Maccabi Tel Aviv fell to Anadolu EFES 91-89 in dramatic fashion as the Istanbul based squad sent the Yellow & Blue to a 2-5 Euroleague record on the season. The hosts jumped out to a quick 11-0 lead but Ioannis Sfairopoulos’s squad came roaring back thanks to Elijah Bryant’s career best night as the game seesawed all the way to the final seconds. Rodrigue Beaubois put in a layup to give EFES the lead and then blocked Scottie Wilbekin’s last gasp effort at the buzzer to notch the win.

Beaubois led the way for EFES with 23 points and 7 assists, Tibor Pleiss added 20 points and 9 rebounds, Adrien Moerman chipped in with 17 points and Krunoslav Simon scored 13 points in the win. Elijah Bryant scored 22 points, Scottie Wilbekin put in 15 points and Tyler Dorsey scored 14 points in the loss.

Adrian Moerman, Vasilje Micic and Tibor Pleiss all opened the game with 3-pointers as EFES got off to a 11-0 start midway through the first quarter. Elijah Bryant finally got Maccabi on the stat sheet with trio of triples as did Angelo Caloairo but Krunaslov Simon and Pleiss answered for EFES, however an off balance jumper by Chris Jones and points by Tyler Dorsey put Ioannis Sfairopoulos’s squad up 24-22 after ten minutes of action.

Pleiss scored a quick 6 points to get the second quarter underway while Dorsey and Jones found the basket for Maccabi but James Singleton and Simon scored again to put Ergin Ataman’s team back in front 33-28 with 7:02 left until halftime. Rodrigue Beaubois scored from inside and outside while Pleiss went from deep as well while Scottie Wilbekin drained three from long distance. Dorsey put in a pair of baskets, Ante Zizic put down a big dunk and Bryant nailed a 3-pointer at the buzzer to give Ioannis Sfairopoulos’s squad a 50-49 advantage at halftime.

Bryant got the third quarter underway the way he ended the last frame by finding the basket with a pair of buckets but Simon and Micic answered for EFES, however, Zizic scored his free throws and a lay-up as Maccabi continued to lead 60-54 midway through the frame. Moerman with a quick 7 points and a Beaubois basket got EFES close but Bryant kept scoring for the Yellow & Blue as they took a 72-67 lead into the final frame.

James Anderson with his first points for EFES while Dragan Bender slammed the ball home at the other end which was followed up by a Jones triple. Moerman then went off for points in the paint and beyond the arc as EFES grabbed a 80-78 lead with 5:49 left in regulation time.

Wilbekin drilled a triple off a screen while he then added another after he lost his defender and Oz Blayzer nailed a massive 3-pointer, but free throws by Beaubois and a long two by Pleiss gave EFES a 89-87 advantage with 52 seconds to go. Zizic with a dunk from a Wilbekin pass but Beaubois scored a layup over three Maccabi players on him and then blocked Wilbekin’s last second 3-point attempt to secure the 91-89 victory.

Israel State Cup:
Hapoel Tel Aviv squeaked by Hapoel Ramat Gan 75-74 thanks to Jonathan Mor’s winning basket with 4 seconds to go as the Reds advanced to the Round of 16. Bar Timor led the way with 25 points, Walter Lemon added 14 points while Mor and Yam Madar each notched 10 points. Jeremy Combes scored 24 points and added 10 rebounds in the loss.

Hapoel Haifa dunked Hapoel Galil Elyon 84-64 as Keenan Evans starred in the win with 16 points, 6 rebounds and 7 assists, Karam Mashour scored 16 points while Lennard Freeman added 15 points in then win.

Bnei Herzliya slammed Maccabi Raanana 83-58 as Frank Gaines scored 15 points, Kendall Anthony added 13 points and Jakim Donaldson recorded a double double with 10 points and 11 boards.

Hapoel Gilboa Galil defeated Yavne 87-66. Isaiah Cousins and Kerry Blackshear each scored 13 points and Joe Thomasson added 12 points in the win.