Maccabi Tel Aviv gets by Hapoel Holon 97-91 in Winner Cup semis setting up Derby Final

Sep 29, 2022 | Holyland Hoops

Lorenzo Brown made his long anticipated debut for Maccabi Tel Aviv and while he spurred the yellow-and-blue on in the first two quarters it was the other half of the B&B duo, Wade Baldwin who closed out the 97-91 win over Hapoel Holon to send Oded Katash’s squad to the Winner Cup final.

Brown provided instant offense when he entered the game in the middle of the first quarter and dished out a quick quartet of assists to help Maccabi to a double digit through the first three quarters while Alex Poythress, Rafi Menco and Josh Nebo also scored to pace the Yellow & Blue. But Joe Ragland, Marvin Jones, Niv Misgav and Shawn Dawson all contributed to cutting down the lead to just 4-points, 93-89 with a minute remaining in the fourth quarter, however, Baldwin scored a clutch layup and then stole a Ragland pass to seal the victory.

Maccabi will face Hapoel in a Winner Cup Derby final which will be held on Sunday October 23rd while both teams will begin their domestic and European seasons over the next ten days. The Yellow & Blue ready for Zalgiris in Euroleague play and Nes Ziona in Israeli action while the Reds tipoff at home against Hapoel Eilat and then host the London Lions in their first foray into the EuroCup.

Alex Poythress – Photo Credit: Yehuda Halickman


Poythress recorded a 17 point and 11 rebound double-double, Brown also checked in with double digits in points and assists with 13 points and 12 assists as Baldwin, Menco and Nebo all scored 14 points in the win. Ragland lead all scorers with 24 points and 8 assists, Jones added 17 point and Misgav chipped in with 14 points in the loss.

Oded Katash – Photo Credit: Yehuda Halickman


“I think overall this was a good game and perhaps the best so far especially the first three quarters,” Maccabi coach Oded Katash said. “But we got out of our rhythm in the last quarter and I could have done better as some of the players were tired. You saw what Brown gives us and how he can play with Baldwin. We are now looking ahead to our Euroleague game against Zalgiris.”

Guy Goodes – Photo Credit: Yehuda Halickman


“I want to take our play from the fourth quarter from this game,” Holon bench boss Guy Goodes explained. “Over the course of the first three quarters we had trouble playing defense and there were a number of times late in the game where we tired. When we fix that and we can pick up our defensive rebounds, then we can start winning these types of games.”

Alex Poythress – Photo Credit: Yehuda Halickman


Alex Poythress spoke about the game from his point of view, “We’re happy but not satisfied and we are taking it one day at a time. We haven’t had a lot of practice with the full team in order to learn each other so it’s a process and we are enjoying the ride so far.”

Niv Misgav – Photo Credit: Yehuda Halickman


Holon guard Niv Misgav also reflected on the contest, “We weren’t aggressive at the start of the game and that cost us going forward the rest of the way itself. We are all waiting for the new player, Erick Green who will come in and replace CJ Harris who is injured. We really need the help and money time begins on Monday when we have our first official game in the Champions League.

Wade Baldwin – Photo Credit: Yehuda Halickman


Wade Baldwin with a midrange jumper and a dunk in traffic along with a deep heave by John Dibartolomeo got Maccabi Tel Aviv off and running in the first quarter while Chris Johnson found the basket for Hapoel Holon but the yellow-and-blue took an early 11-8 lead midway through the period.

Lorenzo Brown – Photo Credit: Yehuda Halickman


Lorenzo Brown scored his first points as a member of Maccabi with a 3-pointer from the elbow, Rafi Menco and Niv Misgav traded triples while Brown fed Josh Nebo for a big time dunk and Menco for an easy deuce and added another pair of helpers to give Oded Katash’s squad a 27-19 lead after ten minutes of action.

Joe Ragland – Photo Credit: Yehuda Halickman


Nebo and Dibartolomeo opened the second quarter with points, Frederic Bourdillon, Joe Ragland and Kenneth Kadji all scored as well but Menco nailed a 3-pointer as Maccabi stayed in front 35-26 with five minutes left in the half. The B&B duo of Baldwin and Brown scored on the inside and outside respectively, Hayden Dalton and Jones found points, Brown and Alex Poythress went for a baseline give and go, Menco fed Roman Sorkin for an alley-oop while Baldwin put in a 3-point play to send Maccabi into halftime with a 52-40 advantage.

Bonzie Colson – Photo Credit: Yehuda Halickman


Bonzie Colson was the catalyst to begin the third quarter as he filled the bucket with a pair of baskets, Ragland and Misgav answered but Maccabi continued to lead 65-46 midway through the frame. Brown scored a 3-point play, Shawn Dawson and Ragland found points, Menco hit a pair of triples, Nebo added points in the paint, Kadji responded as did Jones but the yellow-and-blue took a 79-61 lead after thirty minutes of action.

Josh Nebo – Photo Credit: Yehuda Halickman


Iftach Ziv went from deep, Ragland scored a pair of baskets and Jones put down a dunk but Poythress scored inside to keep Maccabi ahead 84-70 with 6:46 left in the fourth quarter. Kadji scored but picked up a technical foul for some extracurricular activity with Poythress, Nebo scored a pair off the glass, Dibartolomeo went from downtown as did Dawson to keep Guy Goodes’s squad hanging around down 91-80 with 3:22 remaining in regulation time.

Joe Ragland – Photo Credit: Yehuda Halickman


Ragland checked in with a 3-point play, Misgav drilled home a triple, Johnson and Dawson hit their free throws to close the gap to 93-89 with a minute to go but Baldwin went to the hole and scored a layup and then blocked a Holon pass to send Colson in for a deuce to close out the game for Maccabi.

Wade Baldwin – Photo Credit: Yehuda Halickman

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