Editor’s Note: The IBL championship games are being postponed due to the coronavirus.

(4) Yeshiva League Pass 65,
(1) KHK/SZG Investments 53

Coming into the night, KHK had lost just one game all season, by two measly points. It just so happens that their season comes to an end at the hands of the same team that beat them the first time, Yeshiva League Pass. KHK came out with a defensive strategy intended to limit Moshe Heller, who torched them the first time. They went with a box-and-one defense, sticking Binyamin Kaminetzky on Heller. It worked to an extent, as Heller had nine points (to go with eight assists). But YLP got contributions from everyone else, none more that Moshe’s twin brother, Aharon. Aharon finished with 26 points and made the timely shots which propelled YLP into a comfortable lead. Free throws were a big difference-maker, as the winning team knocked down the vast majority of theirs while KHK struggled mightily from the charity stripe. Yisrael Feld led KHK with 20 points in the loss, as their fantastic season came to an end.

(2) B-Woods 63,
(3) Tommy’s Midrash Ballers 31

Tommy’s scored the first four points of the game, and it looked like B-Woods would be in for a fight. Instead, it ended up looking more like a clinic for the LA team. Behind the brilliant play of guard Zack Muller (22 points) and phenomenal shooting of Noam Meisels (18), B-Woods doubled up the Ballers and denied them a second straight trip to the title game. The usual stars for Tommy’s could not get going, and credit for that could be given to Muller and the rest of B-Woods.

With that, the stage is set for the Tier I championship game. Back in week six of the regular season, Yeshiva League Pass and B-Woods were each 5-0, and our FM Home Loans Game of the Week did not disappoint. B-Woods built a 12-point halftime lead which extended to 17, but YLP made a ferocious comeback and ended up losing by two. This sets up to be a thrilling end to an excellent season, and you can catch the action on our Facebook page, AFI Israel Basketball League.

Tier II:Championship Preview

(1) Shtark Sharks vs
(2) Zalman’s Hot Dawgz

Both of these teams may secretly wish they made Tier I, but have to be excited at the prospect of playing for a championship. Shtark Sharks had a first round bye then beat Loketch Group by five in the semis, while Zalman’s got by both Nesiv Hatorah and Piasecnza to reach the title game. These teams did not meet in the regular season, but it should be a hotly contested matchup.

Tier I Semifinals