Hapoel Jerusalem downed Hapoel Tel Aviv 87-75 in an entertaining end to end battle as the capital city Reds used a decisive fourth quarter to take the 12-point victory. Danny Franco’s Tel Aviv squad came out firing on all cylinders with solid performances from former Jerusalem players J’Covan Brown, Josh Owens and Idan Zalmanson to go along with points from JP Tokoto and James Young. But Jalen Adams, Retin Obasohan and Su Braimoh were too much too handle as Yotam Halperin’s team pulled away in the final frame to take the win.

Adams led the way with 22 points, Braimoh added 21 points and 8 rebounds while Obasohan chipped in with 17 points in the win. Zalmanson scored 18 points to pave Tel Aviv, Brown scored 16 points as Owens checked in with 11 points and 12 rebounds in the loss.

Su Braimoh drilled home a pair of triples for Hapoel Jerusalem while JP Tokoto, J’Covan Brown and James Young all found points to give Hapoel Tel Aviv a 8-7 lead early on in the first quarter. Retin Obasohan with a 3-pointer and driving layup pushed the momentum back to the visitors, Young, Brown and Tokoto kept scoring for the hosts bit points from Jalen Adams kept Yotam Halperin’s team in front 23-18 after ten minutes of action.

Adams went from deep, Obasohan went in again for a layup but Idan Zalmanson and Tokoto countered for Danny Franco’s team but Jerusalem maintained a 31-24 lead with 4:45 left in the second quarter. Adams and Willy Workman dialled up long distance, Zalmanson scored a pair inside and then cleaned up a Young missed layup and Brown went from downtown to give Hapoel Tel Aviv a 40-39 lead at halftime.

Zalmanson continued to punish his former club while ex-Jerusalem big man Josh Owens also scored against his previous Israeli team while Braimoh kept scoring for the capital city Reds, however, Brown went in for an uncontested layup forcing Halperin to call timeout midway through the third quarter with Tel Aviv ahead 49-44. Adams scored from beyond the arc, Braimoh and Obasohan added points while Adam Ariel went from deep but a pair of buckets by Tokoto and another layup by Brown kept the hosts in the lead 61-59 after thirty minutes of play.

Adams and Gil Beni traded buckets to begin the fourth quarter, Owens put down a dunk off a steal but Obasohan and Braimoh put Jerusalem back out in front 6-65 with 7:30 left in regulation time. Zalmanson and Young hit a midrange jumpers, Adams went down the right side for a layup but Owens out down an alley opp off a Brown pass as the game went back and forth on the court.

Zalmanson powered in points, Ariel swished a triple and Braimoh put in a bucket at the other end while Sean Kilpatrick nailed a 3-pointer to give Jerusalem a 79-73 lead with 2:31 remaining in the game. Kilpatrick scored again and Ariel went from way, way downtown to seal the deal for Jerusalem.