Maccabi Ramat Gan downed Hapoel Holon 76-65 as Jordan Cohen and Alex Hamilton proved to be unstoppable throughout the entire game to help the hosts to the win. The game got off to a hot start with both teams going back and forth on the Zisman Arena court while tempers flared early and often but the new “Jewish” Jordan hit his shots from deep while Hamilton drove to the basket time and time again to notch the victory.

Cohen led the way with 23 points, Hamilton added 22 points and 9 rebounds while Adam Ariel and Karam Mashour each had 8 points in the win. Shawn Dawson with 15 points and Deondre Burns with 14 points paced Holon in the loss.

“The defense was very good and that is what won the game for us,” Ramat Gan bench boss Shmulik Brenner said. “We had the right energy from the get go and we did have a tough week of practice when we were going only 4 on 4 due to injuries but we really wanted this win. We had to respect Holon as they have a lot of talent. Jordan Cohen’s play in this game didn’t surprise me at all and Alex Hamilton is a guard that can just score all the time.”

“It was an awful game,” Holon coach Amit Sherf began. “We started aggressively but we weren’t there for the forty minutes and when you allow Alex Hamilton and Jordan Cohen to score a combined 45 points we are not going to win. There are games that you can change the momentum but it’s tough when the two guards are dominant. The guys know how big the game in Oostende is coming up and we know what we need to do.”

Adam Ariel spoke about how Cohen and Hamilton spurred the team to the win but it was everyone who contributed, “I would say they helped us win the game but it was really won by the team and we played without Isaiah Miles who was inputted. We had the right energy going in, and Cohen as well as Hamilton certainly had a great games but it was all of us and we really played well as a team to take the victory.”

Netanel Artzi spoke about the defeat and the upcoming BCL Play In game two in Belgium, “We got behind on some small things, 50/50 balls and running the floor. It was just a poor game from us as a team after the win against Oostende. We need to bring the energy from the get go and Ramat Gan had 12 days to get ready for us. We are really focused on this game back in Israel but it’s still a process and we need to come in ready to go. Oostende are a good team and we have to come in ready to go in Belgium to finish off the series.”

Justin Smith started the game off with a monster dunk for Hapoel Holon while Shawn Dawson and CJ Harris both scored as well, Alex Hamilton got busy for Ramat Gan as Adam Ariel went from deep and Jordan Cohen found points while Hamilton scored again to give the hosts a 20-14 lead after ten minutes of play.

Karam Mashour began to score for the hosts, Shawn Dawson and Harris responded, Drew Crawford knocked down a triple while Hamilton did the same at the other end, Dawson and Cohen also traded baskets, Deondre Burns came through for Amit Sherf’s team but Shmulik Brenner’s squad took a 36-32 into halftime.

Hamilton opened the third quarter with points, Yotam Hanochi went from deep while Yuval Sznajderman did the same at the other, Hamilton put in a 3-point play while Crawford matched him but Ramat Gan stayed ahead 46-39 midway through the period. Burns and Netanel Artzi dropped deuces, Ariel dialled up long distance, Smith came back with a 3-point play, Hamilton scored as did Cohen with a 3-pointer at the buzzer to send the hosts in the final frame up 58-51.

JP Tokoto scored pair of jumpers to north his first points of the game and get the fourth quarter underway, Dawson went from deep, Hamilton added points, Cohen went from behind the arc, Dawson and Sznajderman traded baskets while Mashour scored as well to polish off the win.