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After seven straight home wins, Maccabi Haifa lost to Ironi Nahariya tonight, 73:77.  Paul Delaney scored 27 points for the winners (photography: Yosi Shakal)

March 22^nd, 2010

Maccabi Haifa 73 – Ironi Nahariya 77

Photography: Yosi Shakal .  taken from thw bsl offcial website

Maccabi Haifa has lost at home only once this season, Nahariya has won an away game only once this season, but this hasn’t stopped Ironi Nahariya from getting an away-win tonight in Romema, a win that raised it to the ninth place in the league, giving it a quite good chance to reach the top playoff, especially since it still has games against Bnei HaSharon and Rishon Le’Zion that are two places higher on the table.  Paul Delaney registered a top record this year of 27 points, impressing with a 42 measure, and along with Steven Smith has caused Haifa ’s defense to appear not good as usual at all.

Maccabi Haifa suffered 21 ball losses tonight, many of them enabling Nahariya to make easy baskets on eruptives.  Haifa ’s Israelis, usually a strong point of the team, have scored only 17 points, 13 of which by Kozikaro.  Following this loss, Haifa was lowered to fourth place and next week it will try and recover against the last one on the table, Ironi Ramat Gan.

Nahariya opened well, leading 6:10 after four minutes with 4 surprising points by Daniel Gur Arye.  Haifa ’s shots wouldn’t go in, and the guests rose to a 7:15 lead.  Shaashua has lead Nahariya to a 10:23 lead on both sides of the court, as the purple/whites score 7 out of 8 on 2 pointers.  By the end of the first quarter, 16:27 to Nahariya.

A three pointer by Jeron Roberts raised Nahariya to a 20:34 lead, a great assists of Lior Segev to Steven Smith, and the Naharian lead is already at 16 points.  Ashkenazi received a T.V. timeout, for his luck, following which Haifa came out more focused and with a 0:7 run back into the game.  Gino took timeout and the Haifa comeback was stopped.  Paul Delaney reached 15 points at the game, setting 30:42 to Nahariya.  Haifa once again managed to shrink Nahariya’s lead to 7, but Lamarr Greer closed down the quarter with a nice basket, 35:44 to Nahariya after 20 minutes.

A three pointer by Steven Smith from the corner raised Nahariya to a 14 points lead by the beginning of the third quarter, Jefferson continued keeping Haifa in the game.  Smith schooled Jefferson, Delaney continued penetrating easily into the Haifa defense and has reached 21 points.  Steals by Haifa (Hajaj) lead to easy eruptives, lowering Nahariya’s lead down to 8 points alone.  Another Haifa push and it’s only 3 points to Nahariya after the third three-pointer in the game by Pellot-Rosa.  Ballinger increased the lead with 3 precise foul shots, followed by a block on Hajaj and his first field-goal in the game, another Haifa lost ball and the Greens’ momentum vanished completely.  Jeron Roberts raised Nahariya back to a 10 points lead.  Another point by Roberts closed down the quarter at 57:68 to Nahariya.