Hapoel downs Ulm 81-65, wins series 168-154

Hapoel Migdal Jerusalem returned to the Eurocup Quarterfinals for the first time since the 2010-11 season by downing Ratiopharm Ulm 81-65 in Game 2 of the eighthfinals on Wednesday. Hapoel had registered an 89-87 road loss in Game 1 and won the series with an aggregate score of 168-154. Hapoel will face Nizhny Novgorod in the quarterfinals starting next week. Bracey Wright led the winners with 21 points. Ronald Dupree added 14, Derwin Kitchen had 12 while Yotam Halperin got 10 for Hapoel. Matt Howard led Ulm with 15 points. Kitchen and Wright shined early to give Hapoel a 21-16 lead after 10 minutes. A three-pointer by Philipp Schwethelm kept Ulm within 26-22 but Art Parakhouski, Dupree and Kitchen fueled a 16-0 run that allowed Hapoel to get the series lead for good, 42-22. Ulm never gave up and managed to get within 61-54 (148-143 in the series) but a 9-0 run which Lior Eliyahu capped with a layup allowed Hapoel to seal the outcome and advance to the next round.

Parakhouski hit a jumper and a layup by Yotam Halperin gave Hapoel a 4-0 lead (91-89). Adam Hess struck twice from downtown but back-to-back baskets by Dupree and free throws by Kitchen allowed Hapoel to stay lead, 11-6 (98-95). Daniel Theis and Will Clyburn shined with consecutive dunks and a jumper by Trent Plaisted tied the series, 14-12 (101-101). Dupree scored again and got help from Wright and Kitchen to give Hapoel a 21-16 lead (108-105) after 10 minutes. Wright buried a three-pointer and a dunk by Parakohuski gave the hosts a 26-19 edge. Schwethelm answered from downtown but Josh Duncan, Kitchen and Parakhouski made it a double-digit game, 32-22. Ulm kept struggling to score, as Hapoel excelled on defense, getting many steals. Halperin and Parakhouski kept pacing the hosts and a free throw by Wright capped a mamooth 16-0 run that made it a 20-point game, 42-22 (129-111). Ulm went scoreless for almost 6 minutes until Cam Long made a free throw. He got help from Keaton Nankivil and Howard to bring Ulm within 46-32 at halftime. Hapoel, however, had a 133-121 lead in the series at the break.

Theis shined with back-to-back baskets and a three-pointer by Per Guenther gave Ulm hope, 49-39 (136-128) right after the break. Howard sank a jumper that Dupree bettered with a triple for a double-digit Hapoel edge, 52-41. Wright buried another three-pointer but Howard and Long kept Ulm within 55-46. Nankivil hit a jumper, Kitchen and Long traded baskets and Dupree gave Hapoel a 59-50 lead (146-139) at the end of the third quarter. Plaisted and Duncan traded layups early in the fourth quarter and a jumper by Edgar Sosa brought Ulm within 61-54 (148-143). It didn't last long, however, as a jumper by Duncan ignited a 9-0 run which Eliyahu capped with a layup off a steal that broke the series open, 70-54 (157-143), with 6 minutes left. Nankivil dunked and Howard added a jumper but Wright sank 5-of-5 free throws and Halperin added a layup for a 77-58 score. Ulm kept trying but all Hapoel fans had plenty of time to celebrate that their team will keep fighting for Eurocup glory!