Kitchen’s last-second layup lifts Jerusalem to first win


Derwin Kitchen scored 9 fourth-quarter points, including the game-winning layup-plus-foul with 0.2 seconds left, as Hapoel Jerusalem recorded its first win of the season in dramatic fashion 82-79 over Partizan NIS Belgrade at Pais Arena Jerusalem in the Israeli capital. Partizan led by 10 entering the fourth quarter, but Jerusalem’s offense came alive when it was needed most to pave the way to victory. Lior Eliyahu led the Jerusalem attack with 22 points, Donta Smith and Joseph Jones added 13 apiece, Yotam Halperin scored 12 and dished 7 assists and Derwin Kicthen finished with 11 points. Edo Muric paced Partizan with 21 points, Luka Bogdanovic added 16 on 5-of-9 three-point shooting, Djordje Gagic netted 14 and Mihajilo Andric totaled 12 points and 6 assists.

The teams traded baskets in the early going with neither side leading by more than three until a pair of Eliyahu shots put the hosts up 16-11. Muric and Milenko Tepic kept Partizan close before a Bogdanovic triple put the visitors ahead 18-20 after 10 minutes. Bogdanovic opened the second quarter with a four-point play and Andric soon added a basket-plus foul as Partizan surged to 20-29. With only Eliyahu standing out for the home team, another Bogdanovic triple made it a double-digit advantage for Partizan, 22-32. Eliyahu and Tony Gaffney combined on all the points in a 9-0 Jerusalem run to erase almost the entire deficit. However triples by Andric and Bogdanovic kept Partizan in the drivers’ seat. Halperin was fouled shooting a three, but his free throws were matched by Andric. Still Jones brought Jerusalem within 2 before Tepic made it 42-46 at halftime.

Eliyahu tied it early in the third quarter and a Smith three put Jerusalem up 49-48. The lead traded hands five times before the visitors reeled off 14 unanswered points – 7 from Muric and a three from Adnric – for a 56-66 lead heading into the fourth quarter. A basket-plus-foul from Jones sandwiched by a pair of Kitchen buckets helped revive the hosts. Kitchen made it a 2-point game from the line and Eliyahu tied the score at 71-71 with three and a half minutes remaining. Bogdanovic and Muric bagged critical threes, but the Jerusalem offense was firing on all cylinders. Jones tied the game with 95 seconds left and Bracey Wright gave Hapoel a 79-77 edge with 29 seconds remaining. Gagic broke free to knot the game with a slam with 5 seconds left, but that proved to be too much time. Kitchen drove for a basket-plus-foul with 0.2 seconds left to secure the win and send the Hapoel fans home happy.