Feldeine’s monster game powers Hapoel Jerusalem • Wilbekin propels Mac TA
Hapoel Jerusalem cruised to an 88-73 win over Hapoel Gilboa/Galil in Israel Premier League basketball action as James Feldeine scored 41 points – 27 in the first half – in one of the season’s best performances.
Feldeine finished the night with an efficiency rating of 44, while TaShawn Thomas (13 points) was the only other Jerusalem player who notched double digits, while adding eight rebounds in the win. Justin Tillman led Gilboa/Galil with 18 points, Jamar Gulley scored 17 points and Iftach Ziv added 13 points in the loss.
Feldeine spoke about his performance following the game.
“Tonight I probably would have been able to beat James Harden in a one-on-one game. Every other night [Harden’s] definitely going to beat me.”
Meanwhile, shorthanded Maccabi Tel Aviv rolled over struggling Hapoel Holon 94-76 as Scottie Wilbekin went off for 30 points in the victory.
Holon kept the contest close throughout the first half, but the yellow-and-blue clamped down on defense over the final 20 minutes to record the comfortable win.
Maccabi, which was playing with only eight regular rotation players due to injuries, was led by Wilbekin who went 8-of-14 from three-point range and added three assists. In addition, Deni Avdija notched 14 points, seven rebounds, three assists and three blocks in front of a scout from the San Antonio Spurs, Tyler Dorsey added 12 points and nine rebounds, Tarik Black and Yovel Zoosman each scored 10 points, while Othello Hunter scored six points, pulled down seven boards and dished out five assists.
Marcus Foster was the Holon high scorer with 20 points, Rich Howell chipped in with a double-double of 16 points and 12 rebounds and T.J. Cline chipped in with 13 points in the defeat.
Elsewhere, Hapoel Tel Aviv used a 30-11 first quarter to go on to defeat Maccabi Haifa 88-81 at the Drive-In Arena. Tomer Ginat led the way for the Reds with 22 points while recently acquired Latavious Williams notched a 20 point-17 rebound performance in the win.
James Young continued to score at will for the Greens with 26 points and Scott Suggs backed him up with 20 points in the defeat.
Also, Ness Ziona had to fight back to beat Maccabi Rishon Lezion 93-88 after going down 34-22 after 10 minutes. Jeff Withey once again was the star of the show for Nadav Zilbertsein’s squad with an 18 point16 rebound game while Raviv Limonad and Daequan Cook each contributed 17 points in the victory.
Alex Hamilton with 23 points and Adam Ariel with 18 points were the high scorers for Guy Goodes’s squad.
Maccabi Haifa got by Hapoel Beersheba 77-75 in the southern city thanks to Roman Sorkin’s clutch four points in the final minute to steal the game from the hosts.
With 19 seconds remaining in the contest, the Oregon Ducks product tied up the game at 75-75 with a layup and then went coast to coast after stealing the ball with almost no time left on the clock to give the Greens the win.
Young led Haifa with 20 points, Gregory Vargas added 12 points and 8 assists while Sorkin clocked in with eight points in the win. T.J. Williams scored 24 points and John Petrucelli chipped in with 16 points in the defeat.
Nahariya disposed of Maccabi
Ashdod 84-68 as Danny Franco’s team turned around the game in the third quarter with a 33-9 period. Dominic Waters scored 18 points, Itay Segev recorded 14 points and 10 rebounds, while Jerel McNeal added 12 points in the win.
Hapoel Tel Aviv used a big second half to top Hapoel Eilat 84-71. Latavious Williams once again dropped a double-double with 18 points and 15 rebounds, Lenzelle Smith Jr. also scored 18 points against his former team, while Jordan Hamilton and Tomer Ginat also contributed 17 points apiece in the win.