Maccabi TA wins back-to-back European Championship titles The Jerusalem Post May 8, 2005 For the first time in his coaching career, Pini Gershon was overwhelmed. But it wasn't by another coach's tactics or some other team's brilliance; it was simply by the moment. Finally, after an awkward silence during an interview with Channel 1 immediately following Maccabi Tel Aviv's historic 90-78 victory over Tau Vitoria of Spain at Olympiysky Arena in Moscow Sunday night, the Maccabi maestro let out, "this is something huge." Gershon then regained his composure in time to embrace President Moshe Katsav, who was on hand for the game, before resuming his interview with Channel 1 and receiving a congratulatory call from Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. There is no doubt that Gershon hit this one on the head. Maccabi Tel Aviv not only whipped Tau en route to becoming the first team to take back-to-back Euroleague titles since Jugoplastika Split from 1989 to 1991, but opened doors to speculation that this dynasty may be the greatest ever. Maccabi proved that it is truly a great team with another big win with contributions coming from all over. Sarunas Jasikevicius led the way with 22 points, six rebounds, and five assists, followed by Maceo Baston with 18 points and seven boards. Afterward, "Saras" told Channel 1, "This is for Deon Thomas." He then turned to the cameras and shouted, "We love you and did this for you." Thomas, Maccabi's top reserve center this season, missed the Final Four after breaking his leg in practice last month. Nestoras Kommatos, who played many of the minutes that would normally go to Thomas, came off the bench to snipe a season-high three three-pointers and score 13 points all in the first half. The Greek forward scored just two points in 19 minutes in Friday's semifinal win against Greek champs Panathinaikos. On the other hand, veteran guard Derrick Sharp, who was Friday's hero with an EL season-high of 20, finished without a basket. But they were all heroes. Anthony Parker and Tal Burstein combined on defense to stifle Tau star guard Arvydas Macijauskas, while Kommatos, Baston and Nikola Vujcic did a solid job of limiting Luis Scola in the paint. Macijauskas and Scola still put up respectable numbers, but they were on Maccabi's terms. The Lithuanian shooter, who averaged over 11 shot attempts per game this season, was limited to 1-for-5 shooting from the field, even though he would wind up with a total of 13 points after making 11-of-13 from the line. Likewise Scola, who led Tau with 21 points, nine rebounds and four assists, was unable to control the game from the low post, in part because of the team defense that simply made it nearly impossible for him to get the ball where and when he wanted it. Maccabi took control early and never let up. Macijauskas's first and only field goal put Tau up 5-2 after the first minute, but Saras scored five and assisted on a Burstein three during a 10-0 run as Maccabi took the lead for good. By the end of the first quarter the lead hit double figures and it peaked midway through the second when Kommatos drilled back-to-back threes to put the defending champs ahead 36-20. Tau fought back by making nine free throws and riding threes by Jose Manuel Calderon and Travis Hansen before Kommatos sent Tel Aviv into the locker room at halftime with a 50-39 lead. Like against Panathinaikos, Maccabi struggled in the third at one point missing 8-of-9 shots as Tau clawed its way back. Parker was the main culprit, trying to take the game upon himself, but unable to hit the shots Maccabi had become accustomed to all season. Hansen, Calderon and Scola fueled the Tau comeback and when young Brazilian center Tiago Splitter made a free throw with a minute and a half left in the third quarter, the gap was closed to 62-60. But then Jasikevicius drained a three to restore Maccabi's confidence. Heading into the final period, it was still anyone's game, but that didn't last long. Saras started the quarter by sinking another jumper, while Tau suddenly crumbled under pressure. Maccabi's solid defense combined with the inexperienced Vitoria stomachs to cause coach Dusko Ivanovic's charges to start the fourth by missing 7-of-9 shots and committing four turnovers as the game slipped away. Saras fed Baston an alley-oop pass for a dunk that made it 78-66 with two and a half minutes to go, which signaled the start of the celebrations for an estimated 6,500 Maccabi supporters who were already rocking the arena. Tau tried to stave off defeat by fouling the Tel Avivians to stop the clack, but that would prove to be ill-fated as well, since the Spanish side didn t make its third field goal of the period until Calderon s three in the closing seconds, which was much too little, much too late. Before the final, Panathinaikos edged Final Four host CSKA Moscow 94-91 after two overtimes in the third place game. Mike Batiste led the way for the Greens with 28 points and 10 rebounds.