Maccabi rules at home for 2-1 series edge

Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv is one win away from a trip to the 2014 Final Four after handing EA7 Emporio Armani Milan a 75-63 defeat at Nokia Arena on Monday. The victory gives Maccabi a 2-1 lead in their best-of-five playoffs series, with Game 4 and a chance to clinch its Final Four return coming in Tel Aviv on Wednesday. Maccabi took control of the game in the second quarter, taking the lead for good with a three-pointer from David Blu. With help from Ricky Hickman, the margin reached double-figures at halftime, 39-29. After the break, Devin Smith and Blu nailed three-pointers that extended the lead to 49-33 and Milan never came closer than 10 points the rest of the way. The hosts closed it out with a big fourth quarter from Alex Tyus, giving a packed Nokia Arena a lot to cheer about. Blu paced the winners with 16 points. Hickman scored 10 of his 15 points in the first half, and dished 6 assists, while Tyus scored 8 of his 14 points in the fourth quarter, and also grabbed 8 rebounds. Tyrese Rice finished with 9 points for the winners. For Milan, Daniel Hackett netted 14 points with 6 rebounds, Keith Langford scored 12, while Curtis Jerrells and had 11 in defeat.