Hapoel Holon blasted Hapoel Tel Aviv 99-77 as Adam Smith couldn’t miss all game long with 38 points on nine 3-pointers to help the hosts take the win. The victory for the Guy Goodes’s squad comes off of a loss at Hapoel Galil Elyon and just ahead of a game against Hapoel Jerusalem on Thursday evening.

For the Reds, the defeat means that they will need to down Galil Elyon on Sunday in order to take one of the top 6 spots in the standings and ensure themselves of participating in the postseason. Should the Galilee team take the victory, then they will punch their ticket to the playoffs and force Danny Franco’s club to fight for one of the two final remaining playoff spots from the bottom six teams in the standings.

Smith scored early and often as the guard ended the first half with 14 points while Chris Johnson also helped Guy Goodes’s team to a 47-37 lead by halftime. Right out of the break Smith continued sharp shooting to out away the game soon thereafter and help Holon to the win.

Along with Smith’s 38 points, Johnson added 15 points and Tyrus McGee chipped in with 13 points in the win. Idan Zalmanson led Hapoel with 20 points, JP Tokoto scored 17 points and Raz Adam checked in with ten points all in the second half.

“I’m proud of the guys after having gone up to the Galilee and falling there,” Goodes explained. “We didn’t do much after the game ion terms of practice except for some tactical work. You never know what you will get, but basketball is a game that you just don’t know what will happen and the fans were fantastic. The small ball with three guards worked well and we hit our shots to take the win.”

“It was not a good game on our part and we had a rough week altogether,” Franco explained. “After a win last week we had some problems and there are no shortcuts. We didn’t show up as we wanted to on both sides of the court. Holon came in after losing badly and they did what they needed to while we didn’t. I feel badly for the fans that came to support us. We will come into the game on Sunday in better shape.”

MVP Adam Smith also spoke about the importance of the win, “We wanted to play hard after the loss and we came back to do so. I have been in a good rhythm lately and my teammates found me tonight.”

Hapoel’s high scorer Idan Zalmanson also reflected on the game, “They made a number of important baskets that broke us. We had issues with the offensive rebounds and there were times where we had problems with our communication.”

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— Winner League (@WinnerLeague) March 28, 2022

Adam Smith and Joe Ragland got busy early for Hapoel Holon but JP Tokoto, Paul Stoll, James Young and Idan Zalmanson all scored for Hapoel Tel Aviv to take a 11-10 lead midway through the first quarter. Michale Kyser hit a long two, Tyrus McGee nailed a jumper, Zalmanson responded with a 3-point play, Smith sent from deep, Guy Pnini fed Frederic Bourdillon for an easy bucket while Rafi Menco drilled a comer 3-ball off an inbounds play with 1.1 second left on the shot clock to give the hosts a 24-16 lead after ten minutes of action.

Chris Johnson scored at will to begin the second quarter, Egor Koulechov and Lotan Amsalem scored for the Reds while Kyser put down a dunk for Guy Goodes’s team as Holon started in front 31-21 with 6:45 left in the period. Pnini put in a second chance triple, Zalmanson put in points at the other end, Smith came back with a deuce and a 3-pointer, Bourdillon put in a fadeaway, Johnson scored a pair in the paint while Menco added another basket right before halftime to bump up the advantage 47-37.

Smith and McGee went back to back from deep to get the third quarter underway, McGee turned Young inside out and nailed another one from downtown to open up a 56-39 lead midway through the period. Menco dialled up long distance, Tokoto answered for Danny Franco’s squad, Smith and Stoll traded 3-pointers, Smith hit a long deuce a triple and another bucket to send Holon into the final frame ahead 73-56.

Raz Adam off the bench scored in bunches to start off the fourth quarter while Zalmanson also added points, Smith came right back after a timeout to hit a 3-pointer, Ragland and Stoll traded baskets but once again Smith put in a two and a three to put the lead back up to 86-67 with 6:94 left in regulation time. Ragland went from downtown for a pair of triples to add to the Holon lead as the hosts ran away with the win.