Round 7
By Orli Klinger
Bnei Yehuda 90 - Maccabi Ramat Hen 86
A great first half by Ina Boutenko, an incredible 3rd quarter by Tawona
Alhaleem and a huge basket by Jakula led Bnei Yehuda to a big win over Ramat
Hen who did manage to come back from 18 down, but is now looking up at Bnei
Yehuda in the standings.
Boutenko signaled at the beginning that despite the fact she's been shooting
29% from downtown all season, today she's got her aim right. Her teammates
quickly fell in love with the threes as well, and they knew why. Vicky Hall
still managed to keep Ramat Hen in the game and they were down only 18-22
after 1.
Bnei Yehuda kept increasing their lead in the 2nd with more threes from
Boutenko, one from Goni Tanhelson and a 3pt play by Alhaleem made it 37-25.
Despite the awful first Simone Edwards was having (1 for 8 FGs), Ramat Hen
managed to get within 8 with about 2 minutes to go in the half but a 3 by
Travesa Gant made it 45-32 at the break. Boutenko already scored a season
high 16 points (4/6 threes). Bnei Yehuda hit 8 threes on 50% shooting, while
Vicky Hall was the only player to show up on offense for the visitors with
15 points.
The 3rd quarter belonged mostly to one player - Tawona Alhaleem. Alhaleem
scored 22 points without missing and increased the local lead to 62-44. Her
eruption woke up Ramat Hen a bit, and they went on an 11-3 run to cut it to
11, but still trailed 77-63 after 3.
Ramat Hen started the 4th with a great 18-5 run to get within 81-82 with a
little over 3 minutes to play, thanks to Lena Fedulova who scored 8 points
in the quarter. Ina Boutenko answered with 5 straight points and made it a 7
point game. With less than a minute to go Simone Edwards scored to make it
86-88, but Jakula hit a crucial jumper at the other end, 16 seconds to go.
Ramat Hen couldn't get a shot off and fell to the 3rd place.
For Bnei Yehuda:
Tawona Alhaleem - 36 pts (14/16 2pt FGs, 2/4 3pt FGs, 2/2 FTs !!!), 3 rebs,
3 steals & 3 TOs.
Ina Boutenko - 21 pts (3/5 2pt FGs, 5/8 3pt FGs), 5 rebs.
Draguslava Jakula - 15 pts (4/9 2pt FGs, 0/4 3pt FGs, 7/8 FTs), 5 rebs, 4
assists.
Travesa Gant - 8 pts (2/8 2pt FGs, 1/4 3pt FGs, 1/2 FTs), 5 rebs.
Goni Tanhelson - 8 pts, 5 assists, 3 steals & 3 TOs.
Blazenka Cipcic didn't play and was released from the team.
For Ramat Hen:
Vicky Hall - 25 pts (9/13 2pt FGs, 1/2 3pt FGs, 4/5 FTs), 6 rebs, 2 assists
& 5 TOs.
Simone Edwards - 20 pts (7/16 FGs, 6/9 FTs), 14 rebs & 2 steals.
Tal Zalts - 10 pts (5/8 FGs), 6 rebs and 2 assists.
Rivi Grinboym - 10 pts (3/4 2pt FGs, 0/4 3pt FGs, 4/4 FTs), 5 rebs, 5
assists & 2 steals.
Lena Fedulova - 8 pts (4/5 FGs), 3 rebs.
Ramat Hasharon 53 - Maccabi Raanana 62
Ramat Hasharon's slump continues. Nobody can remember when the team has ever
lost 5 games in a row. This time, they lost to Raanana, who bounced back
from their horrendous 28 point game in the EuroCup.
For Raanana:
Tatum Brown - 18 pts (7/9 FGs, 4/8 FTs), 11 rebs.
Shira Haelyon - 17 pts (4/4 2pt FGs, 2/7 3pt FGs, 3/3 FTs), 3 rebs, 3
assists, 2 steals.
Nikki Thompkins - 13 pts (3/8 2pt FGs, 1/2 3pt FGs, 4/8 FTs), 9 rebs, 4
steals.
For Ramat Hasharon:
Danielle McCulley - 16 pts (4/8 FGs, 8/9 FTs), 8 rebs & 5 TOs.
Tamar Maoz - 10 pts (2/4 2pt FGs, 2/6 3pt FGs), 5 rebs, 3 steals & 3 TOs.
Lidiya Varbanova - 10 pts (5/9 FGs), 5 rebs.
Aluma Goren - 8 pts (3/11 FGs, 2/2 FTs), 3 rebs, 3 assists, 3 TOs.
Ina Gourevitch - 7 pts (3/8 FGs, 1/2 FTs), 7 rebs, 3 assists.
Hapoel Haifa/Motzkin 96 - Maccabi Ashdod 94 (OT)
Haifa/Motzkin need overtime to keep Ashdod winless.
Vika Rudovski tied the game with about 15 seconds to go, Lili Latinovic
turned it over on the other end and gave Ashdod the ball with 7 seconds to
go. Kenya Larkin drove and missed.
