Hapoel Holon just came up short against Petkimspor 82-81 as Wesley Van Beck scored at will and came up with the game saving block on Iftach Ziv in the dying seconds to take game one their best-of-3 Basketball Champions League Play In series for a ticket to the Round of 16 group stage. In a game that took place in Baku, Azerbaijan due to the security situation in Turkey, Mike Davis Jr. was hot early on for Guy Goodes squad as Michaele Kyser and Jalen Adams also scored to take a 46-38 lead at halftime.

But Van Beck kept finding the bottom of the basket as did Jamie Echenique and Breein Tyree as Elijah Mitrou-Long tried to keep the purples close, but Ziv’s chance as time wound down was blocked by Van Beck to preserve the win.

Van Beck scored 24 points, Echenique added 16 points and Tyree scored 11 points in the win. Mitrou-Long scored 16 points while Davis Jr., Adams and Idan Zalmanson all scored 12 points in the loss.

“We can split the game up into two halves,” Goodes began. “We dominated, moved the ball in the first half but Petkim played more aggressive in the second half. They won that half by 9 points and we won the first half by 8. We had some issues giving up points on our turnovers and we had a good game plan. Losing the game by one point, with the ball in our hand we couldn’t even create a shot. Next Tuesday it’s do or die and we will come full power for that challenge.”

“We are very happy to be in Azerbaijan and this is the first time our club has played here and we were very welcomed here,” Petkimspor Head Coach Burak Goren said. “We started off nervous and made mistakes on both sides of the ball. We had defensive toughness in the second half and we were able to stop them and control the game. This was only one game and we need one more in order to advance.”

The game MVP Wesley Van Beck spoke about the win, “Our intensity wasn’t where it needed to be in the first half and we missed some easy shots and layups and they were able to get out in transition. We adjusted halftime as defense is something we pride ourselves on and picked it up in the second half to take the win.”

Idan Zalmanson looked back on the loss, “It’s pity to have lost and we played a great first half, but the little things slipped for us in the second half. We will gather ourselves up for the next game as many of us have played in a series before and we will get ready to bounce back in game two.”

Mike Davis Jr. and Michale Kyser paced Hapoel Holon early on while Bryson Williams and Wesley Van Beck countered for Petkimspor as the Purples took a 23-22 lead after ten minutes play. Jamie Echenique and Van Beck scored for the hosts, but Kyser and Jalen Adams kept finding the basket to keep the Purples in front 46-38 at halftime.

Breein Tyree began to make his mark on the game while Van Beck kept scoring, Elijah Mitrou-Long responded for Guy Goodes team but Echenique and Damyean Dotson put the Turks in front until Idan Zalmanson scored a pair of baskets to keep Holon ahead 62-61 after thirty minutes of action. Van Beck scored from the outside and inside, Tyree dunked and Peyton Aldridge went from deep to take the lead, Mitrou-Long, Ziv and Adams kept the purples close but Ziv’s last gasp shot was blocked by Van Beck to help Petkimspor to the 1-point win.