Maccabi Tel Aviv came up short against the red-hot Paris squad in Euroleague action late Tuesday night, falling 93-81 as TJ Shorts showcased exactly why he is considered one of the best players on the continent this season.
Shorts dominated from start to finish, leading his French team to a ninth straight victory. Maccabi’s Euroleague record dropped to 4-9 on the season, with Barcelona set to arrive in Belgrade on Thursday for the second half of the double week.
Meanwhile, an Israeli league derby showdown with Hapoel Tel Aviv also looms on Sunday at Yad Eliyahu.
Shorts came out on fire, scoring with ease and creating havoc for the Maccabi defense. Tyson Ward and Maodo Lo also contributed early and often, giving Paris a commanding 50-36 lead at halftime.
Levi Randolph, Rokas Jokubaitis, Marial Shayok, and Jaylen Hoard helped Maccabi cut the lead to single digits and stay competitive in the final 20 minutes. However, the trio of Shorts, Ward, and Lo, along with Nadir Hifi, proved unstoppable as Paris secured the victory.
Fighting throughout the match
Randolph scored 14 points for Maccabi, while Hoard, Jokubaitis, and Shayok each added 12 points. For Paris, Shorts led the way with 22 points and eight assists, Lo scored 19 points, Hifi contributed 15 points, and Ward added 14 points.
“We kept fighting, but we have to give them credit,” Maccabi coach Oded Kattash said. “For much of the game, we couldn’t find answers for their tempo. You can see that they’ve played together for years, and we couldn’t slow them down. We weren’t patient enough and didn’t execute well, but we have to learn from this. We need to keep our heads up, as we have an equally important game against Barcelona coming up. With all the changes we’ve made and players returning from injuries, we’re still in the process. We’ll stay positive and keep fighting.”
Paris coach Tiago Splitter praised his team’s effort.
“I told the guys before we came here that it would be a different type of game without a crowd, and we’d have to bring the juice, the energy – and they did. The guys played well, stayed aggressive, and followed the game plan. We relaxed a bit after halftime, but we won the game and stayed solid. We did a better job once we understood what Maccabi was trying to do.”
Maccabi captain John DiBartolomeo also reflected on the loss while looking ahead.
“We need to focus on the Barcelona game. This was a tough loss, and Paris is in good shape. It’s frustrating because I don’t think we played our best for 40 minutes, but we have to give them credit. Now we need to turn our attention to the next one, which is another important game on Thursday.”
Randolph also commented on the team’s mindset.
“We just have to keep fighting and getting better. We had a better second half than the first, so we need to carry that momentum into the next game. We’ll do scouting, watch film, and learn more about Barcelona. We need to stick together and keep improving.”
Meanwhile, Hapoel Holon mounted a late comeback to edge Würzburg 71-69, keeping its hopes alive to advance to the next stage of the Basketball Champions League.
Elijah Mitrou-Long starred down the stretch, helping Guy Goodes’s team move into second place in Group A with a 3-2 record. The final group game is slated for December 18 at Nanterre.
Netanel Artzi and Dakari Tucker paced Holon in the first half, but Würzburg’s Zac Seljaas, Tyrese Williams, and Jhivvan Jackson gave their team a 40-30 halftime lead. Seljaas extended Würzburg’s advantage early in the second half, but Mitrou-Long began scoring in bunches. His clutch three-pointer gave Holon a 68-67 lead, and Michale Kyser sealed the win with a three-point play.
Mitrou-Long finished with 21 points, Artzi added 14 points, and Tucker chipped in 12 points for Holon. Seljaas and Jackson each scored 17 points for Würzburg in the loss.
After the game, Mitrou-Long credited his coaches and teammates for their support.
“Having coach believe in me, even when I haven’t been at my best, has been huge. They’ve given me the courage to stay consistent in my work, and my teammates trust me.”
Goodes also reflected on his team’s victory.
“It’s very difficult to describe the game because, over the past two weeks, the team has undergone major changes. Our point guard, Niv Misgav, left, as did our big man, Marcus Bingham, who joined Hapoel Tel Aviv. We had to adjust our system and came here with a 7.5-player rotation. We knew it would be a tough game against a well-coached team that leads our group.”
Würzburg head coach Sasa Filipovski lamented his team’s missed opportunities.
“We led for most of the game but couldn’t finish with a win. Our efficiency rating was higher, but that didn’t translate into the result. In the last five minutes, we missed too many layups and failed to stop Mitrou-Long, who scored 18 points in the second half.”
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