Hapoel Holon defeated Nes Ziona 81-73 as five players featured in double digits for the purples in the win. Shachar Amir had the hot hand for the purples out of the gate, while Niv Misgav and Drew Crawford helped build up the lead, but Tzuf Ben Moshe helped trim the advantage to 38-34 by halftime. Jerome Meyinsee and Yair Kravits kept scoring as did Isaiah Whitehead to draw even at 52-52 by the end of the third quarter, but Misgav and Crawford hit their shots from deep while Tahjere McCall scored some nifty baskets to wrap up the win.

McCall scored 17 points, Misgav added 16 points and 7 assists, while Crawford and Hanochi each scored 14 points in the victory. Ben Moshe scored 15 points, Whitehead added 14 points and Meyinsse scored 13 points in the loss.

“This was a bigger win than even than the one in AEK,” Holon coach Amit Sherf said. “To come here against a very tough and aggressive team like Nes Ziona, I have to give huge credit to the players, but I’m already worried about who I will play against Afula on Sunday. The players have really been able to mesh together even if we are playing with a short roster and not with the full complement of players. Every game can influence the next and we have to be ready in all aspects of the game.”

“It was a long break,” Nes Ziona head coach Elad Hasin began. “I’m not looking at this as an excuse as we have been working very hard the last two weeks in practice, we came in to try and stop Kevin Hervey as well as Drew Crawford and Tahjere McCall but we didn’t do as good agajnst the latter two. Misgav hit 5 3-pointers and I can’t remember the last time he did that. I’m sure that we can get out of this funk and win in the upcoming game.”

Shachar Amir spoke about the victory, “We go into league games with all of our power and we take them in all seriousness as you’ve seen with every game that we have played recently. We’re able to handle the tough schedule because we really work on our bodies as the staff helps us a lot to prepare ourselves. We are also doing more tactical things than physical in practice to keep us fresh.”

Yair Kravits reflected on the defeat, “We lost and we are disappointed. We thought we could win but we had issues in some of the small details which we will learn from and implement in a very busy week we have coming up. As for me going back after my injury, I feel ok and I would feel better if we would win and hopefully it will happen soon.”

Jerome Meyinsse put down a pair of dunks for Nes Ziona while Shachar Amir went from the inside and outside for Hapoel Holon to get the game off and running, Niv Misgav went for a pair from deep, Yotam Hanochi added a pair of baskets and Drew Crawford dialled up long distance as the hosts a grabbed a 24-13 lead after ten minutes of play.

Amir knocked down another triple to begin the second quarter, George King and Tzuf Ben Moshe answered, Hanochi drilled a corner 3-ball, Rawle Alkins and Ben Moshe went from deep, Kevin Hervey put in a deuce, Isaiah Whitehead and Amit traded baskets to end the half as Amit Sherf’s team took a 38-34 advantage into the break.

Meyinsse led off the third quarter with a 3-point play, Hervey put in a deuce, Yair Kravits and Itay Segev scored, Misgav drilled home a pair of 3-pointers, Alkins checked in with a 3-point play, Tahjere McCall scored his first bucket of the game, Whitehead went from downtown and Kravits adde a layup to knot the game up at 52-52 after thirty minutes of action.

Hans Vanwign began the quarter with points, Crawford nailed a pair of 3-pointers, McCall put in a beauty of a bucket, Alkins responded, Misgav went from deep, Kravits came back with points from downtown, Misgav sent a behind the back over the head pass to Hanochi who went from beyond the arc, McCall put in a another terrific layup to close out the win.

Hapoel Tel Aviv sunk Hapoel Eilat 106-78 as they prepare for their EuroCup quarterfinal matchup next week against Besiktas. The Reds jumped out to a 20-point, 54-34 lead by halftime and near looked back to take the win as six players finished in double digits.

Tomer Ginat scored 18 points while Dusty Hannahs and Braian Angola each scored 17 points in the win, as Elijah Stewart scored 21 points and Jeremy Senglin added 15 points in the loss.