Maccabi Tel Aviv in Euroleague playoffs
Local powerhouse beats Italy's Scavolini Pesaro 103:100, moves on to the Final Four Euroleague playoffs in Moscow
It was a rough night for Israel's Maccabi Tel Aviv basketball team on the Italian home court in Pesaro, but the reigning European champion took home the tickets to the Moscow Final Four playoffs, beating the Italian team 103:100.
Maccabi took the lead at the very beginning of the game, with Nicola Vujcic’s two triples functioning as the evening’s starters. Three minutes into the game and the men in yellow were leading 10:5.
Maccabi still owned the court in the second quarter. Maceo Baston’s dunk and 4 additional points, courtesy of Anthony Parker, pushed Maccabi to a double-digit lead.
Pesaro, however, edged closer to Maccabi by halftime (50:41).
Close finish
By the middle of the third quarter, things started looking a little more dangerous for Maccabi, as Pesaro cut the lead down to 56:54.
The Italians continued improving in the fourth quarter, but by mid quarter the Maccabi was still hanging on to the lead, 80:77.
Pesaro cut the lead down to one down the stretch with a three pointer, but Maccabi quickly advanced down the court and finished matters off with a Baston dunk to give it a 103:100 and the ticket to Moscow.
