The Israeli side steamrolled through Belgrade for its biggest margin of victory this term
Maccabi runs riot to demolish Partizan and set season records
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Regular Season
Round 18 of 38
Regular Season
Partizan Mozzart Bet BelgradePAR
87112
Maccabi Rapyd Tel AvivMTA
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Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv romped to an 87-112 win at Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade on the back of a flawless team effort in which five players scored in double figures and the visitors improved to 8-10, having displayed massive potential to reach the EuroLeague postseason after a poor start to the campaign.
It was Maccabi’s fifth win in a row as the Israeli outfit’s confidence seems to have rocketed since being allowed to play its home games back in Tel Aviv, impacting the team’s overall form as it celebrated the most emphatic win this term.
“The return to playing in front of our fans really lifted us and it means so much to us,” head coach Oded Kattash told the post-game press conference after Maccabi broke its season record for points scored in a single game and in a single half too, after the visitors pulled away into a 43-58 halftime lead.
“Great win for us in a great atmosphere after a really bad start to the game. I really liked the attitude and the way we played together. We were more focused and aggressive after the opening 10 minutes and started to control the game. We are a more balanced team now and we know how to win games. We were struggling and had tough moments this year but the players never stopped supporting me.”
Driven by new signing Cam Payne, who netted 12 of his 15 points in the first quarter, Partizan made a bright start and raced into a 28-17 advantage but went scoreless for six minutes after leading 31-23, as Maccabi flipped the script to edge ahead 31-36 and never looked back.
The visiting team dished out a staggering 16 assists in the first half and 29 in total, with Lonnie Walker leading the charge on 20 points, of which he netted 13 in a rampant third quarter when Maccabi sank a barrage of three-pointers. Roman Sorkin added 17 points and 6 boards for Maccabi, including some spectacular slam dunks, and the Israeli team engineered a whopping 65-101 lead early in the fourth before it took its foot off the gas. Sorkin said taking the game by the scruff of the neck before halftime was essential.
“We knew we couldn’t give them a chance because they are going through a bad moment right now and they’re a really good team,” Sorkin said in his post-game comments. “We didn’t make a good start in the first quarter but we reacted well and showed great character. We’re getting better each week but we need to keep going, it was a big win for us and a perfect introduction to the new year.”
Walker, who bedazzled his rivals with some effervescent long-range shooting and a brilliant breakaway dunk, confirmed Maccabi’s confidence was sky-high at the moment.
“I didn’t start off too well in the first half, specifically in the first quarter, but definitely picked it up as my teammates trusted me a lot. I keep saying this over and over again, we’ve got a lot of talent over here and we’re locking in during practice. Everyone is doing a great job individually and collectively as a team. Defensively we did a heck of a job and we played team basketball, the Maccabi way,” the livewire guard said.
Having been drubbed 109-68 at Zalgiris Kaunas in the previous round, when they set a negative club record for most points conceded in a EuroLeague game, the hosts went from bad to worse as they handed new head coach Joan Penarroya a nightmare debut after he replaced interim boss Mirko Ocokoljic at the helm. The lop-sided contest resembled a boys-against-men battle for the lion’s share of the proceedings, prompting Penarroya to concede that the Serbian team faced a mountain to climb in order to get back on track after dropping to 6-12.
“We only played good basketball in the opening eight minutes. The team needs more practice,” the Spaniard told the post-game press conference. “We need to improve, especially our energy, defense and character. It’s a moment to start doing basic things and stay together.”
He added: “Congratulations to Maccabi, they played very well, but the last 32 minutes of the game were really bad for us. We have to clear our heads and accept that we are in a bad situation, needing to improve step by step and game by game. It’s very difficult to be optimistic at the moment and what happens will depend on our mentality.”
