Hapoel Holon easily disposed of Hapoel Galil Elyon 97-68 as five players scored in double digits to cruise to the victory. Tyrus McGee and Chris Johnson paced the hosts to a 43-29 lead at halftime as Joe Ragland, Rafi Menco and Guy Pnini finished off the rout to take the first game in their quarterfinal series.

McGee led the way for Guy Goodes’s squad with 18 points, Johnson added 16 points, Ragland chipped in with 15 points, Menco scored 13 points and Pnini finished the game with 10 points. Ike Iroegbu scored 19 points to lead Barak Peleg’s team while Bryce Washington added 14 points in the loss.

“We stayed together even when the whistles went against us,” game MVP Tyrus McGee said. “We knew it was going to be a tough battle but we pushed the ball. We needed this win.”

“I was happy with our toughness, focus and intensity after a rough period,” Holon coach Goodss remarked. “We came into this game a bit broken after the Final Four, but the players understood the importance of the playoffs but this was only the first game and we have to continue on.”

“I don’t know of we had lost by a point that we would be feeling any better,” Galil coach Peleg said. “We have to look ahead and just understand that this was just one of those days.”