Round 12
By Lior Klinger
Another action packed full of surprises round took place in the Israeli
league. Holon pulled off a big upset in Ramat Hen, and Haifa/Motzkin came
close to doing the same in Ramat Hasharon.
Maccabi Ramat Hen 69 - Elizur Holon 72
Despite the unexpected outcome of the game, the big story was again the shot
and game clock in Ramat Hen's arena which broke down in the last 4 minutes
of the game. Tal Salz had a chance to tie the game in the final 2 seconds
but her three was off the mark.
For Holon:
Octavia Blue: 18 pts (8/12 FGs, 2/2 FTs), 8 rebs, 2 steals
Yulia Rozova: 15 pts (5/11 FGs, 2/2 FTs), 3 rebs
Juana Brown: 15 pts (3/11 FGs, 9/9 FTs), 4 rebs
Elena Minaeva: 14 pts (5/13 FGs, 4/4 FTs), 5 rebs
Hen Shtain 10 pts, 2 rebs, 2 steals (3/6 2pt FGs, 4/4 FTs)
For Ramat Hen:
Simone Edwards: 27 pts (8/15 FGs, 11/13 FTs), 14 rebs
Vicky Hall: 17 pts (7/18 FGs, 3/5 FTs), 12 rebs
Tal Salz: 9 pts (4/5 FGs)
Mariana Raguz: 9 pts (4/7 FGs, 1/1 FTs)
Maccabi Raanana 67 - Elizur Ramla 76
Ramla recovered from the loss in the last round with a convincing though not
easy win over Raanana, which displayed yet another poor offensive
performance. A late charge by Edwina Brown kept Raanana in striking distance
in the final minutes but they did not present a real threat.
Jackie Johnson connected on a 3pt play to put her team up 7-4, but Snjeana
Vasic answered with 2 threes. Tatum and Edwina Brown scored 4 pts to make it
19-14 with under a minute left in the 1st, and Johnson added another point
from the line following Tatum Brown's 3rd foul. Raanana dictated the slow
pace and led 19-15 after 1. Ramla was not looking like the league's #1
offensive team.
The visitors regained the lead in the 2nd but could not make it a commanding
one. With 3:15 to play in the half Jackie Moore began schooling Mirna
Paunovic with 4 straight points and Ramla led 26-24. A minute later Liron
Cohen nailed her 2nd three of the quarter and made it a 5-point game. Ramla
took a 33-27 lead to the locker rooms. Raanana played the entire quarter
without Tatum Brown and her 3 fouls, scoring just 8 points. Jackie Moore led
Ramla with 10 pts. Edwina Brown, Vasic and Paunovic had 6 pts each for the
locals.
Raanana's offensive woes continued in the 2nd half, as they failed to get a
shot off in six consecutive tries, 3 of which resulted in a 24 second
violation. Danny Nahminovich called a timeout with six minutes to go in the
3rd, and his team down 37-27. Sharon Zeevi and Shira Haelyon entered the
game. The defense immediately improved and Zeevi revived the offense as
well. It started with a steal and a baseball pass to Edwina Brown who
missed, but Tatum Brown was there to get the put back 'and 1'. Zeevi then
hit a jumper and three to make it 39-34, but despite it all Ramla was still
in control. Amber Hall & Liron Cohen led the way to a 45-39 edge after 3.
Ramla started the 4th with a 13-2 run, as Raanana's only points came from
the free throw line. The lead was 61-43 with 5:30 to play, after a Johnson
jump shot. Amber Hall, in a common trip to the free throw line, made it
67-47 with 2:30 left, but Haelyon and Edwina Brown hit back-2-back threes to
cut it to 13. Led by Edwina Brown. Raanana kept trimming the lead and
trailed just 69-59 as she hit 3 free throws. Amber Hall added 2 more free
throws but Brown buried another 3 with 50 seconds to go and it was just a
nine-point game, 71-62. In the end it was still a 9-point game, despite 12
straight points and 16 in the whole quarter by Edwina Brown.
For Ramla:
Jackie Johnson: 18 pts (3/10 2pt FGs, 2/2 3pt FGs, 6/9 FTs, 4 rebs, 5 TOs
Amber Hall: 16 pts (4/13 FGs, 8/12 FTs), 20 rebs, 6 steals, 6 TOs
Jackie Moore: 15 pts (7/8 FGs, 1/3 FTs)
Natasha Branchikova: 13 pts (2/5 FGs, 8/9 FTs), 3 rebs
Liron Cohen: 12 pts (5/10 FGs, 0/1 FTs), 4 rebs, 4 steals, 3 assts
For Raanana:
Edwina Brown: 26 pts (5/13 2pt FGs, 3/4 3pt FGs, 7/9 FTs), 5 rebs, 3 assts,
10 TOs
Tatum Brown: 10 pts (3/6 FGs, 4/5 FTs), 9 rebs, 5 TOs
Mirna Paunovic: 8 pts (3/9 FGs, 2/2 FTs), 2 rebs
Snjeana Vasic: 7 pts (2/4 3pt FGs, 1/4 FTs), 4 assts
Sharon Zeevi: 7 pts (3/3 FGs), 2 rebs
Nomi Kolodny: 6 pts (1/3 3pt FGs, 3/3FTs), 4 rebs, 5 TOs
Maccabi Ashdod 91 - Bnei Yehuda 87
After losing the first 8 games of the season, Ashdod has won 3 of its last
4. If only Holon hadn't pulled a huge upset this round they would have
escaped from the final spot in the standings for the first time this season.
