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 are aiming to advance directly to the quarterfinals.

Despite a stellar performance from Ashdod's Robert Turner, who scored 35 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, the newly promoted team couldn't seal the win. Ashdod had built a significant lead in the fourth quarter, going up 86-78 and later 91-84. However, a late comeback orchestrated by Golan Gut, who hit a crucial three-pointer with two seconds left in regulation to force overtime, kept Beer Sheva/Dimona in the game.

In the overtime period, Luvell Cabbil, who finished with 22 points and 9 assists, proved instrumental for the home team, sinking four free throws to give them a late lead. Turner attempted to rally Ashdod with a three-pointer, but Beer Sheva/Dimona held on for the win, sealing it with free throws after a steal.

Other key contributors for Beer Sheva/Dimona included Christian Coleman (17 points), Tyrik Smith (16 points, 9 rebounds), Noam Avivi (15 points), and Gut (13 points, 9 assists). For Ashdod, Marquis McDuffie added 14 points, Omer Ben David had 13 points and 7 assists, and Kodus Wahab scored 11.

Beer Sheva/Dimona now holds a 1-0 record in Group D and 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, who led 22-10 early in the game, now stands at 0-2.