Maccabi Tel Aviv Wins Euroleague Title 

Associated Press
May 8, 2005

Maccabi Tel Aviv won its second straight Euroleague basketball 
title Sunday, defeating Tau Ceramica of Spain 90-78 behind 
22 points by Sarunas Jasikevicius.

Maceo Baston added 18 points for Maccabi, and Luis Scola 
had 21 points and nine assists for the Spanish champions.

Tau Ceramica, playing in the Final Four for the first time, trailed 
by 11 points but drew to 65-62 with 10 minutes left. Maccabi 
then scored eight straight points to take control.

In the third-place game, Michael Batiste's 28 points and 10 rebounds 
led Panathinaikos of Greece to a 94-91 double-overtime win over 
CSKA Moscow.

After the title game, Maccabi coach Pini Gershon was so emotional 
he was unable to talk to an Israel TV interviewer for almost a minute.

"This is fantastic," he managed to say before leaping into an 
embrace from Israeli President Moshe Katsav.

Prime Minister Ariel Sharon called Gershon to congratulate him, 
and the conversation was broadcast on Israel TV.

In Israel, fans celebrated in bars and on the streets, streaming into 
Tel Aviv's main square carrying Maccabi and Israeli flags. 
The Azrieli towers, which dominate the city's skyline, were lit up 
with the words "Maccabi - the championship."