Maccabi downs Baskonia 94-93 in thriller

Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv overcame Bitci Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz 94-93 on Tuesday night in a thrilling make-up game from Round 19.

Regular Season

Round 19 of 34

game Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz vs Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv

Regular Season

Maccabi Playtika Tel AvivMTA

9493

Baskonia Vitoria-GasteizBKN

Overview

w

l

w

l

The first half was very high scoring as both offenses flowed smoothly, with Maccabi rallying from an early 9-point deficit to lead 56-50 at the break. Baskonia dominated the third quarter, partly thanks to a 0-9 run, but Maccabi bounced back to set up an exciting finish and took the win thanks to a three-pointer inside the final minute from Scottie Wilbekin. Ante Zizic and James Nunnally both scored 21 points for the winning team, while Wilbekin added 17. Baskonia’s Wade Baldwin led all scorers with 27 points, as Rokas Giedraitis (15), Matt Costello (11) and Simone Fontecchio (10) also scored in double digits in defeat. The victory boosted Maccabi to 13-13 as interim coach Avi Even celebrated his first victory, while Baskonia dropped to 7-19.

Giedraitis opened the scoring inside before Vanja Marinkovic and Fontecchio added three-pointers for a 4-8 lead. Nunnally and Baldwin traded triples, while Costello and Zizic both scored inside. Baldwin and Marinkovic each struck from deep for a 10-19 advantage. Zizic stayed red-hot with two more inside baskets, but Steven Enoch and Baldwin kept Baskonia comfortable, 16-23. Then Nunnally took over with a three-pointer, a layup and free throws, before a steal and three from John DiBartolomeo gave Maccabi its first lead, 28-27, at the end of the first.

Wilbekin’s triple and an alley-oop from Jalen Reynolds kept Maccabi moving early in the second, but Fontecchio and Tadas Sedekerskis answered for the visitors. Angelo Caloiaro’s three-point play was matched by a triple from Fontecchio, before Wilbekin and Sedekerskis scored from deep as both offenses stayed hot, making it 45-40 midway through the second quarter. Free throws extended Maccabi’s lead to 51-42, but Giedraitis and Marinkovic pulled Baskonia closer. Iftah Ziv and Zizic kept the hosts ahead, but Costello ended the first half with a spin and slam to make it 56-50 at the break.

Ziv opened the second half with a mid-range jumper before Costello got Baskonia moving with a layup, Alec Peters added a three and Baldwin scored a jumper to make it 59-57. Giedraitis tied it up with a jumper and Baldwin scored in transition and then added a triple to make it 61-66 after a 0-9 run. Nunnally responded with 6 straight points, including a 4-point play, but Giedraitis forced another lead change from close range and Baldwin added a circus shot for a 67-70 lead. Enoch inside and Giedraitis from deep stretched the lead before Caloiaro made it 71-77 at the end of the third.

Both teams went inside early in the final period, with scores from Sedekerskis and Enoch bettered by a trio of baskets from Zizic, making it 81-82 with 6 minutes remaining. Fontecchio’s fierce dunk was answered by another score from the unstoppable Zizic. A jumper from Peters was followed by a close-range finish by Wilbekin and it was 85-86 with 3 minutes left. The relentless Baldwin scored from mid-range and a triple from DiBartolomeo was answered by Costello’s layup-and-one for an 89-91 Baskonia lead inside the final minute. Wilbekin’s three-pointer sent Maccabi ahead and Nunnally blocked a three-point attempt from Peters with 9 seconds left. Baskonia had one more chance, but Baldwin couldn’t connect and, after free throws at both ends, Maccabi held on.