Hapoel Tel Aviv edges Kiryat Ata, Herzliya upsets Mac TA in OT

Hapoel Tel Aviv narrowly defeated Ironi Kiryat Ata 96-95 in a nail-biter, holding off a determined Krayot squad in the dying seconds.

Antoni Blakeney and Patrick Beverley got the Reds off to a strong start, but standout performances by JJ Kaplan, Chavaughn Lewis, and Chris Smith gave Kiryat Ata a 65-64 edge midway through the third quarter.

Bruno Caboclo and Marcus Foster responded with scoring bursts to give Hapoel a double-digit lead, but a late surge by Lewis, Smith, and Raz Adam cut the gap to one. Ish Wainright’s put-back dunk sealed the win after Lewis’s last-second shot missed the mark.

Blakeney led Hapoel with 19 points, Foster added 17, and Caboclo chipped in 14. Lewis scored 22 for Kiryat Ata, with Smith and Kaplan adding 19 and 18, respectively.

Hapoel Tel Aviv Head Coach Stefanos Dedas did not attend the post-game press conference after owner Ofer Yannay told the bench boss to leave following his halftime comments about bringing in a coach to work alongside the Greek tactician. Yannay didn’t want Dedas to have to answer questions about what he had said on television about the coaching situation and his status with the club.

“This was a game of effort and character,” Kiryat Ata coach Eldad Bentov said. “The referees avoided making a crucial call at the end, but I’m proud of how we competed.”

Smith also spoke about the game and his decision to come and play in Israel during a war.

“It was a tough decision to come here and I had to put a lot of thought into it, but my teammates have been great... I am happy I’m here and I hope I can help the team win some games.”

Bnei Herzliya defeats Maccabi Tel Aviv

Elsewhere, Bnei Herzliya defeated Maccabi Tel Aviv 106-101 in overtime, thanks to Xavier Sneed’s clutch play.

Sneed sank three free throws with under a second left in regulation to tie the game at 91, then dominated in the extra period alongside Josh Hawley and Jimmy Clark.

Sneed and Clark each scored 25 points, with Hawley adding 16 in the victory. Levi Randolph led Maccabi with 20 points, while Jaylen Hoard and David DeJulius chipped in 17 and 15, respectively.

“This was the biggest win of my career,” Herzliya coach Yehu Orland said. “Our players showed their talent and grit.”

Maccabi coach Oded Katash lamented missed opportunities.

“We had bad luck and foul trouble, which hurt us in overtime. Credit to Herzliya – they were dangerous from the start.”

Sneed, the game’s MVP, also reflected on the victory.

“We won a hard-fought game. The home crowd brings a lot for us, and they are our sixth man on the court.”

Meanwhile, Hapoel Holon defeated Ness Ziona 91-85 behind Marcus Bingham’s strong performance.

Iftach Ziv and Bingham helped Holon recover from a sluggish start to take control in the third quarter, overcoming early scoring efforts by Bryce Brown, Jake Van Tubbergen, and Ricky Lindo.

Bingham led Holon with 20 points, Ziv added 14, and Jalen Adams scored 13. Brown paced Ness Ziona with 22 points, while Lindo and Van Tubbergen contributed 19 each.

Also, Hapoel Jerusalem eased past Hapoel Haifa 82-61, breaking the game open with a dominant third quarter led by Yovel Zoosman.

DeAndre Pinckney’s early scoring kept Haifa close, but Khadeen Carrington, Chris Johnson, and Derek Ogbeide helped Jerusalem pull away.

Zoosman scored 17 points, Johnson added 16 with 12 rebounds, and Carrington contributed 13. Pinckney and Kenny Boynton each had 16 for Haifa.

Maccabi Ramat Gan defeated Hapoel Galil Elyon 96-80, led by Roberto Gallinat’s 21 points and Amin Stevens’s 20.

Adam Ariel added 12 as Ramat Gan controlled the game by halftime. Rawle Alkins shone for Galil Elyon with 30 points in the loss.

Hapoel Afula crushed Hapoel Gilboa/Galil 96-62, with five players scoring in double figures.

Jalen Lecque led Afula with 20 points, Armaan Franklin added 19, and Sandy Cohen chipped in 15. Gur Lavie and Ish El-Amin each scored 17 for Gilboa Galil.

Hapoel Beersheba downed Elitzur Netanya 88-69, building a commanding 46-31 halftime lead and coasting from there.

Iverson Molinar scored 25 points, Ray Spalding added 16, and Paul Scruggs contributed 14. Itay Moskovits led Netanya with 17 points, while Bryce Washington added 14.