Jackson shines late to lift Maccabi over Barcelona

Pierre Jackson scored 15 of his team-high 18 points in the fourth quarter to lead Maccabi FOX Tel Aviv to a 94-82 victory over FC Barcelona Lassa on Thursday night at Menora Mivtachim Arena. The fourth quarter featured four early lead changes, but once Jackson got going, Maccabi pulled away for a key win to solidify its hold on eighth place in the standings at 12-10 with a two-win gap over ninth placed Baskonia Vitoria Gasteiz. Barcelona dropped to 7-15. Norris Cole added 14 points and 6 assists for Maccabi, DeAndre Kane scored 11 and Michael Roll and Art Parakhouski had 10 each. Maccabi also outrebounded Barcelona 44-32. Thomas Heurtel paced the visitors with 18 points and 10 assists, Adam Hanga added 17 points, Ante Tomic 14 and Pau Ribas and Juan Carlos Navarro netted 10 points apiece. It was Barcelona’s first game under interim Coach Alfred Julbe, after Coach Sito Alonso was relieved of his duties earlier in the week.

Parakhouski got Maccabi going with a dunk, but back-to-back triples by Hanga and Heurtel put Barcelona ahead. Jonah Bolden stepped up for the hosts, but a basket-plus-foul for Hanga and a hook shot by Tomic made it 7-13 after five minutes. Navarro beat the shot-clock buzzer with a long jumper and then lobbed a pass to Tomic, who extended the margin to 9-17. Adrien Moerman and Bolden traded threes before Alex Tyus and Cole heated up to bring Maccabi within 1. Navarro and Jake Cohen each hit threes to end the first quarter at 22-23. DeShaun Thomas free throws put Maccabi in front. Cohen scored 5 points in a 13-2 start to the second quarter for the game’s first double-digit advantage, 35-25. Tomic split free throws, but the momentum remained with Maccabi as Cole drained another jumper. Tomic, Heurtel and Rakim Sanders all got going on offense, but Maccabi had answers. A Ribas triple narrowed the gap to 46-38 at the break.

Heurtel and Tomic kept the Barcelona attack charging at the start of the second half. Hanga drilled an open three to draw the visitors within 51-50. Sanders completed the comeback with a contested three that tied the game. Maccabi responded with a 10-0 run led by Cole and Kane to resume control at 65-55. Navarro hit from downtown for Barcelona and Cohen was called for an unsportsmanlike foul on Tomic, who drew the visitors to within 65-61 through three quarters. Ribas opened the fourth quarter with a four-point play that concluded a 0-10 Barcelona charge to even the game at 65-65. Ribas’s next triple gave Barcelona its first lead of the second half, 67-68. Jackson countered with a three of his own. The lead changed hands again and again before Jackson’s second three of the quarter gave the hosts some breathing room at 75-71. Tyus’s put-back made it 79-72 midway through the fourth quarter and Thomas split free throws to make it a 9-point game. Barcelona stayed strong and a three by Hanga made it 83-78 with two and a half minutes to go, however a three and then 2 free throws by Jackson all but put the game on ice.