As expected from the league's official "almost" team, Ashdod stayed close
but couldn't take the lead in the extra period. A steal by Alexandra Music
led to an Adi Kindler fast break and made it 93-92 with a minute to go. The
game's two best players - Music and Crystal Givens - fouled out with about
50 seconds to play. With 11 seconds to go, Kindler made a free throw to put
the locals up 96-93. Haifa/Motzkin chose to foul and not risk a 3 and put
Taly Ben-Isahy on the line. She made the 1st and missed the 2nd on purpose
but Larkin's desperation shot couldn't save her team from a bleak 0-7
record.
For Haifa/Motzkin:
Music - 27 points (9/13 FGs, 8/9 FTs), 4 steals, 3 rebs, 2 steals.
Latinovic - 15 pts (6/7 FGs, 2/3 FTs), 5 assists, 4 steals, 3 rebs & 5 TOs.
Kindler - 16 pts (3/3 2pt FGs, 2/6 3pt FGs, 4/6 FTs), 2 steals.
Jacky Higgins - 11 pts (4/9 FGs, 3/4 FTs), 4 rebs.
Jamie Lewis - 13 pts (5/13 FGs, 3/5 FTs), 11 rebs, 3 steals & 5 TOs.
For Ashdod:
Crystal Givens - 25 pts & 11 rebs
Oksana Dovgalyuk - 21 pts
Valerie Muoneke - 17 pts
Rudovski - 14 pts
Larkin - 13 pts
Elizur Ramla 116 - Elizur Holon 68
This used to be a pierce battle between the best two teams. Today it's not
even a practice scrimmage. Holon played without any foreigners (Octavia Blue
is on "vacation" in the states) and without Limor Mizrahi (who didn't feel
like playing).
For Ramla:
Jackie Johnson - 24 pts (8/12 FGs, 8/9 FTs), 12 rebs (4 ORs), 4 steals, 3
TOs.
Amber Hall - 23 pts (10/16 FGs, 3/3 FTs), 20 rebs (10 ORs), 3 assists, 3
steals.
Liron Cohen - 19 pts (2/2 2pt FGs, 5/6 3pt FGs), 5 assists, 3 rebs.
Jackie Moore - 18 pts (8/13 FGs, 2/6 FTs), 4 rebs.
Nathasha Branchikova & Avivit Nahmani 13 pts each.
For Holon:
Hen Shtaien - 19 pts (6/10 2pt FGs, 1/4 3pt FGs, 4/5 FTs), 5 rebs.
Noa Ganur - 15 pts (3/7 2pt FGs, 2/6 3pt FGs, 3/4 FTs).
Limor Peleg 13 pts, Tal Milchen 10 pts.
Round 7 MVP
Tawona Alhaleem - 22 points in one quarter, and 36 in the game on great
shooting percentages. Bnei Yehuda's #7 outplayed Ramat Hen's #7, Vicky Hall,
who's ahead of her in the scoring ranking.
Round 7 First Team
Ina Boutenko - after six very slow rounds, exploded in a great first half
and finished the game with 5 threes and 21 points.
Alexandra Music - Again. 27 points and a big steal in the closing moments of
the OT thriller.
Tatum Brown - She was supposed to be back home by now. But she's still here
and she helped extend Ramat Hasharon's losing streak with 18 points and 11
rebounds.
Shira Haelyon - until this week, she didn't score more than 4 points in any
game. It all came together in Ramat Hasharon with 17 points.
Tawona Alhaleem - Player of the round with a league season high of 36
points.
Just missed: Crystal Givens, and Amber Hall with a 23 & 20 double double
against Holon's kids.
Round 7 All Bust Team:
Mariana Raguz - came off the bench for only 3 quiet points.
Ina Gourevitch - when she scored just 7, Ramat Hasharon can't win.
Gulsha Akkya - they didn't bring her to finish scoreless for the second
straight game.
Nili Nataho - something bad is going on with her this season, scoreless
again.
Limor Mizrahi - didn't play against Ramla without any good reason.
Newcomer of the round:
Tal Zalts - deserves her national team invitation. Finished with 10 points
and 6 rebounds.
Comeback of the round:
Oksana Dovgalyuk - not a kid anymore but hasn't forgot how to play. 21
points against Haifa/Motzkin.
The league now goes on a three week break for the national team games.
For those interested, the Israeli National team's roster: Limor Mizrahi,
Tamar Maoz, Liad Suez, Sharon Zeevi, Ornit Schwartz, Tal Zaltz, Tali Noy,
Sarit Arbel, Katja Levitzky, Vicki Hashibon, Inbar Orion, Rinat Zaltz-Levin,
Nili Natcho.
The Standings:
1) Elizur Ramla 7-0
2) Bnei Yehuda 5-2
3) Maccabi Ramat Hen 5-2
4) Maccabi Raanana 4-3
5) Hapoel Haifa/Motzkin 4-3
6) Ramat Hasharon 2-5
7) Elizur Holon 1-6
8) Maccabi Ashdod 0-7
Information reprinted with permission of Lior Klinger and Orli Klinger. Send an e-mail to be put on the mailing list.