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Maccabi rolled again with Sorkin at center stage

Maccabi rolled again with Sorkin at center stage

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31 March 20234 Mins read

Maccabi rolled again with Sorkin at center stage

Barely a month ago, Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv looked unlikely to challenge for a postseason berth in the Turkish Airlines Euroleague but a run of six successive wins propelled the Israeli powerhouse to a 19-13 record with two regular season games remaining.

Maccabi is almost assured of a playoff spot after a pair of resounding victories against Italian rivals this week, having thumped Virtus Segafredo Bologna 111-80 on Tuesday before Thursday’s 85-66 rout of EA7 Emporio Armani Milan.

With Wade Baldwin shining against Virtus and Lorenzo Brown playing the main role versus Milan, forward Roman Sorkin emerged as the unsung hero of both victories after a pair of majestic performances.

Well, not entirely unsung, as he drew heaps of praise from his teammates, none more so than from fellow forward Jake Cohen.

"[Maccabi fans] are the best fans in the EuroLeague and probably the world."

"He had a 3-minute stretch in the second quarter when he was just carrying us," Cohen told reporters as Maccabi’s players rejoiced in the locker room, having been given a standing ovation by their passionate fans after seeing off Milan.

"He’s been terrific and he deserves all the accolades he got tonight.

Those were really good big guys he played against tonight – Kyle Hines, Brandon Davies, that’s a really tough front line, among the best in Europe. He’s really improved and it’s great being his teammate, it’s a lot of fun seeing him succeed," Cohen added.

Sorkin, who averages 7.3 points per game, scored 13 against Virtus on

5-of-7 shooting from the floor and then elevated his game to sink 18 points against Milan, 16 of them in a rampant first half when Maccabi raced into a 53-36 lead.

Sorkin shot 8 of 9 from the floor and ran Milan’s defense ragged with intelligent movement all around the opposition half, which made it easy for his teammates to create open shots for the big man.

One of the unlikeliest men to steal the show from the likes of Brown and Baldwin, Sorkin was as humble as ever after the game and his assessment personified his selfless approach on the court.

"Our defense was a big part of this game," he said. "They got close to us in the third quarter, but we had a game plan. My teammates found me in the right spots so I didn’t have to do too much by myself. All the credit goes to them."

Sorkin personifies an unbreakable team spirit and unselfish mindset which Maccabi is famous for, meaning that the team’s deep roster has a variety of players who can step up to the plate on any given night. That trait will be so important if Maccabi reaches the playoffs and it could happen as early as Friday if just one of three results plays into the Israeli side’s hands.

Last but not least, the fervent support Maccabi gets in every home game could also be a telling factor in the club’s bid to go beyond the quarterfinals and reach the May 19-21 Final Four in Kaunas.

"What makes this place so special is the fans," Sorkin said. "They are part of us and give us the energy, they are the best fans in the EuroLeague and probably the world."

As for Milan, their challenge fell short as a late revival could not salvage a season plagued by injuries, a factor its head coach Ettore Messina reflected on at the post-game press conference.

"Our two starting guards played five games together," Messina said. "Shavon Shields has played seven games all season, Gigi Datome four or five. Kevin Pangos was out for a long time, Billy Baron too. Devon Hall out for two and a half months. Things kind of piled up. Then again, we lost four games out of six against the bottom three teams in the standings. But that’s life, that’s competition, sometimes you just don’t have the tools."