Hapoel Rishon LeZion coach Ziv Erez said at the start of the season that if his team did not win the championship this season it would be his failure. Winning the State Cup.
Tonight, the trophy holder needed one more win over Elitzur Neve David Ramla to decide in her favor the playoff semifinal series, but it did not come.
Shira Ha'alyon's team, in an excellent basketball demonstration on both sides of the floor, won 79:81 and secured their place in the playoff final series against Maccabi Banot Ashdod, which will start this coming Thursday.
Whoever expected a fifth game to open with groping and hesitation got the two teams that gave a show that suited the class.
At Rishon LeZion, it was Christy Block and Dakia Cohen who started first burners, before they were joined by Jenny Sims, who with 13 points only in the first quarter led the home team to 24 points. This was exactly the number of points scored by the opponent, who did not enjoy 100 percent to 2 like Rishon LeZion, but lost the ball less and also drew conclusions from the fourth game and this time made all the five players on the board already in the first quarter.
Ramla also scattered its goals in the second quarter, and this time too, as in the fourth game, Emma Cannon and Crystal Dangerfield were the standout scorers, finishing the half with 13 and 12 points respectively.
But nothing to do with Sims' phenomenal ability, which scored more than both - 26 points, including four of five shots off the arc.
Even when it seemed at the start of the second quarter that Ramla was finding a way to stop Rishon's attack, the Reds found their pace and went down to the half with a promising 42:50 advantage.
And if anyone thought that the second half was going to be a cruise of Ziv Erez's players towards the finals, Ramla's defense came and proved otherwise.
Sims as usual suffered from an offense problem (4) and did not contribute points, Eden Tzipel has not thrown to the basket since her three offside errors and those who took advantage of this situation to stand out were Canon who celebrated in color and Alyssa Baron, who scored outside the arc and made a comeback - 59:61 At the end of the third quarter.
Ramla's advantage increased to four points towards the middle of the decisive quarter of the series, and Rishon Lezion had no choice but to rely on Sims again.
The game continued to be close, but May missed a three, Sims was inaccurate from the point and Ramla seemed calm from the situation.
Dangersfield and Barron's threes jumped her to a six-point lead before the final minute and gave her a practical victory, despite a three-pointer and a kidnapping of Cohen towards the end.
79:81 to Ramla at the end of an extraordinary series, in which the better team defeated the best player in the league.
The playoff final series will open as stated on Thursday.
Jenny Sims may not be there, but the two teams that presented the best basketball in the league throughout the second half of the season, actually did.
Scorers for Rishon LeZion: Sims 30, Block 18, Cohen 14, Revach 14, Karsh 3.
Scored for Ramla: Baron 26, Cannon 23, Dangerfield 19, Hressler 8, Eisner 3, Douglas 2.
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