Local Basketball: Hapoel Holon loses in empty stadium

A 29-15 fourth quarter by Afula/Gilboa helps the team to its second victory of the season.

By ALLON SINAI
hapoel holon 88 (photo credit: )
hapoel holon 88
(photo credit: )
Hapoel Holon fell to its second straight league defeat on Thursday night, losing 80-76 to Hapoel Afula/Gilboa in front of empty stands. An Israel Basketball Association tribunal sentenced Holon last week to play eight homes games in an empty arena for its fans involvement in the fire-cracker incident that saw Malha security guard Yoav Glitzstein lose two fingers. Holon led for the lions share of Thursday's game, but a 29-15 fourth quarter by Afula/Gilboa helped the team to its second victory of the season. Amit Ben-David led the visitors with 21 points, with Tunji Awujobi and Jermaine Hall adding 17 and 14 points, respectivley. Eric Campbell scored 18 points for Holon, with P.J Tucker adding 11 points. Holon owner and coach Miki Dorsman watched the game from the stands, but was not missed on the sidelines at the start of the game. Assistant coach Ofer Heruti guided his team to an early lead, with the first period ending in a 23-17 Holon advantage. The hosts held Afula/Gilboa to just 12 points in the second quarter and were ahead by 11 points at halftime (40-29). Holon maintained its double-digit cushion in the third period (61-51), but a 20-4 run to start the final quarter turned the game on its head and secured a surprise win for the northerners.