Warriors double up
Inspired by a training session with Maccabi's all-abilities team the Dolphins, the Maccabi Warriors got their season back on track with two emphatic victories from the weekend's double-header.
INSPIRED by a training session with Maccabi’s all-abilities team the Dolphins, the Maccabi Warriors got their season back on track with two emphatic victories from the weekend’s double-header.
The Warriors showed signs of things to come over the past month, and were finally rewarded for effort with gritty wins against Cranbourne, 68-52, on Saturday night and Darebin, 66-55, on Sunday.
Against Cranbourne, Adam Klas was the chief destroyer with 22 points, while Luke Goldstein had eight points and 13 rebounds and captain Rhett Tauber-Lewis had 13 points and six rebounds.
The Warriors were miserly in defence against Cranbourne, restricting the side to just 10 points in the first quarter. Goldstein led from the front with six rebounds for the quarter, allowing the likes of Klas and Daniel Dreshpul to run the floor for some easy transition baskets. Tauber-Lewis was dangerous in the key, draining some trademark jump shots to give the Warriors a 14-10 lead at the first break.
In the second, Michael Sachs came off the bench for his first game since breaking his leg earlier in the season, with veteran Eric Witschel also inserted. At half-time the home side had extended its lead to five.
The third was an arm wrestle with little to separate the sides, and it looked as though a thrilling ­finish was on the cards as Cranbourne got to within three points at the start of the final quarter. But the Warriors upped the intensity in defence and the ­visitors had no answer for the inside dominance of Tauber-Lewis, Goldstein and Witschel in attack. The Warriors outscored Cranbourne 20-11 in the quarter to seal the 16-point win.
On Sunday, the side travelled to Darebin looking to make it back-to-back wins and get back into finals contention. But the side started poorly, surrendering a 14-4 deficit early before hitting back to go to the break on even terms at 16-16.
The second quarter was a scrappy one, but the Warriors held firm in defence and went to half-time with a five-point lead. Josh Burns and Klas started to find their range in the third term, but Darebin came out with greater intensity and cut the lead down to two at the last break.
The Warriors players held their nerve as Klas got himself to the foul line for six easy points and Tauber-Lewis scored some crucial baskets to give the Warriors a comfortable 11-point win.
Leonid Kaplun was good for the Warriors scoring nine points, as did Witschel. Klas had 12 points, while Burns had eight. Tauber-Lewis and Goldstein combined for 15 points and 22 rebounds.
The Warriors have now jumped up to fifth on the ladder and have a huge game on Saturday night against Pakenham, also in finals contention. Tip-off is 7.30pm at Bialik Stadium.
Daniel Opat
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