two points, DiBartolomeo hit a shot from behind the arc and Wolters gave Maccabi a quick 7:0 advantage. Ginat got it going for the Reds with points from the free-throw line and dished an assist to Treadwell to narrow the lead 9:12. Cohen with efficient minutes scoring from all cylinders and threes from each side of the court by Wolters and Ginat put Maccabi's lead at 17:14. Hapoel was able to grab the lead with a jumper by Madar and a bucket by Purvis, but then Caspi with five straight points and Hunter with his first 2 gave the Yellow & Blue a 25:19 lead after 10 minutes.
Caspi continued his hot start scoring his 9th point of the day early in the second quarter to ramp up the lead 29:21. Bryant with 5 points gave a double-digit lead 34:24, as Maccabi was in control going into the half with a 47:36 advantage.
After a scoreless first half for Griffin, the guard got into a groove scoring three buckets, on the Yellow side, Zoosman and Caspi kept Maccabi on top 53:42. Szuchman saw his fifth foul midway through the third quarter as Wilbekin and Bryant increased the lead 61:47. Ginat with his first two points of the half ended the quarter with a 62:49 Maccabi lead going into the last 10 minutes.
The Reds were able to bring the lead down to single digits 53:62, but Elishai Kadir was thrown out of the game after executing his second unsportsmanlike foul. Hunter and DiBartolomeo gave Maccabi a 12 point cushion, Zoosman with a corner three and Caspi with a beautiful basket brought the lead up 70:55. Wolters Zoosman and Avdija didn't take the leg of the peddle giving the Yellow & Blue a spot in the semi-finals after a convincing 87:67 victory.