Maccabi outlasts Munich to keep join Group F lead

Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv got back on track by taking a thrilling 66-64 win over FC Bayern Munich on Thursday night at Nokia Arena. The win kept Maccabi in joint-lead of Group F along with Real Madrid at 5-1 record. A 15-0 run for Maccabi bridged the last two quarters to take a 60-50 advantage early in the last quarter after Munich had held a slim margin for much of the game. After an amazing Sylven Landesberg slam in a thrilling finale, three consecutive baskets from downtown by the German side brought them within 66-64, but Nihad Djedovic missed a shot to send the game to overtime with 1.6 seconds left. Ricky Hickman tallied 14 points with 7 rebounds and 4 assist for the winners, Davi Blu added 14 others, Devin Smith contributed with 12 and 8 boards while Landesberg scored 7 of his 11 in the final quarter. Djedovic posted 14 points for FC Bayern Munich, Malcolm Delaney tallied 13 points with 5 rebounds and 5 assists and Robin Benzing scored 11.

First quarter: Bayern starts strong, Blu leads Maccabi back

Bryce Taylor’s two-handed fastbreak dunk opened the scoring. Yogev Ohayon fed Sofoklis Schortsanitis for a slam and Maccabi’s first points. Drives by Djedovic and Taylor put the visitors in control 2-6. Devin Smith knocked down a three for Maccabi, but Delaney and John Bryant sank jumpers for a 5-point lead. Blu drained a long jumper only to see Djedovic counter with a three to make it 7-13. Another long jumper by Blu was met by Delaney’s first three. Hickman swished a mid-range shot and then sank a deep three to revive the Maccabi fans at 14-16. Blu tied the game with a baseline jumper. After the TV timeout, Delaney returned from a short rest to sink a three-pointer. Schortsanitis tied the game with a baby hook, 19-19. Bryant scored down low, but Blu fired in a three from the corner – the 250th triple of his Euroleague career – to give Maccabi its first lead, 22-21, at the end of the quarter.

Second quarter: Nothing separates teams at break

Djedovic and Bryant came together to put Bayern back on top. Blu picked up a loose ball and drained a jumper, but soon a Deon Thompson tip in left the visitors in front 24-29. Hickman responded for Maccabi. Blu missed his first 2 shots of the night, but Hickman placed a perfect bounce pass to Ohayon in transition for a basket-plus foul to close the gap to 29-30. Hickman’s next basket gave the hosts the lead again. After a timeout, Djedovic sank a three and Schortsanitis picked up his second foul on the offensive end. Djedovic fed Thompson for a fast break layup. Tyrese Rice drove for a tough layup, Delaney matched him with free throws. Blu’s second triple tied the game at 37-37. Rice added a floater, but Benzing free throws left the sides knotted at the break, 39-39.

Third quarter: Ingles’s three puts hosts in front

Benzing and Djedovic pushed Bayern ahead 39-43, but Smith answered with a big dunk. Djedovic and Smith exchanged baskets before Heiko Schaffartzik from mid range fueled the guests to a 43-47 lead. For a few minutes defense prevailed, Schaffartzik scored just one of his free throws, while Smith and Sylven Landesberg hit two-pointers to bring Maccabi within 47-48. Benzing was perfect at the free throw line as Landesberg scored again, before Joe Ingles with a three put Maccabi up 52-50 with a second left.

Fourth quarter: Bayern’s late threes fall just short

Maccabi defense stopped the Munich offense, while Hickman and Landesberg scored 5 free throws and Smith with a triple capped a 10-0 run for a 60-50 margin. Lucca Staiger stopped five scoreless minutes with a three for the visitors, before Benzing’s slam. Landesberg finished his one-on-one attack with a huge dunk, and also added a free throw for a 65-55 cushion. Benzing answered with three from the top of the key, keeping his side alive, and after a time out Maccabi switched to zone defense. However Steiger again scored a deep three-pointer to make it 65-61. Delaney from the corner broight Bayern to within 2 points with 85 seconds left after a free throw from Hickman. Thompson blocked a layup from Rice, but Delaney missed the potential shot from beyond the arc to take the lead and with 1.6 seconds Djedovic missed a jumper that would have tied the game.