Maccabi Tel Aviv took care of Maccabi Ramat Gan 98-87 as Roman Sorkin and Rokas Jokubaitis were just too much for the hosts to handle as the yellow-and-blue got back onto the winning track after a disappointing loss to ALBA Berlin in Euroleague play last week.

Oded Katash’s squad came out firing on all cylinders as Tamir Blatt and Levi Randolph hit their shots from deep while Jasiel Rivero and Roman Sorkin controlled the paint to give the visitors a 54-38 halftime lead. However, Amin Stevens and Drew Crawford along with Kendale McCullum and Isaiah Miles pulled Shmulik Brenner’s team to within a pair of points, 80-78 midway in the final frame, but Sorkin from the outside, Jokuabtis and Randolph all found points to widen the gap and close out the game for Maccabi.

The yellow-and-blue now head to Spain for a Euroleague Double Week against Barcelona and Baskonia which will be followed up by a State Cup semifinal Derby clash versus Hapoel Tel Aviv the following week.

Sorkin scored 22 points, Jokubaitis added 18 points and Randolph scored 16 points in the win. Stevens scored 25 points, McCullum put in 15 points and Adam Ariel scored 12 points in the loss.

“The first half we started very well on both sides of the floor and put pressure on their guards,” Maccabi Tel Aviv Head Coach Oded Katash said. “The third quarter we were a bit confused on the attack and our turnovers gave them a chance to get back into the game. Their tough shots started to fall and they have to get credit for the work that they’ve done and how they can stay in the game. We started to play not to lose but I took a timeout and I told them just keep playing as we always have and we closed out the win.”

“This was a disappointing result,” Maccabi Ramat Gan coach Shmulik Brenner said. “While I’m proud of how we played in the second half it wasn’t overconfidence that resulted in our poor play, it was our lack of confidence. Roman Sorkin killed us on the 3-pointers and that really hurt us in this game. They may have been over excited. We know who we were playing in Maccabi who are in the Euroleague, we know who we are and what we are good at and what we need to work on. They are just such a deep and good team.”

Rokas Jokubatis spoke about the importance of the win, “We are not in our best moment, but we know every game here in the Israeli league is important. Ramat Gan is a tough team and we knew after the game against Alba we had to show up ahead of the double week coming up in Spain where it’s never easy to play. But we have to build ourselves back up for the Israel State Cup semifinals next week so the win is good but we have to keep building.”

Drew Crawford looked back at the defeat, “The game was all about the bad start that we had. We came out flat and the second half we were better, with more intensity on defense and how we have played all season. It was hard to play when we started off so poorly.”

Tamir Blatt hit a pair of triples for Maccabi Tel Aviv to get the game underway, Roman Sorkin and Jasiel Rivero scored on the inside while Levi Randolph knocked a pair from the outside to grab an early 30-18 lead. Isaiah Miles, Drew Crawford and Amin Stevens started to cut down the lead, Sorkin and Jake Cohen countered, Stevens put in a 3-point play and jumper but Rivero matched him point for point as Rafi Menco drilled home a triple at the halftime buzzer to give Maccabi a 54-38 advantage.

Stevens, Kendale McCullum and Adam Ariel quickly came out to close the gap, Sorkin and Crawford traded triples, Roi Huber and Rokas Jokubaitis did the same, but more points from Trevion Williams and Jokubatis kept Maccabi in front 72-65 after thirty minutes of action. Williams opened the final frame with a deuce, Miles and Huber went from downtown, Sorkin drained a pair from deep, Stevens and Huber came back with points but Sorkin with another triple sealed the deal for the yellow-and-blue.

Kiryat Ata stunned Hapoel Jerusalem 88-85 as Liam O’Reilly starred for the hosts in the upset win. Eldad Bentov’s team got off to a quick start as O’Reilly paced the hosts from the get go while Chris Smith, Yariv Amiram and Marvin Smith all found points, but Khadeen Carrington, Jeremy Morgan and Or Cornelius scored to stay close but Kiryat Ata went into halftime up 49-45. Chris Smith and Silvio De Sousa put in points but Gaby Chachashvili and Chris Johnson for Yonatan Alon’s team did the same to head into the final frame all knotted up at 67-67, but O’Reilly along with Chris Smith and De Dousa were able to top Carrington and company. O’Reilly scored 27 points, Chris Smith scored 16 points and De Sousa chipped in with 15 points in the win. Carrington scored 18 points and Morgan put in 13 points in the loss.

Hapoel Galil Elyon topped Nes Ziona 77-65 in their first game back in Kfar Blum since the outset of the war. In a tight game heading into the fourth quarter, Lucas Goldenberg, Shachar Amir and Lior Carreira broke it open with points a plenty to take the much needed win for Guni Izraeli’s squad. Goldenberg scored 28 points, Marcus Carr added 14 points and Amir scored 11 points in the win. Darnell Edge scored 13 points as Jake Van Tubbergen put in 12 points in the loss.