Maccabi Tel Aviv downed Real Madrid 92-91 as Tamir Blatt hit a game winning 3-pointer and Lonnie Walker scored 27 points to give the yellow-and-blue their second win of their Euroleague season. Oded Katash’s squad had a rough opening frame as Mario Hezonja and Usman Garuba did was they pleased to help Los Blancos to a 27-17 lead. However, Walker went off in the second quarter with 20 points and Oshae Brissett also scored as Maccabi scored 40 points in the period to head into halftime with a 57-48 advantage.

The yellow-and-blue continued to stay in front as Roman Sorkin keyed the offense in the second half but Trey Lyles and Facundo Campazzo cut down the lead and jumped ahead 91-89 as time wound down, but Blatt’s heroics from downtown ultimately gave Maccabi the well earned win. With the victory, the yellow-and-blue move to 2-4 and will ready for another Double Week when they face Panathinaikos and Red Star Belgrade.

Walker scored 27 points, Sorkin added 21 points and Brissett scored 18 points in the win. Hezonja scored 24 points, Lyles put in 16 points and Campazzo scored 14 points in the loss.

“We played well and we played a tough team that was athletic and has size, it wasn’t simple,” Maccabi Tel Aviv Head Coach Oded Katash began. “The rotation was much shorter than usual and the guys really put in an effort. It was almost not enough to hold on at the end but I am really happy for the guys.

“It was almost deja vu and sometimes you need things to fall your way. In our case Tamir hit the big 3-pointer and we had some luck at the end. We can feel that we are in a process even though we lost last game we could feel that we are coming together. I hope that we can do the maximum for us to be in a good situation. We are almost coming back to the promised land.”

“Maccabi played a good game and they are a tough team with many good shooters,” Real Madrid Head Coach Sergio Scariolo said. “We had a good start but the last five minutes of second quarter we had a disconnection after heaven controlled the game. With mistakes we went into the lockerroom with a 9 point disadvantage, but we had faith and made a comeback. We had the game in our hands but on the out of bounds play we separated from Blatt which we should never do. The little details. We are getting better but not enough to win on the road. We have to learn and build.”

Lonnie Walker spoke about the win, “It was a good overall game and effort form not just myself but from the entire team, I think we capitalized and we did a good jump with a bounce back from our last game where we were up by 13 points with three minutes left. We capitalized this time and this is growth. We still have room for improvement, but I am really happy about today.”

Roman Sorkin reflected on the victory, “This was an important win for us as we are a new team and we are building something new here. I think we showed character, we had the tough loss against Olympiacos and we didn’t want it to happen again. We are a good team and we want to show it now.”

Tamir Blatt and Lonnie Walker opened the scoring for Maccabi Tel Aviv while Mario Hezonja countered for Real Madrid as Roman Sorkin added points but a red hot Usman Garuba helped Los Blancos to a 10-point, 27-17 lead after ten minutes of play.

Garuba kept scoring for the visitors as the second quarter opened up, Walker dropped a pair of triples, Sorkin and Oshae Brisset began to score as Trey Lyles and Hezonja countered for Real, but Walker took the game over and finished the frame with 20 points to give the yellow-and-blue a 57-48 advantage at halftime.

TJ Leaf began the third quarter with a bucket, Facundo Campazzo, David Kramer and Hezonja all went from deep, Brissett and Sorkin scored as did Leaf, Theo Maledon came back with points at the other end to cut into the Maccabi lead, 76-74.

Garuba opened the fourth quarter with a bucket, Blatt thread the needle to Sorkin for an easy basket in the paint, Brissett hit a pull up jumper, Sorkin and Lyles traded baskets, Campazzo went from deep and a pair of Lyles free throws gave Real the lead, but Blatt went from way, way beyond the arc to put Maccabi back in front for good to take the win.