For Ashdod:
Vika Rudovski: 26 pts (3/5 2pt FGs, 4/8 3pt FGs, 8/9 FTs), 4 assts
Crystal Givens: 17 pts (6/10 FGs, 5/6 FTs), 6 rebs, 3 steals
Kenya Larkin: 15 pts (5/14 FGs, 3/4 FTs), 5 assts
Sarit Arbel: 9 pts (3/6 FGs, 3/5 FTs), 12 assists, 7 rebs
For Bnei Yehuda:
Tawona Alhaleem: 29 pts (9/15 FGs, 9/10 FTs), 9 rebs, 4 assts, 8 TOs
Leslie Johnson: 29 pts (13/16 FGs, 3/3 FTs), 9 rebs, 3 assts
Dragoslava Zakula: 10 pts (4/9 FGs, 2/4 FTs), 4 assts
Ina Boutenko: 9 pts (3/7 3pt FGs), 8 rebs
Goni Tanchelson: 8 pts (3/6 FGs)
YES Ramat Hasharon 72 - Hapoel Haifa/Motzkin 69
Haifa/Motzkin played with only 1 American and almost stole one from the
defending champions. Ramat Hasharon played without Ina Gourevitch (who was
sick), and was not impressive. After a 10-3 start the visitors tied the game
and it stayed close. At the half the score was tied at 35. In the 3rd Ramat
Hasharon managed to go up by six to ten points, and led 56-48 after 3. The
gap reached 14 in the 4th, but Haifa/Motzkin slowly but surely got back into
it. Yelena Mostafina scored 11 pts in the final 3 minutes, including 3
threes. With under 90 seconds to play Haifa/Motzkin had the ball down 72-69,
but missed. Ramat Hasharon didn't hold for the last shot as Varbanova
clanked a mid range jumper. The visitors had another chance but Mostafina
missed a three as the refs overlooked a possible foul by Tamar Maoz. Ramat
Hasharon has won five games in a row.
Haifa/Motzkin signed center Lanisha Cartwell to replace Jackie Higgins.
Cartwell is supposed to make her debut on Monday against Raanana.
For Ramat Hasharon:
Lydia Varbanova - 18 pts (8/15 FGs, 2/3 FTs), 6 rebs
Limor Mizrachi - 14 pts (4/5 from downtown), 7 assts, 6 rebsv
Tracy Reid - 14 pts (7/11), 5 rebs
Rhonda Mapp - 12 pts (6/8), 8 rebs
Gulsah Akkaya - 9 pts, 5 rebs
For Haifa/Motzkin:
Aleksandra Music - 16 pts (11/16 FGs, 4/4 FTs)
Jamie Lewis - 14 pts (6/13 FGs, 2/3 FTs)
Yelena Mostafina - 13 pts (3/7 3pt FGs, 2/3 2pt FGs)
Adi Kindler - 9 pts (3/5 2pt FGs, 1/6 3pt FGs)
Rinat Zaltz-Levin - 7 pts (2/12 FGs, 3/4 FTs)
Lili Latinovic - 6 pts (2/8 FGs, 1/2 FTs)
*--------------------------------------------------------------------*
Round 12 MVP - Octavia Blue
Holon continues to improve, and the win in Ramat Hen is their biggest one
this season. Octavia Blue led her team with 18 pts on 8 for 12 shooting and
grabbed eight rebounds playing against Simone Edwards & Vicky Hall.
Round 12's First Teamv
Vika Rudovski - Had a huge season high with 26 points on great shooting as
Ashdod beat Bnei Yehuda.
Crystal Givens - Finished with 17 pts on 60% shooting, 6 rebounds and 3
steals for Ashdod.
Amber Hall - Dominated under both baskets and in between with 16 pts, 20
boards and 6 steals.
Octavia Blue - Big game, bigger win.
Sarit Arbel - Before she joined the team, Ashdod was winless. They have 3
W's now. Arbel had 9 pts, 7 rebs and 12 assists versus Bnei Yehuda.
Just missed: Tawona Alhaleem, Leslie Johnson, Simone Edwards, and Limor
Mizrachi.
Round 12's All Bust team:
Lili Latinovic - Only six points on 2 for 8 shooting from the league's 2pt
FG% leader.
Rivi Grinboym - Missed all four of her shots finishing the game scoreless
for the first time this season.
Edwina Brown - Yes she scored 16 points in the 4th quarter but we can't
overlook the prior uninspiring quarters and ten turnovers.
Mirna Paunovic - Had just 8 points on 3 for 9 shooting, we're still
scratching our heads on why she gets more playing time than Sharon Zeevi.
Tatum Brown - Got into heavy foul trouble and had little impact in a game in
which her team desperately needed an inside presence.
Newcomer of the round: Hen Shtain
Holon's youngster played 25 minutes and finished with 10 points, 2 boards
and 2 steals.
The Standings:
1. Elizur Ramla 10-2
2. Ramat Hen 9-3
3. Ramat Hasharon 7-5
4. Maccabi Raanana 6-6
5. Hapoel Haifa Motzkin 5-7
6. Bnei Yehuda 5-7
7. Elizur Holon 3-9
8. Maccabi Ashdod 3-9
Information reprinted with permission of Lior Klinger and Orli Klinger. Send an e-mail to be put on the mailing list.