JERUSALEM, June 1 (Xinhua) -- Euroleague side Maccabi Tel Aviv lost the best-of-three semifinal series 3-0 in the Israeli Basketball Premier League after being defeated at home 96-74 by Bnei Herzliya on Wednesday night.
This is only the 13th time in the history of Israeli basketball that Maccabi will not win the championship. The club has won the championship 55 times so far, including four consecutive titles since 2018.
Bnei Herzliya center Chinanu Onuaku finished a game-high 25 points and 15 rebounds for the team from coastal city Herzliya, north of Tel Aviv. Maurice Kemp, Chris Babb, Shawn Dawson and Andy Van Villet added 16, 15, 14, and 13 points respectively.
Scottie Wilbekin scored 22 for Maccabi.
In the best-of-three final series, Bnei Herzliya, who took the Israeli State Cup for the second time in February but has never won the league, will play Hapoel Jerusalem or Hapoel Holon, who meet in a semifinal third game in the Jerusalem Arena on Thursday. ■
