Nes Ziona Defeats Hapoel Holon to Reach Winner's Cup Quarterfinals

Nes Ziona secured a spot in the Winner's Cup quarterfinals with a hard-fought 77-72 victory over Hapoel Holon on Thursday. The win improved Nes Ziona's record to 2-0 in the group stage, guaranteeing their advancement in the pre-season tournament.

The game was a tense affair, with Nes Ziona building an early double-digit lead in the first quarter, going up 24-13. They extended this advantage to a significant lead during the first half, even going on a 19-0 run. However, Hapoel Holon managed to cut into the deficit before halftime and then mounted a strong comeback in the third quarter, outscoring Nes Ziona 26-14 to take a two-point lead entering the final period.

During Holon's resurgence, Adam Senegho dominated the paint, with Brandon Jones Jr. also being a key presence, alongside contributions from Claudele Harris and Rivaldo Soares. In the decisive final quarter, Nes Ziona showed more precision. Freddy Gillespie, despite early foul trouble, scored crucial points, and Paris Lee continued to lead the team with important plays. Vincent Amsellem, Justin James, and Spencer Weiss also provided key scoring to seal the victory for Nes Ziona.

Paris Lee led Nes Ziona in scoring with 16 points, followed by Spencer Weiss, Bryce Brown, and Justin James with 11 points each. For Hapoel Holon, Adam Senegho was the top scorer with 13 points. With this loss, Hapoel Holon will now face Kiryat Ata next Tuesday in a match that will determine which team secures the second qualifying spot from the group.