Hapoel Holon clipped Hapoel Jerusalem 78-77 as Jordan McRae hit the game winning 3-pointer to hand the purples the victory. The reds took an early lead as Roi Huber shot lights out from deep while Jared Harper and Khadeen Carrington also found nothing but net, however, Xavier Munford kept Holon close as Jordan McRae scored a pair of deuces and then drilled home the corner 3-ball to secure the win.

Munford scored 19 points as Derrick Walton Jr. and Lior Carreira each scored 10 points in the win. Harper scored 19 points, Huber added 15 points and Carrington scored 12 points in the loss.

“Holon is always an exciting place and we had drama to open the season,” Hapoel Holon Head Coach Danny Franco began. “It was a tough game and from Jerusalem it wasn’t easy to come into Holon after the week they had and for us it wasn’t simple to play a team like Jerusalem to start the season. The guys understand what it’s like to play for Holon and a bunch of them made a step up and were X-factors in this game.”

Hapoel Jerusalem Head Coach Yonatan Alon spoke about the tough defeat, “We were not playing smart when we were up by ten points and we had to move the ball. We weren’t focused. The game came down to luck and it wasn’t with us but it shouldn’t have come down to that last play.”

Xavier Munford talked about the win, “I was trying to go for the 3-pointer but I had to make a play when they came to defend me and Hassan Martin made a terrific pass to Jordan in the corner. Even though he had a tough game we told him to keep shooting. The fans were electric and pushed us and motivated us after two BCL games without a crowd. It’s a testament of the team as to where we are going and how we are growing after beating a team like Jerusalem.”

Roi Huber reflected on the final quarter, “This was a momentum swing that happens in the game of baketeball and we should have been better both on offense and defense. We are disappointed, but we will improve and we will be fine the rest of the way as it’s a long season.”

Hassan Martin and Yair Kravits scored for Hapoel Holon to open up the game but a trio of triples from Roi Huber as well as points from Khadeen Carrington and a monster dunk from Justin Smith gave Hapoel Jerusalem a 22-13 lead after ten minutes of play. Xavier Munford drained a pair from deep to keep the purples close, Jared Harper responded while Lior Carreira found points for the hosts but Huber drilled home another one from downtown to send the visitors into halftime with a 45-36 advantage.

Austin Wiley began the third quarter with a 3-point play and a deuce, Munford put in a trio of buckets, Huber checked in from long distance, Munford and Harper traded triples, Smith dunked and Carreira went from deep as Jerusalem stayed in front 62-55 after thirty minutes of action. Harper went from beyond the arc to start off the fourth quarter, Jordan McRae put in a pair of baskets, Walton drained a 3-pointer as Anthony Lamb did the same at the other end but McRae drilled home a corner 3-ball to send the purple fans home happy.