Maccabi Tel Aviv was close last night (Tuesday) to achieving its biggest away victory of the season at Palau in Lalaugrana in Spain against Barcelona, but lost an advantage in the final minutes, scored only 11 points in the last quarter and suffered a dramatic loss 83:78.
After a first half that was controlled by the host, who even gained a double-digit lead, the yellows entered the third quarter with completely different energies, presented a strong defense and with the help of Wade Baldwin's wonderful minutes turned the game around and took the lead, after scoring 30 points in the quarter.
However, an impressive last quarter by the Spaniards and a good defense in the final minutes, which stopped the yellows at only 11 points in a quarter and six and a half minutes without a field goal, gave them back the lead in the game and with it the victory.
"We played against a great team with a deep and very strong squad. We fought for forty minutes and put in the right effort and energy to be able to come out of this game with a victory," stated the yellow coach Oded Ketch at the end.
"We had a great third quarter, we left the locker room with the right attitude and different energies for the second half. In the fourth quarter, they whistled 9 fouls in their favor and we only had 2, it's very difficult to win like that. We need to get more help or respect from the referees. I feel frustrated about the fourth quarter."
Adams, photo: AFP
Without Lorenzo Brown who continued to be absent due to an ankle injury, Ketch looked for other players to take command and lead the team on the offensive side besides Wade Baldwin and he found it in Jaylen Adams who recorded one of his best games of the season in the factory with 20 points and 4 assists and Darren Hilliard who continued the trend His improvement saw him score in double figures for just the third time this season, but it wasn't enough.
Adams, who led the list of scorers for the yellows, shared his feelings at the end: "I think we made too many mistakes in defense in the last quarter that allowed them to run and score easy points. Offensively, we had minutes where we couldn't score, the ball just didn't go in for us, and that's how hard it is to beat a good team like Barcelona. This game taught us that we can face any team in the factory, we were equal against Barcelona for forty minutes."
Before the match and due to the fact that the team had a streak of four games in six days, the professional team tried to divide the playing minutes and rotate, but the lead and the possibility to surprise and win the game changed the plans.
"The plan was to give more minutes, but as soon as some of the players got into things well and we felt that a big victory could be achieved, we left them. Our rotation is shorter than theirs and they don't lose quality and experience when they use it all. This fatigue will hurt us against Valencia," Ketch concluded.
"Lorenzo is not expected to play on Thursday, he will probably be absent. Austin Hollins will not play either, he is injured and finished the season," the coach added and confirmed the reports about the guard's condition.
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