Maccabi FOX triumphs over Olimpija in its Eurocup debut

Maccabi FOX Tel Aviv outlasted Union Olimpija Ljubljana 82-73 at Menora Mivtachim Arena to win in the team’s Eurocup debut. Olimpija led for much of the first half, but the hosts finished the second quarter on a 10-2 run to hold a 40-35 halftime advantage. Maccabi’s offense clicked in the third quarter with 33 points en route to a 17-point cushion. Olimpija rallied with 8 straight points in the fourth quarter, but never got closer than 9. Taylor Rochestie paced Maccabi with 20 points, Devin Smith scored 19, Trevor Mbakwe posted 13 points and 11 rebounds and Brian Randle added 10 points for the winners. Ronalds Zakis led Olimpija with 14 points, Zach Wright tallied 12 points and 7 rebounds and Gregor Hrovat netted 10 points.

Rochestie made history with a three-pointer for Maccabi’s first-ever Eurocup points. Wright got Olimpija on the scoreboard. Sava Lesic gave the visitors the lead and his second basket made it 5-8. Hrovat added a pair of baskets to keep Maccabi on its heels, 9-12. Rochestie tied it at 14-14 with a triple, but Zakis, Blaz Mesicek and Sasa Zagorac each scored as Olimpija ran ahead by 6. Sylven Landesberg free throws made it 16-20 after 10 minutes. Mbakwe scored on the offensive glass and then through a Jordan Farmar assist to tie it at 22-22, but Zakis hit back with a pair of buckets. After Landesberg free throws, Mbakwe sparked a break with a rejection of Zakis and Rochestie finished to tie the game at 28-28. Randle’s first basket gave Maccabi its first lead since the opening minutes. But Wright tied it again and Mitja Nikolic drilled a three at the other end. Smith and Rochestie stood up in the final two minutes of the half; each scored twice in a 10-2 run for a 40-35 halftime lead.

Zakis scored first in the second half, but Maccabi answered with a basket-plus-foul from Randle and a Rochestie triple. Randle’s next three-point play gave the hosts a double-digit advantage, 51-41. Smith also converted a basket-plus-foul to make it 55-43. Zagorac and smith traded threes. Free throws by Wright and Vasilije Vucetic closed the difference to 8, but Maccabi scored the next 7 points to lead 65-50. The lead peaked at 17 before a Mesicek free throw ended the third quarter at 73-58. Zagorac scored the first two baskets of the fourth quarter, but it wasn’t enough to spark a serious rally. Rochestie assisted Mbakwe and then hit a three to make it 80-63 with five minutes remaining. Zakis scored twice in a 0-8 Olimpija run, but a basket by Smith calmed the Maccabi fans and the hosts cruised to victory.