Hoard Returns to Form as Maccabi Tel Aviv Beats Holon 84-74

Double Dribble, Episode 55 / Walla editorial staff

Maccabi Tel Aviv moved to 2-0 in the playoff semifinal series after a convincing 84-74 road win over Hapoel Holon. Jalen Hoard took over from the opening minutes and finished with 30 points, one shy of his career high in Israel, 15 rebounds, a career high for him, and 45 efficiency points, matching Nikola Vujcic's club record for efficiency in a playoff game. Maccabi Tel Aviv started strong and pulled away already in the first quarter thanks to Hoard, who scored 12 quick points and sparked a 0-15 run on the way to a 23-9 lead after the quarter. Hapoel Holon went 6 minutes and 41 seconds without a field goal, and even when Sanogo and Green brought it back into the game in the second quarter, the visitors responded with strong minutes from Lundberg and Brist.

Tamir Blatt suffered a calf injury and ended his night in the second quarter, but that did not stop the yellow team from building a maximum lead in the second half. Hapoel Holon did cut the gap to just seven points, but Hoard continued to control the paint, reached an early double-double and drew Sanogo's fourth foul. From there Maccabi Tel Aviv pulled away again, closed the third quarter with a 64-43 lead, and completed an impressive win even without Lonnie Walker, who remained out of the roster, on the way to a 2-0 series lead. Game 3, which could be the final game of the series, will take place on Friday at 3:00 p.m. at Yad Eliyahu.

Scorers for Hapoel Holon: Adama Sanogo 22 points and 10 rebounds, Javon McCormick and Darin Green Jr. 9 each, Kevion Taylor 7, Idan Zalmanson 6, Nethanel Artzi and Yair Kravitz 5 each, Jordan Wright and Lior Carra 4 each, Eyal Sultan 3.

Scorers for Maccabi Tel Aviv: Jalen Hoard 30 points and 15 rebounds, Oshae Brissett 13 points and 9 rebounds, Iffe Lundberg 12, John DiBartolomeo 11, Roman Sorkin 8, Zach Hankins 6, David Epia and Tamir Blatt 2 each.

Game recap

Quarter 1: The purple team opened with Adama Sanogo, Nethanel Artzi, Darin Green Jr., Kevion Taylor and Yair Kravitz. The visitors started with Roman Sorkin, Jalen Hoard, Will Rayman, John DiBartolomeo and Iffe Lundberg. Hoard opened with six straight points, while Green Jr. answered from beyond the arc. Green tried to answer with another three and missed, and on the other end Sanogo soared to block Hoard to keep Maccabi Tel Aviv ahead 6-5. Rayman missed two straight three-pointers and Sanogo put Holon ahead 9-8, but Hoard answered immediately with three straight baskets and reached 12 points. The lead grew to double digits after a DiBartolomeo three, capping a 0-11 run. For 5:54 minutes Holon could not score, while Hankins and Hoard found the basket and gave Maccabi Tel Aviv a 23-9 lead at the end of the quarter.

Quarter 2: Hapoel Holon scored for the first time after 6 minutes and 41 seconds, when Sanogo made two free throws to cut it to 25-11. Blatt was injured and went for treatment, and the purple team began to pick up the pace as Zalmanson completed a three-point play and Sanogo scored inside, but Lundberg stopped the momentum with two three-pointers on the way to a 30-16 lead. The Dane added another basket from midrange, and the visitors again pulled away to a promising 35-18 lead. Blatt, who injured his calf muscle, did not return to the game, and Kattash tried to improvise at point guard. Kravitz and Sanogo used that to cut the gap to 10, but this time Brissett buried an important three-pointer to make it 40-27. The visitors did not score in the final minute and a half, and Green and Sanogo used that to trim it to 42-32 at halftime.

Quarter 3: Sorkin scored from distance to open the second half, but Taylor also hit a three to keep the margin steady. Holon cut the deficit to just seven points after a Sanogo three, and on the other end Sanogo blocked Sorkin. Hoard drove at Sanogo and moved closer to a double-double, reaching 18 points and 9 rebounds. Lundberg restored the visitors' double-digit lead, and Sorkin, after an important offensive rebound, added two free throws to make it 52-40. Hoard drew Sanogo's fourth foul and reached 20 points at the line, with 12 rebounds as well. Hoard remained the hot hand, and Epia joined the scoring with his first points. At the end of the quarter, Maccabi Tel Aviv led 64-43 and had the game under control.

Quarter 4: Hoard did not stop at the start of the final quarter either and gave Maccabi Tel Aviv a game-high 25-point lead. McCormick hit a three, but the depleted Holon side could not cope with Hoard, who added two more points at the line. Artzi also hit a three, his first points of the game, and Holon trailed 70-49 with 8:30 left. The visitors took their foot off the gas, and Sanogo together with McCormick managed to cut it to 74-59 with five minutes remaining. Kattash did not take a timeout even after Wright scored, but Holon also stalled on offense and, who else but Hoard, stopped the momentum when he raised his total to 30 points and 15 rebounds. Sanogo remained Holon's main man and reached 22 points with another three, and Green also scored from long range, but in the end Maccabi Tel Aviv won 84-74.