Nes Ziona Advances to Quarterfinals After Close Win Over Hapoel Holon

Nes Ziona secured a spot in the quarterfinals of the Winner Cup basketball tournament by defeating Hapoel Holon 77-72 on Thursday. This victory marks Nes Ziona's second win in the group stage, improving their record to 2-0 and guaranteeing their advancement.

The game was a tense affair, with Nes Ziona nearly squandering a double-digit lead, similar to their previous match. However, the team, coached by Paul Corsaro, demonstrated resilience and composure in the final moments to clinch the win.

Nes Ziona established an early advantage with a strong first quarter, leading 24-13 and extending their lead to double digits in the first half. After a significant scoring run by Nes Ziona, Holon managed to reduce the deficit before halftime. In the third quarter, Holon mounted a comeback, outscoring Nes Ziona 26-14 to take a two-point lead entering the final period, with key contributions from Adama Sanogo, Brandon Jones, Claudele Harris, and Rebaldo Soares.

In the decisive fourth quarter, Nes Ziona proved more accurate. Key plays from Freddy Gillespie, Paris Lee, Vincente Emsellem, Justin James, and Spencer Weiss helped secure the victory. Nes Ziona now moves on to the quarterfinals, while Hapoel Holon will face Kiryat Ata next Tuesday to determine the second qualifying spot from the group.

Top scorers for Nes Ziona included Paris Lee with 16 points, Spencer Weiss, Bryce Brown, and Justin James each with 11, and Vincente Emsellem with 10 points. For Hapoel Holon, Adama Sanogo led with 13 points, followed by Claudele Harris and Brandon Jones Jr. with 12 each.