AEK defeats Hapoel and heads to Jerusalem for winners’ qualification in the Basketball Champions League Final Four

This year’s AEK never gives up. And he proved that on Wednesday afternoon (December 4) when he won with Hapoel 94-78 and separated the quarter-final series of the Basketball Champions League 1-1. The two teams will play for qualification to the Final Four of the competition on April 19 at the muggy Pais Arena.

Bryndon Lemar, Akil Mitchell and Isaiah Miles were the three standouts for the Black and Yellows who are certainly embittered by their disheartening first half performance in Game 1. Overall they outperformed Hapoel in those two games but now they are looking for the Breakthrough, and they know that due to the tensions that have been in Upper Lyosia, the atmosphere in Jerusalem will be explosive next week.

Levi Randolph was the only one who worried AEK consistently and for a long time, he was the first scorer and the best player for the Israelis, who were only bemoaned by the hospitality, by the atmosphere and by the tension that reigned on and off the field before halftime or during the break.

Despite lacking consistency in his game, AEK stood his ground in the first quarter thanks to fouls won and shots executed. The six errors were a lot but 20-21 looked flattering in the 10th minute, with the picture of the game completely changing in the second period, Lemar being unstoppable and many supporting him until the 47-37 half that after a tension ended between the fans of the two teams. AEK’s 58.3% shots and 13/17 shots made the difference, while Hapoel only counted one shot in five executions.

AEK’s counterattack continued in the third quarter, with Lemar, Miles and Mitchell standing out and Hapoel unable to follow. The Israelis didn’t shoot well, they had a negative assist/fault ratio and the 70-57 at 30′ gave the home side a clear winning margin, they didn’t look back, pushed on with energy and determination and went from there to a great result that keeps them 40 minutes from the Final Four.

THE REFEREES: Rosso, Krejic, Castillo

THE DECADES: 20-21, 47-37, 70-58, 94-78

AEK (Kantzouris): Flionis 13 (1/2 2-pointers, 3/5 3-pointers, 2/4 shots, 6 assists), Madsen 5 (1), Miles 13 (3/4 3-pointers, 7 rebounds), Papadakis, Williams 2 (1/6 shots), Jankovic 6, Koniaris 9 (1), Lemar 24 (5/8 2-pointers, 3/4 3-pointers, 5/5 shots), Mitchell 14 (5/7 2 -Pointers, 4/5 shots, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, 5 steals), Oriola 5 (1 3-pointer, 4 rebounds, 3 assists), Xanthopoulos 3 (1)

HAPOEL-JERUSALEM (Dzikic): Carrington 11 (1), Hankins 3, Randolph 28 (9/11 2-pointers, 1/2 3-pointers, 7/10 shots), Vene 8 (2), Yakov, Blazer, Brown 8 (3 /10 shots) , Cornelius, Megeris 9 (2), Segev 4, Smith 7 (1 three, 8 assists, 5 fouls)

Team stats from AEK: 20/32 2-pointers, 13/28 3-pointers, 15/19 shots, 34 rebounds (23 defensive – 11 offensive), 21 assists, 8 steals, 14 turnovers, 28 fouls

Hapoel Jerusalem team statistics: 17/32 2-pointers, 9/21 3-pointers, 17/29 shots, 34 rebounds (20 defensive – 14 offensive), 16 assists, 6 steals, 4 blocks, 18 fouls