ALBA Berlin gained its first home victory this century over Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv with a 91-86 triumph on Thursday night. The early stages saw several lead changes before ALBA finished the first half strong, taking a 45-35 interval lead. The margin stayed roughly the same until Maccabi mounted a strong charge in the final period, getting within 2 points, but ALBA pulled clear again to improve to 4-8 while Maccabi dropped to 7-5.
Three-point shooting lifts ALBA to first home win over Maccabi, 91-86
Marcus Eriksson led the winners with 19 points on 5-of-8 three-point shooting. Christ Koumadje provided 12 points and 5 rebounds and Maodo Lo had 11 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists. Maccabi’s Scottie Wilbekin topped all scorers with 22 points, Ante Zizic scored 17, Derrick Williams had 15 and James Nunnally added 10.
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Zizic opened the scoring from close range before two scores from Oscar da Silva got ALBA on the board. Lo also scored twice to send ALBA ahead 8-4, but a pair of baskets from Williams got Maccabi closer and Zizic finished inside to tie it up, 10-10. Wilbekin and Eriksson traded triples before Tamir Blatt and Johannes Thiemann also hit from long distance for the hosts, helping to make it 21-17 after 10 minutes.
Angelo Caloiaro and Nunnally made three-pointers to briefly send Maccabi in front early in the second, but Ben Lammers, Jaleen Smith and Thiemann were all on target in a 7-0 run for a 28-23 ALBA lead. Two baskets from Jalen Reynolds got Maccabi moving again, and Kameron Taylor’s fastbreak dunk sent the visitors ahead, 28-29. Lammers forced another lead change before Koumadje twice dunked, Luke Simka made a fadeaway jumper and Louis Olinde added free throws to complete a 10-2 run. Williams rescued Maccabi with an alley-oop but ALBA kept growing its lead, as Koumadje responded with his own alley-oop and Lo hit a triple for a 45-35 halftime advantage.
Maccabi opened the second half with back-to-back threes from Wilbekin and Williams, but ALBA responded likewise through Sikma and Eriksson. Wilbekin, Caloiaro and Williams were on target in a 0-7 run to make it 51-48. Sikma and Eriksson – twice – were again on target from long-range to extend the lead to 60-50. Again Maccabi tried to respond as Zizic scored inside and Wilbekin hit from deep, but Blatt was also on target from long-range, making it 65-58 at the end of the third.
Smith joined the three-point party at the start of the fourth before inside scores from Olinde and Koumadje gave ALBA a 72-61 lead. Five fast points from Wilbekin pulled Maccabi closer, 74-69, but inside scores from Eriksson and da Silva kept ALBA ahead. Keenan Evans made a three-pointer and Zizic got a tip-in to make it 78-76 with four minutes left, but Yovel Zoosman and Eriksson rescued ALBA from beyond the arc. Wilbekin gave ALBA hope from deep, but Lo struck inside for an 89-83 lead with a minute left and that was enough for the win.