Maccabi Tel Aviv clipped Hapoel Tel Aviv 95-93 in overtime to advance to the Israel State Cup Finals against Hapoel Jerusalem on Thursday. In what was a close game throughout regulation time and the extra session, both teams left every ounce of blood sweat and tears on the court in what was a classic semifinal Derby matchup that will go down in the annals of Israeli basketball history.

Jonathan Motley and Tomer Ginat scored for Hapoel Tel Aviv early on while Roman Sorkin and Rokas Jokubaitis countered for Maccabi Tel Aviv as they grabbed a slim 27-25 after the opening quarter. Bruno Caboclo, Joe Ragland and Motley helped the reds take the lead and open up a gap but Sorkin, Jokubatis and Will Rayman kept the yellow-and-blue close but down 46-44 at halftime.

Ginat and Madar again began to bump up the lead but Levi Randolph and Jokubatis made sure to keep Oded Katash’s team hanging around but still in the hole, 58-54 after thirty minutes of action. Jokubatis and Madar went back-and-forth in the fourth quarter and while Randolph scored to give Maccabi a 2-point lead, Motley came out of a timeout and dunked to tie the contest up at 87-87 and send it to overtime. Madar again was key for Dimitrios Itoudis’s team in overtime but a Randolph basket and a free throw by John Dibartolomeo gave Maccabi the lead for good to send them to the title game.

Jokubatis scored 27 points and added 8 assists, Sorkin put in 22 points and grabbed 8 rebounds and Randolph chipped in with 21 points and 8 boards in the win. Madar scored 23 points and dished out 8 assists, Ginat scored 19 points and Motley put in 15 points in the loss.

“We lost the last two Cup finals and it will be a battle against a very good team in Hapoel Jerusalem in the final,” Maccabi Tel Aviv Head Coach Oded Katash began. “We knew it was going to be aggressive and intense throughout, there were runs and we came back from that and showed a lot of character. There were a lot of hustle plays and it could have gone either way as Yam Madar had a chance to eliminate us twice but it was the guys who had so much character that gave us the win. This was an incredible game and I’m happy that we are on the right end.”

Daniella Gilboa, a soldier who was released by Hamas a couple of weeks ago was in attendance at the game and was all smiles throughout the contest. Katash spoke passionately about the importance of having all of the remaining hostages return home.

“What we are going through as a country is huge and we are hearing about everything that is going on with the hostage releases. It’s crazy that there are people suffering as they are while we are playing basketball. We have to see everyone come back as quickly as possible and try to return to a normal life but we can only do that once every last hostage comes home.”

“This was a very interesting semifinal and it was very exciting for the Israeli fans and there was one day ago as well,” Hapoel Tel Aviv Head Coach Dimitrios Itoudis said. “I want to congratulate my players and I am proud of my players. I have an empathy for the referees. But there were plays that the situation can’t be more clear, I don’t want to cry but we deserve better evaluation on crucial moments. We deserved the win. It can only evolve in a good way as human that the referees admit their mistakes and it would see evolvement. They didn’t call the fouls.”

Levi Randolph spoke about the win, “It’s going to be very emotional to play the State Cup final back in Jerusalem. The first time I played here for the title it was against Maccabi and then in Menora last year again. Now for the title I’m playing with Maccabi against Jerusalem. I will do everything I can to win. I want the guys to enjoy this experience and whatever I can do to help the team win is my goal.”

A disappointed and distraught Hapoel Tel Aviv captain Bar Timor looked back at the loss and addressed if Patrick Beverley would be welcomed back to the team like Jonathan Motley should his team suspension be rescinded, “To finish off the game isn’t easy and even when you are up double digits it’s just not easy. We had chances to do it a couple of times. The referees decided this game, two fouls on Yam Madar at the last play and that decided the game. Any question about Patrick Beverley goes to management and not to me.”

Tomer Ginat and Jasiel Rivero traded baskets to get the game underway, Rokas Jokubatis and Yam Madar both went from deep, Levi Randolph hit a midrange jumper and Roman Sorkin dunked, while Randolph and Ish Wainright each went deep as Maccabi Tel Aviv led 12-11 midway through the first quarter.

Jonathan Motley eased into the lane for a dunk, Sorkin drained one from deep and then bullied his way inside for a deuce, Ginat nailed a triple, Motley scored over Tamir Blatt in the paint, Jokubatis put in a pair of layups while Bar Timor dialled up long distance but the yellow-and-blue held a 27-25 lead after ten minutes of play.

Sorkin and Rivero got busy for Maccabi while Joe Ragland, Oz Blayzer and Guy Palatin countered for Hapoel, Bruno Caboclo scored and Motley put in a 3-point play and a deuce to give the Reds a 40-35 lead with 5:19 left in the second quarter. Caboclo drained a corner 3-ball, Sorkin put in a pair of baskets at the other end, Ragland went from deep, Jokubatis hit a jumper and Will Rayman found points inside to cut the lead to 46-44 at halftime.

Ginat scored inside to begin the third quarter, Madar drilled home a line drive triple, Foster added a jumper, Jokubatis came back with points at the other end, Randolph cleaned up the boards, Ginat did the same and then went from deep to keep Hapoel ahead 58-54 midway through the period.

Ginat scored inside yet again, Madar glided to the hoop for yet more points, Sorkin came back from downtown, Jokubatis hit his patented jumper and John Dibartolomeo drilled one home at the buzzer to pull Oded Katash’s team to within just 1-point, 66-65 after thirty minutes of action.

Madar scored to get the fourth quarter off and running, Rivero came back with points, Ginat and Tamir Blatt traded triples, Madar and Marcus Foster went from deep as well to bump the lead up to 79-72 with five minutes remaining in regulation time.

Jokubaitis dialled up long distance, Williams added points, Foster answered right back, Jokubatis again swished a jumper and stole the ball for an easy deuce to tie the game up at 81-81 with 2:07 left. Sorkin scored off a bounce pass by Jokubaitis, Foster and Madar scored at the other end, Ginat fouled out, Randolph put in points off a Jokubatis miss, Motley dunked out of the timeout to knot the game up at 87-87 and send it to overtime.

Madar hit a pair of free throws to begin the extra session, Ragland scored of the glass, Sorkin hit a jumper, Randolph went from deep off the backboard at the other end, Madar drained another pair of free throws, Randolph hit a midrange to give Maccabi a 94-93 lead. As time wound down and following a wild scrum on the floor, the referees called for a jump ball handing the possession over to the yellow-and-blue with 5.4 seconds left on the clock as Dibartolomeo was fouled and hit the front end of his free throws while Madar missed a last gasp heave allowing Maccabi to escape with the victory.