2019-20Regular SeasonRound 4
Maccabi FOX Tel Aviv 76
Valencia Basket 63
October 24, 2019 CET: 20:05
Local time: 21:05 MENORA MIVTACHIM ARENA

Maccabi overpowers Valencia

Maccabi FOX Tel Aviv overpowered Valencia Basket 76-63 on Thursday at Menora Mivtachim Arena to remain undefeated at home this season. The Israeli champs never trailed after the opening minutes and saw their lead reach as many as 19 points in the fourth quarter. The result lifted Maccabi to 2-2, while Valencia will stay at the bottom of the standings at 0-4. Scottie Wilbekin led Maccabi scorers with 14 points and 4-of-9 three-point shooting, Othello Hunter posted 13 points and 8 rebounds for the winners, Omri Casspi scored 12 and Nate Wolters tallied 10 points and 9 assists. Jordan Loyd paced Valencia with 17 points and Fernando San Emeterio and Bojan Dubljevic added 15 each.

The game was tight early with neither team leading by more than a shot until Casspi scored on an inbounds play to put Maccabi up 9-5 after 6 minutes. The Maccabi defense held Valencia without a basket for nearly 3 minutes, while Hunter's three-point play helped the hosts double up the visitors, 18-9. Dubljevic free throws made it 18-11 at the end of the quarter. Hunter put his stamp on the game with two more buckets from close-range to start the second quarter. Valencia came back with a vengeance behind Dubljevic to get within 24-21. Quino Colom drew the visitors as close as 2, but Wilbekin connected from behind the arc and Wolters set up Tarik Black and Casspi for baskets that put Maccabi up by 7. Loyd free throws made it 33-28 at the break. Deni Avdija scored on Maccabi's first two possessions of the second half and Wilbekin added a three as the hosts stretched the lead to 9. San Emeterio kept Valencia in the hunt, but Casspi scored twice in a 9-0 run that made it 48-33. Threes by Yovel Zoosman and John DiBartolomeo extended the margin 17. Aaron Doornekamp made a three-pointer to end the third quarter at 56-44. Avdija drilled a three as Maccabi scored the first 5 points of the fourth quarter. The hosts did not let up as a three by Wilbekin pushed the difference to 68-49 with 6 minutes remaining. Loyd heated up as Valencia shipped away at the deficit, but the outcome was never again in doubt.

Maccabi's defensive display

The Israeli champs put the emphasis on defense this game and succeeded to put Valencia in tough spots, which led to poor shooting. The visitors made just 10 of 30 two-point shots (33.3%) and 6 of 26 threes (23.1%).

Loyd's breakout for Valencia

Jordan Loyd had his finest game since joining Valencia with 17 points in 22 minutes. He took charge with 11 fourth-quarter points to try and rally his team late. With Loyd getting comfortable in the EuroLeague, he could become a dangerous weapon for Valencia.

History for Avdija

It wasn't his finest game, but it was a historic milestone for Deni Avdija. The teenage talent made his first start in a EuroLeague game and brought a lot of energy in his 16 minutes of the floor. It could have been more, but foul trouble limited him. Nevertheless, he posted 6 points, 3 rebounds and 1 assist in what was likely the first of many starts.

What’s next?

The first two-game week of the season will see Maccabi remain at home to face Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul on Wednesday, October 30. That night, Valencia will visit FC Barcelona in a clash of Spanish clubs.

