Micic’s Late Three Lifts Hapoel Tel Aviv Past Hapoel Jerusalem, 88–84

Game recap

Vasilije Micic drilled a go-ahead three with 10 seconds left to lift Hapoel Tel Aviv to an 88–84 win over Hapoel Jerusalem in a tense semifinal clash. Jerusalem had been up 84–82 and was one defensive stop away from closing the contest, but Micic’s clutch shot decided the outcome.

Oddly enough, the result is being recorded as a 1–0 lead for Hapoel Tel Aviv even though this was the second game played. The opening matchup was suspended in the third quarter after missile attacks forced a stoppage; the league has ruled that the abandoned game will be replayed in full, despite the team that had been leading by 10 when play was halted.

Standouts and what’s next

Yam Madar was the leading scorer for Tel Aviv with 25 points, hitting five triples on 10 attempts. Micic finished with 14 points, and Khadeen Carrington paced Jerusalem with 16. Both sides will need to regroup quickly after a physical, emotional game.

Game 3 is scheduled for Thursday at 7:50 p.m., with Hapoel Tel Aviv hosting. The rescheduled opener still needs to be played, so the series remains somewhat unsettled, but Tel Aviv will take momentum from this dramatic finish.