Maccabi Tel Aviv knocks off Milano as they ready for Play In

Apr 11, 2024 | Holyland Hoops

Maccabi Tel Aviv defeated Milano 92-86 as the yellow-and-blue ended their Euroleague regular season campaign with a 20-14 record good for 7th place as they will now ready for the Play In coming up next week.

With the victory, Oded Katash’s squad will now wait and see who they will play at their “Home Away From Home” 7th vs. 8th place teams at the Stark Arena in Belgrade in the Play In with Baskonia and Bologna playing against one another on Friday with the winner tipping off against Maccabi on Tuesday. Should the yellow-and-blue win, they will finish in 7th place and then play the 2nd place team, Panathinaikos, in a best-of-5 quarterfinal series, however, if they fall then they will have one last chance to qualify for the postseason with a win over the winner of the 9th and 10th place game.

Prior to the game, Wade Baldwin was presented with the March Euroleague Player of the Month with his mother Monica as well as club chairman Shimon Mizrachi.

Josh Nebo – Credit: Djordje Kostic


Josh Nebo, Baldwin and Lorenzo Brown all got busy for Maccabi Tel Aviv to get the game underway while Shavon Shields and Shabazz Napier responded for Milano as the yellow-and-blue grabbed a 27-23 lead after ten minutes of play. Rafi Menco and Wade Baldwin paced Oded Katash’s squad in the second quarter, but Maodo Lo, Stefano Tonut and Nikola Mkrotic all scored to draw even at 52 by halftime.

Jasiel Rivero got involved at the beginning of the third quarter while Bonzie Colson and Roman Sorkin scored at ease as Lo and Mitrovic tried to keep Milano in the game as the quarter ended with Maccabi in front 77-70 after thirty minutes. The final frame saw Oded Katash’s crew score at will and cruise to the victory.

Wade Baldwin – Credit: Djordje Kostic


Baldwin scored 18 points, Nebo added 14 points as Roman Sorkin scored 13 points in the win. Lo scored 13 points and Shavon Shields chipped in with 12 points in the loss.

“It was different and Milano had more to play for but we had nothing to lose,” Maccabi Tel Aviv Head Coach Oded Katash said. “It was high scoring game with more offense and less defense and we wanted to finish the week and the right way.”

Josh Nebo – Credit: Djordje Kostic


The game MVP Josh Nebo spoke about the win and heading into the Play In, “It was a very challenging game and Milan is a great team. They were fighting for the Play In and we wanted to finish the year strong. It’s a big game next weka and one that is a must win. Making the playoffs is important for us and we have to get our rest and be prepared mentally and physically for the Play In.

Lorenzo Brown and Wade Baldwin – Credit: Djordje Kostic


Wade Baldwin also looked back at the victory and the upcoming Play In competition, “We are pleased that we had another 20 win season and it doesn’t matter the circumstances we were able to get them. It was very tough to stay focussed but we are very happy. Now a 20 game winner has to play to get into the playoffs so we will get ready for that. Totally different approach to the next game than this one and we have to play as to how we did in March where everybody was committed to do the right things and playing the right way at both ends if the floor and doing as we do as a team, playing with a lot of grit and passion as this is what got us a 20 win season.”

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