Basketball / Premier League / Katash outwits Sherf's Maccabi
By Haaretz Sports Staff
Hapoel Galil Elyon beat Maccabi Tel Aviv 77-72 yesterday at Tel Aviv's Nokia Arena, in a game played in the shadow of the personal rivalry between Galil coach Oded Katash and Maccabi's Zvika Sherf.
Katash, who was replaced by Sherf at Maccabi earlier this season after being sacked, told a TV crew last week that "it would be a compliment to say he does not understand basketball." Since then, Katash has apologized several times.
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Despite the incident, Sherf and Katash shook hands twice during the game. But the second handshake, after the game, was notably cold.
Both teams took a while to warm up in the first quarter of the game, scoring few points. Galil players had difficulty covering Maccabi's big men, Nikola Vujcic and Lior Eliyahu, who nailed three consecutive shots.
In the second quarter, Maccabi managed to hold on to a slight lead until Galil sharpshooter Aaron Nixon buried two successive three pointers. The damage was slightly mitigated by a three pointer by Maccabi's Omri Casspi on the other side.
But the worst was yet to come for Maccabi. In the third quarter, its players seemed to have entirely lost their will to win, as Galil Elyon fortified its lead. Meanwhile, Galil's Nixon continued to punish Maccabi with three pointers. A slam dunk by Maccabi's Lior Eliyahu cut Galil's lead down to 7 points, 63-56, with seconds to go to the end of the quarter.
Maccabi's Eliyahu, one of the few members of his team who played well yesterday, continued to reduce Galil's lead. But the players in red fought off Maccabi's efforts and went on to win 77-72.
After the game, Sherf and Maccabi players remained in the locker room and refused to talk to the press.
Galil's Jai Lewis, who gave a great performance - raking in 19 points with 75 percent from the field and 5 rebounds - complimented Katash for the victory.
But despite the win, Galil is still in danger of being relegated at the end of the season. "It's not over yet," said Galil guard Yogev Ohayon. "We need to win at least once more to remain in the league. But it's a breakthrough."
When asked whether he would like to play for Maccabi next year, Ohayon smiled and said: "that's not a good question, no comment."
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