Scottie Wilbekin - Maccabi FOX Tel Aviv - EB19
Thursday, October 24, 2019
Euroleague.net
Referees: LOTTERMOSER, ROBERT; MAJKIC, MARIO ; DRAGOJEVIC, IGOR
Attendance: 10511
By Quarter1234
Maccabi FOX Tel Aviv18152320
Valencia Basket11171619
End of Quarter1234
Maccabi FOX Tel Aviv18335676
Valencia Basket11284463
Maccabi FOX Tel Aviv
  Rebounds Blocks Fouls
# Player Min Pts 2FG 3FG FT O D T As St To Fv Ag Cm Rv PIR
0 BRYANT, ELIJAH 3:36           1 1           3   -2
1 WILBEKIN, SCOTTIE 33:00 14 1/2 4/9     1 1 4 1 3     1 2 12
2 ACY, QUINCY 11:32   0/1 0/2     1 1   1     1 2   -4
5 HUNTER, OTHELLO 20:52 13 6/10   1/1 3 5 8 1 1 1     3 1 16
7 CASSPI, OMRI 28:23 12 6/9 0/2   1 4 5 2 3 1     1 4 19
8 AVDIJA, DENI 16:02 6 1/4 1/2 1/2 2 1 3 1         4 2 3
11 DORSEY, TYLER 4:04     0/1     1 1           1   -1
12 DIBARTOLOMEO, JOHN 19:03 7 2/2 1/4     1 1 2         2 4 9
14 WOLTERS, NATE 24:08 10 2/2 1/4 3/4   2 2 9   1     1 3 18
15 COHEN, JAKE DNP - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
28 BLACK, TARIK 18:52 6 3/6   0/2 2 4 6     2     5 1 1
50 ZOOSMAN, YOVEL 20:28 8 1/4 2/3   1 2 3           4   3
Team           2 5 7               7
Totals 200:00 76 22/40 9/27 5/9 11 28 39 19 6 8 0 1 27 17 81
        55% 33.3% 55.6%
Head coach: SFAIROPOULOS, IOANNIS
Min: Minutes played; Pts: Points; 2FG M-A: 2-point Field Goals (Made-Attempted); 3FG M-A: 3-point Field Goals (Made-Attempted); FT M-A: Free Throws (Made-Attempted); Rebounds: O (Offensive), D (Defensive), T (Total); As: Assists; St: Steals; To: Turnovers; Bl: Blocks (Fv: In Favor / Ag: Against); Fouls: Cm (Commited), Rv (Received); PIR: Performance Index Rating
Valencia Basket
  Rebounds Blocks Fouls
# Player Min Pts 2FG 3FG FT O D T As St To Fv Ag Cm Rv PIR
1 COLOM, QUINO 16:57 3 1/5 0/1 1/2 1 1 2 2   1     2 2  
2 MARINKOVIC, VANJA DNP - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
3 LOYD, JORDAN 21:57 17 1/3 3/6 6/6   1 1     2     2 4 13
5 NDOUR, MAURICE 17:39 4 2/8       1 1           3 1 -3
6 ABALDE, ALBERTO DNP - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
7 LABEYRIE, LOUIS 18:03 1   0/3 1/2 3 5 8 2   2     4 1 2
9 VAN ROSSOM, SAM 21:53     0/5     3 3 2 1 2         -1
12 MOTUM, BROCK 11:12 2 0/1 0/2 2/2       1   1 1     1 1
14 DUBLJEVIC, BOJAN 22:59 15 3/6 0/3 9/11 3 4 7           1 9 22
16 VIVES, GUILLEM 19:30     0/1     1 1 1 1       2    
19 SAN EMETERIO, FERNANDO 28:43 15 3/7 1/2 6/7 2 3 5 2 1 1     1 7 22
42 DOORNEKAMP, AARON 21:07 6   2/3     5 5           2 1 9
Team           3 2 5     1         4
Totals 200:00 63 10/30 6/26 25/30 12 26 38 10 3 10 1 0 17 26 69
        33.3% 23.1% 83.3%
Head coach: PONSARNAU, JAUME

Head Coaches

SFAIROPOULOS, IOANNIS
Maccabi FOX Tel Aviv
"I want to congratulate our players for the win, we focused on playing better defense and tonight we did it. We played against a Spanish team that is really good in the open court, we knew that on a good day from outside, they can be a threat, but keeping them low scoring was the key for the win. Offensively we weren't great but not bad, we had good moments, especially in the second half. We were close to a 20-point difference and we won the game easily. I want to thank our fans for the support. Their presence was helpful for the team and we heard their voice. We want our supporters to always be together with us and fight with us until the end."
PONSARNAU, JAUME
Valencia Basket
"Tonight we tried to control the rhythm because we know that against Maccabi they play very direct, they have very talented, skilled players who take a lot of advantage, even in the fast break. So for these reasons we tried to control the rhythm. In the first half, we had a lot of trouble rebounding. They had a lot of second chances and they controlled the rhythm. In the second half, we started with two turnovers in a row and that made the game. We found solutions in rebounding int he second half, but we had problems scoring. Out efficiency was very bad. that hurt our confidence even to keep defending the same way."

Players

WOLTERS, NATE
Maccabi FOX Tel Aviv
"Offensively we didn't really get into a rhythm most of the game, the defense kept us in it and the crowd was great, so it was a good win for us in a game we had to win. We have to keep working hard; we are a really talented team and have a lot of new guys, but it seems that every week we are getting better. Hopefully, we can keep it up."
CASSPI, OMRI
Maccabi FOX Tel Aviv
"Defense was a point of emphasis for us. They are a very talented team They played a really good game against Barcelona; it was 97-94 and we knew that can't let them score in bunches. The key is just being aggressive. I think we controlled the ball really well. They hurt us a little bit with San Emetrio in the post, but other than that we did a pretty good job. 63 points was one of our goals."
LOYD, JORDAN
Valencia Basket
"I am confident in my teammates, my coaching staff, in everybody in this room. So I think we just have to stay positive at a time like this when things aren't going our way, stay confident when we play, offensively, defensively and just stay together. It's still early in the season and we feel like we can turn it around. We’re never gonna change that mentality. I love my teammates and we're gonna be alright."
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