John DiBartolomeo is now the new owner of the longest streak of consecutive free throws made in EuroLeague history
Broken records, career nights and buzzer-beaters led to Maccabi's win in Berlin
Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv scored more than 100 points for the first time this season on its way to a no-doubt-about-it 85-103 win over ALBA Berlin on Thursday night. It was Maccabi's first road win of the season and came behind the career-best performance of Rokas Jokubaitis.
The Maccabi playmaker who turned 24 years of age last week, playing in his seventh season in the competition, scored a career-high 24 points, making a career-best 11 two-point shots on 13 attempts. Jokubaitis also dished 6 assists. Everything seemed to be going his way.
"It is an amazing feeling", Jokubaitis said on EuroLeague TV when asked about his personal performance. "It is an extra motivation, and when you play like this and you win, it's and amazing feeling."
But he was just one of many Maccabi players playing one of their best games of the season.
Jaylon Hoard scored 18 and grabbed 4 steals, while Will Rayman had 12 points, all marking personal best numbers for each player. David DeJulius, playing in his fifth game, had 14 points, which is the double his season-high of 7 points he scored in each of the last two games.
DeJulius also hit a pair of buzzer-beating shots, one to end the second quarter, and one at the end of the third.
"Finally," Jokubaitis said. "We were waiting for this [type of] a win a long time. This win is very important and I hope we build on this."
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Appropriately, this game will also be remembered for John DiBartolomeo who made two free throws with 1:11 left in the second quarter and became the owner of the longest streak in EuroLeague history with 70 consecutive free throws made. The previous owner was Kevin Punter with 69.
What's so unique about DiBartolomeo's accomplishment, it is a streak that dates back to December 2022. The last time he missed a free throw was on December 2 that year.
DiBartolomeo entered this season with 66 free throws made, then made a pair in the season opener, but did not go to the free throw line again until Round 12.