Round 8
By Orli Klinger
The teams eased back in to the season with three blowouts and one upset. Two
games that were supposed to be good match ups became playing time for bench
warmers as Bnei Yehuda and Raanana are an American (and a Bosman) short.
Ramat Hasharon 86 - Maccabi Ashdod 62
Without Rhonda Mapp who wasn't in the country on game day, Ramat Hasharon
cruised past Ashdod thanks to Tracy Reid's successful debut and an opponent
that has yet to get a win.
For Ramat Hasharon:
Lidiya Varbanova - 20 pts (10/16 FGs), 5 rebs.
Ina Gourevitch - 19 pts (3/4 2pt FGs, 3/3 3pt FGs, 4/4 FTs)
Tracy Reid - 16 pts (6/10 FGs, 4/7 FTs), 9 rebs.
For Ashdod:
Kenya Larkin - 19 pts (3/13 2pt FGs, 3/6 3pt FGs, 4/5 FTs), 6 ast, 3 steals
& 3 TOs.
Valerie Muoneke - 15 pts (7/18 FGs), 10 rebs.
Vika Rudovski - 15 pts.
Elizur Ramla 86 - Bnei Yehuda 54
Bnei Yehuda came into a game that before the break was marked as a marquee
match up between the two top teams without their best player, without a 2nd
Bosman and with one jet-lagged foreigner. That was enough to hang on for one
quarter against the undefeated Ramla.
Tawona Alhaleem, that returned from her vacation the night before the game,
scored Bnei Yehuda's first 10 points as the game was close early on. Bnei
Yehuda used countless Ramla turnovers to run to a 21-15 lead. Jackie Moore
made sure the visitors don't break the game open, and 3's by Tanhelson and
Noy ended an offensive quarter with a 26:24 Bnei Yehuda lead.
In the 2nd quarter Ramla found out that Bnei Yehuda turns the ball over
against a zone too, and quickly regained the lead. Ramla outscored the
visitors 28-9 in the quarter and led 52-35 at the half. Jackie Moore led all
scorers with 20 points on 100% shooting, while Alhaleem scored 17 for Bnei
Yehuda.
Ramla's dominance on the boards continued in the 2nd half, and the fact they
needed more than 3 minutes to get their first points didn't help Bnei Yehuda
to significantly narrow the gap. The locals led 66-46 after 3 and the gap
just kept growing.
For Ramla:
Jackie Moore - 24 pts (9/10 FGs), 8 rebs.
Amber Hall - 11 pts (5/9 FGs), 11 rebs, 4 ast, 4 steals, 3 TOs.
Jackie Johnson - 14 pts (5/11 FGs), 4 steals, 5 TOs.
Ornit Shwartz - 10 pts (5/9 FGs).
For Bnei Yehuda:
Tawona Alhaleem - 22 pts (6/14 2pt FGs, 2/5 3pt FGs, 4/4), 7 rebs, 5 steals.
Goni Tanhelson - 14 pts (4/9 3pt FGs).
Hapoel Haifa/Motzkin 83 - Elizur Holon 87 (OT)
Holon got a lot stronger during the break, and worked overtime for a big
road win.
For Holon:
Octavia Blue - 28 pts (11/19 FGs, 6/8 FTs), 8 rebs.
Limor Mizrachi - 18 pts (6/15 FGs, 6/6 FTs), 5 ast, 3 steals, 5 TOs.
For Haifa/Motzkin:
Aleksandra Music - 24 pts (6/14 FGs, 12/12 FTs).
Jackie Higgins - 16 pts (5/9 FGs, 6/7 FTs), 6 rebs, 5 TOs.
Ramat Hen 81 - Maccabi Raanana 57
Edwina Brown will not be joining Raanana after all, which leaves them with
one American and a whole lotta problems.
Ramat Hen climbed back into 2nd place with an easy win over Raanana who
again looked terrible on offense, especially in the 1st half. Only Anat
Goldberg scored for Raanana in the 1st quarter and they trailed 19-7. Tatum
Brown was the 2nd Raanana player to score as she hit a basket with 7:30 to
till halftime to make it 23-9. Raanana found some life in the last 6 minutes
of the half but was down 40-26 at the break.
Ramat Hen wasn't impressed by the comeback tunes Raanana was trying to play,
and led 62-40 after 3. The 4th quarter was just for the record, and Ramat
Hen won by 24 after swishing 12 of 17 three pointers.
For Ramat Hen:
Rivi Grinboym - 21 points (6/8 3pt FGs, 3/3 FTs), 7 rebounds.
Vicky Hall - 17 pts (6/8 FGs, 4/5 FTs), 6 rebs.
Marianna Raguz - 17 pts (4/9 2pt FGs, 3/5 3pt FGs).
For Raanana:
Anat Goldberg - 13 pts (4/4 2pt FGs, 1/1 3pt FGs, 2/4 FTs).
Tatum Brown - 10 pts (4/9 FGs, 2/7 FTs), 6 rebs.
Nomi Kolodny - 10 pts (2/7 3pt FGs, 2/3 3pt FGs), 6 steals.
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Round 8 MVP - Octavia Blue
Blue's 28 points helped lead Holon to an upset in Haifa, who lost at home
for the first time this season. With her and the 3 new foreigners, and maybe
with Limor Mizrachi, Holon might continue to surprise.
Round 8 First Team:
Rivi Grinboym - The hot hand of the round. Continued the good from she
showed in the national team, hitting 6 of 8 threes.
Lidiya Varbanova - With Tracy Reid fighting under the baskets, Varbanova
could stay at midrange and torch Ashdod for 20 points.
Tracy Reid - A great debut for Ramat Hasharon's new foreigner with 16
points, 9 rebounds and lots of hustle and aggressiveness.
Limor Mizrachi - 18 points for our player of the month who continued her
good form, but it is still unclear weather she'll stay with Holon.
Just missed: Jackie Moore with 24 points in a great game, but against a weak
and short opponent.
Round 8 All-Bust Team:
Lili Latinovic - After great showings in previous games, we expect more than
7 points from her.
Mirna Paunovic - Went from Ramat Hasharon to Raanana but still can't find
the rim.
Snjeana Vasich - When she plays poorly, Raanana plays poorly.
Crystal Givens - Was very weak against Ramat Hasharon.
Tatum Brown - Had little impact on the game as her team got outplayed big
time.
The Standings:
1) Ramla 8-0
2) Ramat Hen 6-2
3) Bnei Yehuda 5-3
4) Raanana 4-4
5) Haifa/Motzkin 4-4
6) Ramat Hasharon 3-5
7) Holon 2-6
8) Ashdod 0-8
Information reprinted with permission of Lior Klinger and Orli Klinger. Send an e-mail to be put on the mailing list.