Maccabi Tel Aviv defeated Hapoel Tel Aviv 102-98 as the yellow-and-blue wiped out an early double-deficit thanks to incredible play from Iffe Lundberg to take a 2-0 lead and move to within one game of sweeping the best-of-five championship series.

The reds jumped out to a 14-0 lead as Tai Odiase led the way but Maccabi came back with points from Jaylen Hoard and Jimmy Clark to end the opening frame tied at 20-20. Both teams traded baskets throughout period number two as Madar and Motley scored for the hosts while Roman Sorkin and Oshae Brissett countered for the visitors, but a Micic 3-pointer and an Odiase dunk kept Hapoel in front 48-46 at halftime.

Clark, Lundberg and Madar all hit their long distance shots in the third quarter while Sorkin also scored to give Maccabi a 79-73 lead after thirty minutes of action. Lundberg filled the basket at one end while Madar did the same at the other and pulled Hapoel to 98-97 but another Lundberg basket along with free throws from Sorkin gave Oded Katash’s team a 2-0 lead.

Lundberg scored 25 points, Sorkin added 21 points and Brissett put in 19 points and grabbed 19 rebounds in the victory while Madar scored 34 points, Odiase chipped in with 15 points and Micic scored 11 points in the loss.

Maccabi Head Coach Oded Katash spoke about the win, “We played a very complicated game and we knew that they would come back and they started off with a 14-0 lead. But it wasn’t just that as Jimmy Clark fouled out and we were short on guards but we won with a lot of heart. We showed a tremendous amount of character but we were there for one another and came away with the win together as one.”

Hapoel Head Coach Dimitrios Itoudis looked back at the defeat, “The outcome was not good for us. We came out to fight and we approached the game well, we are 0-2 down but we are still alive, it won’t be easy but we competed as we didn’t in game one. The run we had at the beginning of the game was great but we played a very experienced team who scored over thirty points in the third quarter. We came back but it was not enough. We are trying to build something here and we are the future and believe in building the culture. It’s not a one day thing, it takes time.”

Jimmy Clark talked about the victory, “Coach told us keep our composure and stick to the game plan, we had to make our run as Hapoel did theirs. I feel it’s diversity and comes with the game, we excited. We all hope that the game is called fairly and we can’t put all the blame on the refs, but I have to also take the accountability and we will take the game in our hands. It’s been a long season and we are up 2-0 and we have a chance to finish the series on Sunday with our fans.”

Oz Blayzer reflected on the loss, “It’s a tough situation and we re down 2-0, but Maccabi scored 100 points and we have to do a better job defensively. On Sunday we have another game and we have nothing to lose. It’s a game of runs and they came back, we have to do a better job. We had some good moments in the game and use those for game three. I want to win and I’m trying to do my best for the team.”

Hapoel Tel Aviv raced out to a 14-0 lead as Yam Madar and Vasilije Micic got into the game from the get go with points while Tai Odiase and Ish Wainright also scored early on, Oshae Brissett and Zach Hankins countered along with Jaylen Hoard and Jimmy Clark while Roman Sorkin dunked to knot the game up at 20-20 after ten minutes of end-to-end action.

Madar and Iffe Lundberg each knocked down a trio of free throws to begin the second quarter, Hoard and Madar traded baskets, as did Odiase and Sorkin, Jonathan Motley and Guy Palatin both went from deep as Hapoel stayed in front 35-31 midway through the period.

Clark put in a tear drop, Micic scored off the glass, Madar drilled home a corner 3-ball, Sorkin and Motley traded triples, Brissett powered in for a layup and dunked, Micic went from deep, Sorkin scored in the paint while Odiase put down an alley-oop to give Dimitrios Itoudis’s squad a 48-46 advantage at halftime.

Micic and Clark both dialled up long distance to start the third quarter, Sorkin put in an and-one, Hoard hit a jumper, Madar and Lundberg traded triples, John Dibartolomeo knocked down a 4-point play, Lundberg sliced to bucket for a deuce, Ish Wainright, Jones and Madar all went from deep to try and keep the reds close but Oded Katash’s team took a 79-73 lead into the final frame.

Zach Hankins put in a mini-hook to get the fourth quarter underway, Lundberg went right to the hoop for a deuce, Odiase put down a monster dunk, Oz Blayzer knocked down a corner 3-ball, Brissett put in a 3-point play, Blayzer and Sorkin went from downtown, Jones again went to the bucket, Hoard scored on the inside as Madar went from the outside to pull to within a point but Lundberg scored while Sorkin hit his free throw to close out the game.