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Maccabi - Panathinaikos 81-67
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| Maccabi fans celebrate victory of their team in Tel Aviv |
Paris, FRANCE, May 13 (Reuters) - Dominating centre Nate Huffman
scored 21 points and pulled down nine rebounds as Maccabi Elite
Tel Aviv beat Panathinaikos 81-67 (15-13, 22-10, 17-25, 27-19).on Sunday night to win the final of the European SuproLeague.
American-born guard Arriel McDonald, who uses a Slovenian
passport, landed 15 of his 21 points in the first half as
Maccabi surged to their first European title since winning the
Champions Cup in 1977 and 1981.
The 40-times champions of Israel played with tremendous
defensive intensity to down their Greek rivals, who had been
aiming for their third European title in six years.
The result was a reversal of last year's European final, in
which Panathinaikos beat Maccabi 73-67.
Maccabi, huge crowd favourites, led by just two points at
the end of the first quarter but roared away with the match in
the second quarter - taking a 37-23 lead by halftime.
Maccabi began the second quarter with an eight-point run.
Derrick Sharpe and McDonald landed three-pointers and a Huffman
jam gave the Israelis a 10-point advantage.
The Greek side roared back in the third quarter, however,
and led 43-42 with 2:55 left after Nando Gentile landed from
outside and Dejan Bodiroga was on target from inside the key.
But Maccabi recovered their wits to reel off 10 straight
points and lead 54-48 at the break.
Panathiniakos were unable to get close again as they ran
into foul trouble, although Bodiroga finished with a game-high
27 points.
Centre Predrag Drobnjak scored a game-high 25 points earlier
on Sunday as EFES Pilsen Istanbul of Turkey dominated CSKA
Moscow of Russia 91-85 to win the third-place playoff.
The Turks led 48-43 at halftime and always looked in
control.
Guard Vlado Scepanovic backed up Drobnjak with 18 points,
while forward Nikita Morgunov led CSKA's scorers with 18.
*****
How did Yugoslavs play?
Radisav Curcic (Maccabi) - added 4 points (2P FG - 2/3) and 2 rebounds (0+2) in 5 minutes.
Velibor Radovic (Maccabi) - didn't enter the game.
Dejan Bodiroga (Panathinaikos) - had 27 points (2P FG - 9/11, 3P FG - 0/2, FT - 9/10), 8 rebounds (0+8), one assist and 2 turnovers in 36 minutes.
Zeljko Rebraca (Panathinaikos) - scored 4 points (2P FG - 1/7, FT - 2/2), grabbed one rebound (0+1) and had one steal in 17 minutes.
Predrag Drobnjak (Efes) - finished the game with 25 points (2P FG - 9/15, 3P FG - 1/2, FT - 4/4), 7 rebounds (0+7), one assist, 2 blocks, one steal and one turnover in 36 minutes.
Vlado Scepanovic (Efes) - had 18 points (2P FG - 5/5, 3P FG - 2/3, FT - 2/4), 2 assists, one steal and one turnover in 33 minutes.
*****
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