"Love to celebrate, but in two we have the biggest game of the season"

Maccabi Tel Aviv restrained with restraint after the big victory over CSKA Moscow when they faced the derby in the Cup semi-final.

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11/02/2022

Friday, 11 February 2022, 06:38

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1. Maccabi Tel Aviv continued its excellent comeback from last night's Thursday (Thursday) when it impressively defeated CSKA Moscow 75:84 in Yad Eliyahu.

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Maccabi came out of a stuttering start to the game and trailed 11: 2, with the help of an impressive run of 6:21 until the end of the first quarter, 11:26 in the second quarter and in total completed a 17:47 run for a little over 15 minutes.

The Yellows 'defense paralyzed the strong Russian opponent who came in with a very lacking squad, and in the second half Sapropoulos' team managed to maintain the difference despite an improvement in the opponent's game.

Scotty Wilbkin led the Maccabi scoring with 23 points while Anta Žižić adds 14 and Keenan Evans contributes 11 of his own on an evening where the injured James Nanley and Yiftach Ziv do not dress.

"We knew they were going to be aggressive and that each team would have its own run," Evans said at the end of the game.

Before the game, a ceremony was held in honor of Maccabi's great former coaches - Pini Gershon and Zvika Sharaf, and jerseys with their names went up to the ceiling of the hall.

Maccabi said that for at least 40 minutes, the current team looked like one of the best teams coached by the pair of veteran coaches.

17:47 run on the way to victory.

Wilbkin (Photo: Danny Maron)

Won the honor and Maccabi mentioned forgotten.

Gershon and Sharaf (Photo: Danny Maron)

CSKA Moscow appeared in Yad Eliyahu without three very significant players in their squad - Johannes Fogtman, Toko Shangalya and Will Claibren, and yet the defensive ability that Maccabi Tel Aviv showed in the first half, and especially in the second quarter, was very impressive.

"Apart from 5 minutes, We played great defense, "said Scotty Wilbkin," except for 5 minutes at the end, and 4-5 minutes at the opening, we played great defense, both individually and as a team. "

John Dibertolomeo continued on the line, adding:" It all starts with defense.

We started playing very good defense in the second half in the Galilee, we continued it today, our defense has to be consistent all the time.

"When we have our backs to the wall, there is a lot of pressure on us, but in this defense we play our best basketball."

The Yellows captain said of the team's offensive development as a result of the defensive improvement, "It's something the coach emphasizes in front of us. Raise our level. "

Maccabi admitted that the addition of Kyrie Thomas, a player who appears to be a very high level guard, helps the team to press the guard's guards, "he is like the ace that is pulled out of the sleeve", laughed Yannis Sapropoulos and one of the Maccabi men added: "There was pressure. "We had to get the right man at the right time, and we did it."

"Like the ace being pulled out of the sleeve."

Thomas with Sapropolus (Photo: Danny Maron)

Maccabi received 16 points from its pair of citizens, John Dibertolomeo and Jake Cohen.

Dibertolomeo has shown since the return of the Corona lag that he is in excellent shape, and from the start of the game was very sharp, while Cohen who scored two threes and finished with 6 points, scored one of them in the midst of a CSKA run and actually finished the game in the fourth quarter

. The game on defense, it gives me a rhythm on offense, I scored a few early shots and it always helps, "Dibertolomeo said." In a team like this with so many good players, you have to stay prepared.

We have players who will rise on a daily basis, I had more minutes today and I was able to score a lot of points.

"The coach gives me opportunity after opportunity, and a lot of confidence, I just want to do the best for him and for my teammates."

One of the Maccabi men said that the big advantage of the two is their experience - "We have an Israeli staff with a lot of players, but what Jundi and Jake bring to the table other than shooting is experience. They have been in these positions for several years and know what to give and when and their contribution. Significantly recently. "

Excellent fit.

John Dibertolomeo (Photo: Danny Maron)

4. The Yellows' next Euroleague game will be in just two weeks against Andulo Zero in Istanbul.

A look at the Euroleague table shows that last night's victory was very significant in the picture of Sapropoulos' chances of reaching the playoffs.

Maccabi has narrowed the gap between Andulo and Monaco, who are above it, while Bayern Munich and Fenerbahce, two other teams in this area, will not play due to Corona in the Bavarians.

"We will chase the ticket to the playoffs until we finally lose the chance," said one of the team members at the end of the game, "maybe we will take it and be happy, but what is certain is that we will not give up until the end."

Will continue to chase after the playoff ticket.

Maccabi players celebrate (Photo: Danny Maron)

5. And it is impossible without talking about the derby.

Maccabi fans started singing for the derby in the semi-finals of the State Cup on Monday in the fourth quarter against the Russians, with each member of the team, management, through the professional team and players telling how important the game is and how determined they are to return to the city rival that defeated them twice this season.

"The derby is a huge game, even after the win today, we like to celebrate after wins but we have a huge game on Monday, maybe the biggest of the season," Dibertolomeo admitted, "It's not only the derby but also the cup. We lost to them twice this season, these are the games "The most fun, I know everyone in the locker room knows it's the most important game."

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• Euroleague and European basketball

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