Maccabi Tel Aviv just came up short as they fell to Real Madrid 116-113 in an entertaining end-to-end offensive display from both squads. In a back and forth game from the tipoff, neither side looked as if they were going to miss as Facundo Campazzo, Dzanan Musa and Mario Hezonja filled the basket for Los Blancos while Rokas Jokubaitis, Jaylen Hoard and Roman Sorkin did the same for the yellow-and-blue.

However down the stretch the Madrid trio made sure to walk away with the win as they scored crucial baskets while Maccabi couldn’t get an attempt off when the shot clocked expired and then Randolph missed a last gasp effort as their record dropped to 5-16 on the Euroleague season.

Jokubatis scored 20 points, Hoard put in 19 points and Sorkin scored 17 points in the loss. Campazzo scored 31 points, Hezonja put in 25 points and Musa scored 20 points in the win.

“It was a really high tempo game with a high score,” Maccabi Tel Aviv Head Coach Oded Katash said. “It wasn’t easy for us but we started the game well offensively and that gives confidence which we needed. Playing versus Real in this intensity especially here it’s hard to choose your poison. There was a lot of quality on the court. The big line up at the end took us out of our rhythm and we missed Roman Sorkin and Jaylen Hoard as they were out with 5 fouls. I liked how we played, but we still have to improve defensively. We can take a lot of good things from this game ahead of Thursday’s game against Paris.”

“I’m really happy and proud of the win,” Real Madrid Head Coach Chus Mateo began. “I didn’t think we would have a game with such a high score but I would rather win a game like this than to lose a lower scoring game. Maccabi really played well and scored with amazing percentages especially from 3-pointers, 13/22 for 59% and they were perfect from the line at 26/26. This can happen in the Euroleague as Maccabi has a lot of talent and they have a lot of scoring ability.”

Rafi Menco spoke about the game, “We were missing some luck at the end. To come here and score 113 points against a team like Real, we have to win. We defended really well in the last quarter and unfortunately we picked up some fouls that sent them to the line. But all in all I am proud of the guys after having a played a Euroleague game that we all want to forget.

“We showed the character of Maccabi. If we come like this to every game both in Europe and in the Israeli league we can get into the right path. It’s too bad that we lost but it’s also about the path that we are taking and working together like a team.”

Levi Randolph also expressed his thoughts about the game, “We are getting better as a team. How to communicate, how to play with each other on both ends and we have to continue to build. We had a lot of possession where they got the offensive rebounds and their were transition points. If that is something that we can clean up we could come out with the win.”

Marial Shayok opened the game up from deep and Roman Sorkin went from the inside and outside for Maccabi Tel Aviv, Facundo Campazzo responded for Real Madrid as Levi Randolph put in a deuce to keep the yellow-and-blue in front 15-12 midway through the first quarter, Dzanan Musa scored his first points, Jaylen Hoard dropped a 3-point play, Campazzo kept scoring as did Mario Hezonja, Trevion Williams went from deep as did Rokas Jokubaitis but Los Blancos held a 33-30 lead after ten minutes of play.

John Dibartolomeo opened the second half with points, Osman Garuba scored a pair in the paint, Hoard dunked, Hezonja put in points, Xavier Rathan-Mayes scored but points by Jokubaitis gave Maccabi a 45-44 lead with five minuets left in the first half. Randolph dialed up long distance, Jokubaitis scored, Sergio Llull went from deep, Hezonja scored a quick pair of baskets, Sorkin went from downtown as did Rafi Menco to give Oded Katash’s team a 63-57 lead at halftime.

Musa and Hezonja scored, Randolph drilled home a 3-pointer, Jokubaitis hit a smart deuce from the top of the key to get the third quarter off and running, Sorkin dunked and Campazzo came back from deep as Maccabi stayed in front 74-67 midway through the period. Eli Ndiaye dialled up long distance, Andres Feliz put in a 3-point play, Alberto Abalde went from downtown, Williams hit a long two, Feliz went from beyond the arc, Tamir Blatt went from deep, Ndiaye hit a pair more from long distance, Lllull and Jokubatis trade triples as Real took a slim 91-90 lead after thirty minutes of end to end action.

Hezonja started off the fourth quarter with a 3-point play, Jasiel Rivero came back with points, Abalde scored while Hoard went from deep and Campazzo drove to the hoop as the boss stayed up 99-98 with five minutes remaining in regulation time. Campazzo kept scoring with ease, Randolph came back with points, Blatt drained a 3-pointer, Hezonja put in a 3-point play, Rivero dunked as he took a Blatt ball into the lane, Musa put in a layup.

Rivero again powered in points, Musa put in a pair of free throws, Randolph tried to get a shot off as time wound down to take the lead but the shot clock expired and Campazzo sewed up the win from the line as Randolph’s last gasp effort tie up the game came up short.