(MGBL) The MGBL playoffs continued to the semifinals this week as the final four teams in each division battled to claim their spots in the championships.
The weekend kicked off with the 5/6 grade division as The Rothenberg Law Firm – injurylawyer.com, led by top scorer Ayelet Strulowitz defeated Embrace Family Orthodontics, despite a strong effort by Aliza Neiss who scored 12 points in the game.
On the other side of the gym, seventh seed, Growing Smiles saw the clock strike midnight as their Cinderella story playoff run come to an end against the #1 seed, Ohel Yitzchak, with Orly Hoffer leading the way with 19 points.
The 3/4 grade division had the best game of the weekend as undefeated RLK Interiors took on Treuhaft & Zakarin, LLP. Treuhaft’s Chani Sussman scored 10 points in the first quarter and helped get her team out to an early 11-1 lead. However, RLK fought back and kept chipping away at the lead. The score was 16-16 with just three seconds left on the clock and the game appeared to be heading to overtime when RLK’s Liat Katz caught an inbound pass near half court and hit a buzzer-beating layup securing the victory for her team.
In the other semifinal matchup, with 18 points from Elizabeth Scharf and five points each from Emily Jacoby and Annie Schwartz, Dr. Saul Lejtman – tenaflysmiles.com scored the upset victory over #2 seed Core Home Girls.
The 7/8 division saw one of their undefeated teams fall just short of making it to the finals in a back and forth battle as State Street Smiles was taken down by Nutrition by Bess. Nutrition’s Lielle Skoczylas led all scorers in the game with 21 points, including four clutch free throws in the final period as the game was winding down.
Nutrition by Bess will have to battle another undefeated team in the finals as the #1 seed, The Basketball Team, won their matchup against the Law Offices of Esta Luber, LLC, who had come into the game with a four-game winning streak.
The finals for all three divisions, along with the second graders, will be held on January 1.
