In a thrilling quarterfinal showdown, TABC overcame a tough challenge from Flatbush to advance to the semifinals, but it didn’t come easy.

TABC found themselves in a deep hole early, trailing by 10 points at halftime after a disastrous second quarter where Flatbush outscored them 16 to 2. Without starting point guard Dovid Saks who was sidelined with an illness, TABC needed others to step up and they did.

Kinderlehrer, Borgen, Mandel and Keiser all made critical plays at key moments to keep TABC in the game. However, the true turning point came on the defensive end as Yonatan Faber locked in and delivered a phenomenal defensive performance in the second half, shutting down Flatbush’s star player Haddad.

Even with TABC’s improved play, Flatbush refused to go quietly. They hit several difficult contested shots down the stretch to stay within striking distance and even forced a turnover with just five seconds left, giving them a chance to tie the game and send it to overtime.

As the final buzzer sounded, Flatbush’s desperation shot came up short and TABC narrowly escaped with the win, avoiding a major upset.

Offensively, Mandel and Borgen led the way with 12 points each while Kinderlehrer contributed a double double with 10 points and 14 rebounds. Keiser also dominated the glass, pulling down 12 boards of his own.

With this hard fought victory, TABC moves one step closer to their championship dreams but they’ll need to clean up their mistakes and bring their A game if they hope to keep the run alive.