The Turning point: What Maccabi’s Win in Moscow Means Going Forward/ Shai Boker

Alex Tyus guarding Nando De Colo on Friday in Moscow. He believes that the team has started to turn its season around. (Photo Credit: Maccabi Tel-Aviv B.C. Website)

Maccabi’s recent victories suggest that the team is at a turning point in its quest to turn around its season and try to make the playoffs. In this column I’ll take a look at Yovel Zoosman’s stats and why I believe he is a game changer. Also, in this column you will find a quote from Maccabi center Alex Tyus about the team's turnaround, as well as hear from coach Sfairopoulos about Zoosman’s emergence of late.

This past Friday, Maccabi Tel Aviv beat CSKA Moscow at The MegaSport Areana in Moscow. When was the last time that has happened? Oh, that’s right! Anthony Parker’s buzzer beater on February 12th, 2004, which ended 83-80 in the Yellow’s favor.

Friday was a dominant win from the 4’ all the way to the end. Sure, they were down 4:16 early, but then the young Israeli star and game changer, Yovel Zoosman stepped onto the floor. Veteran John DiBartolomeo also entered with him.

The 20-year-old youngster [Zoosman] helped flow Maccabi’s defense and offense en route to a 93:76 rout of the Red Army. CSKA’s stars struggled mightily against Zoos’ defense. Zoos finished with a career high of 15 points. He also added six rebounds, two steals and one blocked shot. DiBartolomeo added 8 points.

Alex Tyus also contributed to the party with 12 points, six boards, and four monstrous blocked shots.

Maccabi started its Euroleague season 1-8, with five losses by 10 points or less, three of them by five or less. Since firing coach Spajia (1-6 record at that time), the Israeli side hired coach Ioannis Sfairopoulos and the team has looked significantly better at 6-5, but the single digit losses keep happening.

There’s no doubt, that in the eyes of many, Maccabi’s win in Moscow was the franchise’s best win and game in recent years, possibly since the 2014 Euroleague Championship season.

At today’s practice, Tyus was asked if the win over Moscow was a turning point for the team.

“I think that right now we're all playing well as a team and that everyone is feeling more comfortable with the coach's system. It's showing on the court."

It definitely is, there is no doubt. And if Maccabi’s turnaround needs a boost, Jeremy Pargo will play tomorrow Vs. Hapoel Be’er Sheba as he comes back from his back injury he suffered earlier in the day’s night game season opener in Athens against Panathinaikos. Maccabi plays Barcelona later this week.

Back to Zoos. Whenever he is on the floor Maccabi has momentum and the defense looks better. Last week in double Euroleague week against Buducnost and CSKA he finished with some outstanding stats while also hitting some clutch shots. Here’s a look at his numbers:

Yovel Zoosman's double week stats,

Few can have such a perfect week.

Also, here’s a look at Zoosman’s numbers from last season and this season:

Zoosman's Season By Season Comparison.

After today’s practice ahead of the Hapoel Be’er Sheba game, I caught up with Coach Sfairopoulos and asked him about Yovel Zoosman’s emergence. He praised the other youngsters as well (Nimrod Levi and Deni Avdija):

One can make an argument that the future NBA second round pick (we’ll see when and if he enters the draft) has been Maccabi’s most consistent player of late.

It is noteworthy that San Antonio Spurs’ scouts where in Tel Aviv last month to watch him and Deni Avdija.

If over the next two weeks Maccabi wins its home games vs Barcelona and Panathinaikos, there is a chance that opposing teams will once again fear coming to Tel Aviv to play against Maccabi just like in the old days.

Time will tell, but for now Maccabi is one game out of a playoff spot with a 7-11 record.