Maccabi Ashdod defeated Ironi Nahariya 94-83 and were promoted to the Premier after winning the Leumit Finals series 3-1. Within just two years, Maccabi Ashdod climbed all the way from the third division to the top league as Robert Turner carried the Dolphins with 30 points while Ironi Nahariya will have to wait until next year to try for promotion once again.

Ashdod grabbed an early lead 13–6 thanks to Robert Turner and Jimmy Hall but Nahariya closed the gap before the end of the opening quarter as the hosts led 20–16. Omer Ben David tied the score up at 27–27 with a 3-pointer in the second quarter and snatched the lead with another basket form deep by Tomer Cohen to give Nahariya a 39–36 advantage. But Turner, who scored 17 points in the first half, ensured Ashdod took a 40–39 lead into halftime.

Ben Gold scored 5 consecutive points to begin the third quarter in fine form and go up 52–47 and extended the lead to 59-47 thanks to Turner who put on quite a show. Ashdod kept rolling and stretched the margin to nearly 20 points and finished the third quarter ahead 71–55. Gold opened the fourth quarter with a triple and then added another one while Amit Reuven also scored for downtown to cruise to the victory.

Turner scored 30 points, Reuven added 17 points and Hall put in 16 points in the win while Ido Davidi scored 17 points, Ben David chipped in with 16 points and Yogev Ohayon scored 15 points in loss.

Ashdod Head Coach Dan Katzir spoke about the win, “In the first game we saw that we were equal to Nahariya and perhaps even better which gave us the push for the balance of the series. Hall really was able to help us with his experience and came in very hungry to come back from a disappointing season.”