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Ahrela Weisberg

Behind the Scenes

Derek, number 6, in yellow: Maccabi Tel Aviv is delighted with Williams

The compliments from the team members ("It's good that he's with us and not against us, because it's not fun to keep him").

The imprint that illustrated the change the star went through.

The quintet that subdued Zalgiris in a ten-minute blitz.

And the logistical advantage over Barcelona.

The Yellows conclude a victory in a game where there was only something to lose

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• Derek Williams

• Maccabi Tel Aviv in basketball

Ahrela Weisberg

Wednesday, October 27, 2021, 6:15 p.m.

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"Basketball is a serious business, but it should also be fun."

Derek Williams (Photo: Danny Maron)

1. The pretensions, expectations and results

"Derek Williams? He's good at basketball," Angelo Cloiaro smiled when asked last night (Tuesday) about his partner in the front line at Maccabi Tel Aviv against Zalgiris Kaunas.

"I'm glad he's playing with me and not against me, because it's not fun to keep him."

Williams scored nine baskets from all ranges yesterday, but one sinking resonated in the second quarter, in which he threatened to smash the board or at least hit a hoop, illustrating so much about the state of mind he is currently in.

After all, he is the man who comes - again, it should be noted - to a new team with his shoulders laden with pretensions and expectations, with the past still haunting him and the present giving him a tenth stop in just eight seasons.

Then came the corona.

"He contracted the virus and was locked up in a hotel for two weeks, and obviously it was difficult for him," Cloiaro said.

"Now he's finding his way. You've seen him on the pitch: he's a super talented, the kind of player you just give the ball to, and they'll already know what to do with him."

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On Wilbkin, too, he would probably have preferred not to save.

Angelo Cloiaro (Photo: Danny Maron)

Indeed, Williams knew yesterday what to do with the ball, and demonstrated an offensive display that might not have been perfect, but certainly was complete.

"Yesterday you could see that we really enjoyed playing together," said the American, who scored 17 points and picked up seven rebounds.

"Basketball is a serious business, but it should also be fun. We are with each other more than with our families. I came here as the veteran and experienced player on the roster, so I try to bring positive energies with me, even when we are in less good times. The coach has already remarked to us. That we are smiling too much, and fear that we are not serious enough. "

2. Zero points, 25+ plus / minus

The game against Zalgiris was one that Maccabi Tel Aviv reaches knowing that it has nothing to lose;

The Lithuanians look bad, their squad is lacking and their coach has almost admitted that he is quite at a loss, but someday - and this will probably happen soon - they will "break the wall", as defined by Yura Zdovech and win for the first time this season.

And no one wants to be the one to lose to them.

Thus, the Yellows showed up sharp and focused, in a direct continuation of the threes and dances show against Hapoel Jerusalem, and opened the game with a 2:14 flight.

They hit 7 of 10 from the field, were not tempted to throw even one three, and simply dismantled the opponent out of the point;

Mainly in ball income for Ante Žižić, and also in penetration and movement.

Then, when Garbage Time threatened to injure in the sixth minute of the game, everything turned upside down.

This time, the effective quintet was without him.

James Nanley recalls not taking off his tracksuit (Photo: Danny Maron)

Yannis Sapropoulos only dared to dismantle the opening five - which included Keenan Evans, Scotty Wilbkin, Cloiaro, Williams and Žižić - and Zalgiris ran to 0:14. Even before the first quarter was signed, she mimicked the astronomical lag she had fallen into, and even managed to climb to a first advantage, without the Greek coach calling a timeout in response. A few minutes later, when the exchange train settled for a moment, he returned to the original five - and again, a quick 0: 6.

"It's just a matter of security," Biar Williams said. "When you see parts of the game that we are not good at, and parts where we play great, it's because we're still a new team. We had no preparation for the season, and we had games canceled, but we have a lot of players who can do all sorts of things on the pitch."

In all, the original team played together for only 10:21 minutes, defeating the Lithuanians 9:26;

All the other lineups worked less well - losing 53:50 to the same Zalgiris.

And what's amazing?

The highest plus / minus figure was issued by Cloiaro, the man who did not score a point for 33 minutes.

While he was on the floor, Maccabi won by 25 points.

"Too bad he scored, and they didn't go for seven overtimes."

Nikola Mirotic (Photo: Official Website, Barcelona)

3. "Shmirotich rope prevented seven overtimes"

Tomorrow, 48 hours after the weakest team in the Euroleague, the best team in the factory will arrive near Eliyahu. Barcelona is the only one left so far in perfect balance, but next week will mark five years since its last victory at the Hall, with Rami Hadar still coaching the Yellows; How old is that game? The leading slingshot of the winners that evening was Tyrese Rice.

Maccabi has a built-in logistical advantage in coming to the game with Barça: while it rested a bit, gathered itself and began the hasty preparations for tomorrow's match, the Catalans are still in Turkey. They will train today in Istanbul, and will only land in Tel Aviv in the evening. So it is true that this is a short flight, but in such a short seam within the double cycle, even these technical subsections may have significance.

Despite the six wins in its six games so far, Barcelona have already known quite a few thrillers.

She subdued Olympiacos after extra time, she also needed an extra five minutes in Monaco, and yesterday she defeated Fenerbahce outside thanks to a buzzer shot by Nikola Mirotic.

"Yes, I saw Mirotic's basket," Cloiaro concluded.

"It's a pity he scored, and that their game didn't go to seven overtimes."

If after the ups and downs, the problems discovered along the way and the unnecessary home loss to the Red Star Belgrade - Sapropoulos and his players go out for the weekend in a 2: 5 balance, even they will look again and again at the table and rub their eyes in disbelief.

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