Hapoel Holon overwhelmed Hapoel Beer Sheva 101-81 as Dakarai Tucker broke the game open in the second half with a slew of 3-pointers to help Guy Goodes’s team to the win. The purples, who we’re playing with five imports for the first time this season had all of their cylinders clicking from the get go.

Tucker along with Elijah Mitrou-Long and Netanel Artzi set the tone early on while newcomers Mike David Jr. and Brendan Adams got into the game quickly as well to give Holon a 48-41 lead at halftime. Ron Zipper, Paul Scruggs and Spencer Weisz tried to keep the game close but from there on in it was all Tucker as the swingman drilled home five triples in the third quarter to put the visitors in front by double digits and help the purples run away with the victory.

Tucker scored 27 points while Adams and Davis each dropped 13 points in the win. Zipper scored 15 points as Scruggs and Weisz each scored 13 points in the loss.

“We had some good moments in this game in terms of energy, focus and desire,” Goodes said following the game. “Plus we saw some very good things on offense as well and we really did that nicely in the third quarter when the ball moved form one player to the next. We did have a tough time with defensive rebounds and that gave Beer Sheva more possessions and chances to score.”

“This was a a very disappointing game for us,” Beer Sheva bench boss Rami Hadar said. “Before the game I felt we were going in the right direction but we have some issues here and we need to find some solutions very quickly. This is not the style I want to play but I have to see what I have here in my hands in terms of players and how best I can use them as we do have some very important games coming up.”

The game MVP Dakarai Tucker spoke about the win and his tremendous performance, “Obviously I like this court. Rims are kind of soft and it’s fun to shot on them. I just came in locked in, doing what I do best, shooting, knocking down open 3’s playing defense. The guys took care of the rest.”

Spencer Weisz reflected on the game from his point of view and looked ahead to the team’s upcoming challenges, “What stands out to me the most, with Rami’s system is that it starts on the defensive end and we haven’t yet been able to implement it. We have to play all out and we are almost there and something needs to click quickly as we have very important games coming up. At the end of the day we have to play as it is the end of the world. A game here and a game there and we are battling against relegation so each game requires you to go all out and be the more aggressive team.”

Cody Demps and Ray Spalding put in points for Hapoel Beer Sheva while Dakarai Tucker drilled home a pair of triples, Elijah Mitrou-Long went from the inside and outside while Netanel Artzi, Brendan Adams and Tucker all drove to the basket for easy layups to give Hapoel Holon a 19-16 lead after ten minutes of play.

Mike Davis Jr. hit a pair from deep while Adams drilled one from long distance as well, Ron Zipper put in a deuce and then a triple, Michale Kyser nailed two jumpers in a row, Spencer Weisz went from downtown and Spalding dunked but so did Kyser to keep the purples ahead 48-41 at halftime.

Tucker drilled home a corner 3-ball to begin the second half and added three more from beyond the arc, Eric Griffin dunked and Zipper went from deep, Tucker and Paul Scruggs exchanged 3-pointers, while Adams and Weisz traded layups as Guy Goodes squad stayed in front 73-62 after thirty minutes of action.

Idan Zalmanson, Ziv and Davis scored to get the fourth quarter underway Adams and Artzi added points as well to break the game wide open for Holon as Griffin and Scruggs tried to keep the game respectable down the stretch, but layups by Ran Solomon and Tucker put the final touches on the game.