Hapoel Beer Sheva/Dimona Edges Maccabi Ashdod in Overtime Winner's Cup Opener

Hapoel Beer Sheva/Dimona secured a thrilling 103-101 overtime victory against Maccabi Ashdod in their opening game of the Winner's Cup on Tuesday. The win marked a strong start to the season for Beer Sheva/Dimona, who now hold a 1-0 record in Group D.

Maccabi Ashdod, a newly promoted team, fought hard and even led 22-10 early in the game. They appeared poised for victory in the fourth quarter, establishing an 86-78 lead and later holding a 91-84 advantage. However, a late comeback orchestrated by Golan Gut, who hit a crucial three-pointer with two seconds left in regulation, forced overtime at 98-98.

In the extra period, Luvell Cabbil was instrumental for Beer Sheva/Dimona, scoring four consecutive free throws to give them a 102-98 lead. Despite a late three-pointer from Ashdod's Robert Turner, Beer Sheva/Dimona sealed the win with free throws from Tyrik Smith. Turner delivered a standout performance for Ashdod with 35 points and 11 rebounds, but it wasn't enough.

Cabbil led Beer Sheva/Dimona with 22 points and 9 assists, supported by Christian Coleman (17 points), Tyrik Smith (16 points, 9 rebounds), Noam Avivi (15 points), Golan Gut (13 points, 9 assists), and Shahar Doron (11 points). Ashdod also saw contributions from Marquis McDuffie (14 points), Omer Ben David (13 points, 7 assists), and Kaddus Wahab (11 points).

Beer Sheva/Dimona will face Hapoel Jerusalem on Friday, with the winner securing an automatic spot in the quarterfinals. A loss would send Beer Sheva/Dimona to a play-in round. Ashdod's record now stands at 0-2.