Bnei Herzliya defeated Hapoel Afula 99-92 as the hosts hit their shots from deep early and often to take the victory and also punch their ticket to next season’s Basketball Champions League competition. Elijah Stewart, Markell Johnson and John Meeks were all hitting their shots from deep for Bnei Herzliya to open the game while Justyn Mutts, JP Tokoto and J’Covan Brown countered for Hapoel Afula as the hosts grabbed a 29-24 lead after ten minutes of play. Frederic Bourdillon started to hit his shots while Stewart and Meeks scored as well to go up by double digits as points from Tokoto and Mutts only cut the lead down to 55-46 for the hosts at halftime.

Johnson and Meeks continued scoring, Mutts and Noam Avivi tried to make a dent in the Herzliya lead in the third quarter, but Yehu Orland’s squad headed into the final frame up 74-62 after thirty minutes of action. Stewart and Mutts traded buckets as Daeshon Francis ad Meeks kept scoring to close out the win.

Meeks scored 25 points, Stewart added 24 points while Francis and Johnson each scored 14 points in the victory. Mutts scored 23 points, Tokoto put in 18 points and Brown chalked up 17 points in the loss.

“We were able to take 4th or 5th place and will play Hapoel Holon which is very important to us,” Herzliya Head Coach Yehu Orlad began. “We lost a couple of players to injuries in Xavier Sneed and Chris Silva but management went on to sign some new players to compensate. We didn’t have a point guard for a month when Jimmy Clark signed with Maccabi and we were able to handle the situation, so overall I am so proud of what we were able to accomplish this season.”

Elitzur Netanya shocked Hapoel Holon 87-83 as Carlos Marshall and Kyler Edwards starred in the win ahead of the relegation playoffs as the purples will now need to qualify for next season’s BCL competition as the loss allowed Herzliya to take the automatic spot by finishing ahead of the purples in the standings.

Carlos Marshall, Kyler Edwards and Bryce Washington all began with points for Elitzur Netanya while Iftach Ziv, Juston Alston and Dakarai Tucker responded for Hapoel Holon but it was the hosts who took a 40-38 advantage into halftime. Marshall and Itay Moskovitz kept Netanya in front as Michale Kyser and Ziv responded but Idan Avshalom’s squad stayed ahead 62-59 after 30 minutes of action. Marshall continued to hit his shots from downtown while Edwards and Washington scored some key baskets but DJ Cooper and Dakarai Tucker cut the lead down but Edwards and Marshall hit their free throws to close out the win.

Marshall scored 28 points, Edwards added 24 points and Washington scored 18 points in the win. Ziv and Kyser each scored 18 points while Tucker scored 15 points in the loss.

Netanya Head Coach Idan Avshalom spoke about the victory, “We really showed how we were able to come through and win this game ahead of the relegation playoffs that start next week which are all do or die matchups. We will need to make sure to get good results and I am sure that we will.”