It has been a banner year for the SAR High School JV sports program, with all four fall/winter sports teams reaching their respective championship games. The JV girls volleyball team won the league championship on March 3, the JV girls basketball team lost in the title game that evening, and the JV boys hockey team captured the trophy on March 10. Now, it’s time for the JV boys basketball team to play in the finale, with a 2:00 p.m. game scheduled for Sunday, March 17, at Yeshiva University, against rival Yeshivat Frisch.
SAR has had a remarkable run to the championship game. They finished the regular season with a sterling 9-1 record, won the Katz Yeshiva High School JV Invitational Tournament championship against the host Katz team in early February, and recently defeated Yeshivah of Flatbush in the league quarterfinal round and the DRS Wildcats in the semis. Sophomore guard Zachy Goldenberg reflected, “Our season has truly been a memorable one. That’s the best way to describe it.”
In the quarterfinal, with star freshman Nathan Wild sidelined with an ankle injury, sophomore Noah Rubenstein earned the start and chipped in nine points on three 3-pointers, along with five rebounds and four steals. He helped catapult SAR to a 13-point lead at the end of the first quarter that eventually developed into a 56-37 victory. Freshman guard Max Weiss led the Sting with a season-high 17 points, eight rebounds and four steals and two other players had significant roles on defense, with Ari Halpert swiping five steals and Jonah Blechner, four. Halpert also scored 14 and pulled down nine rebounds. Freshman Elie Mouhadeb was terrific for Flatbush in defeat.
In the semifinal, SAR had to travel to the vaunted DRS Greenhouse in Woodmere. DRS held a 10-0 regular season record, earning the overall #1 seed for the playoff tournament behind stellar guard play by Gabey Spodek and Matis Zamir, and strong play at the forward position by Michael Solomon and center Yitz Bennet. SAR was not deterred despite an early 5-0 deficit. One year after winning a memorable quarterfinal at DRS in overtime, the Sting took charge in the second quarter, entering the halftime locker room with a 22-16 lead behind sixth man Avery Simon’s nine clutch points. In the third quarter, SAR’s suffocating defense continued its pressure, holding DRS to scoring only four points in the eight-minute stanza. In the fourth, SAR led by as many as 12 points, but the Wildcats stayed in the game with some rainbow 3-pointers. But the road team stayed patient with its offense, waiting for open layups to develop, largely because of the superior court vision of Evan Goldberg at the pivot. Goldberg’s nine assists from the center position, mostly finding Avery Simon for easy baskets, was key to the game. At the same time, Halpert scored 11 in the fourth quarter for a team-high 19 points while Simon chipped in 15 on six for seven field goal shooting. Halpert further was a menace on defense with five steals, leading to crafty breakaway drives and either Sting layups or free throw shots. Blechner added three steals and numerous dives for loose balls. Despite a late DRS charge to make the deficit seven points in the final two minutes, SAR hit its free throws and emerged with a 47-38 win.
SAR is eager to have a rematch with rival Frisch on the 17. The two teams played in an epic preseason championship in the Rubenstein Tournament, with Cougars’ superstar freshman Isaac Stepner hitting a game-winning layup at the buzzer to give Frisch the trophy. The teams split the regular season matchups, with each winning by five points. Frisch received major contributions by Jesse Reinhart and Jonathan Milgrom to support Stepner’s lead. At the Katz Invitational in Boca Raton, Frisch beat SAR by seven in the preliminary round of the five-game tournament.
Frisch, following a 9-1 regular season record, cruised to the championship game with a quarterfinal victory over HAFTR and semifinal win over Hillel. Round five between SAR and Frisch at Yeshiva University should be one for the ages, with the winner claiming the ultimate prize and bragging rights. Goldenberg, one of the beloved members of the SAR team, summarized the feelings of his comrades: “On Sunday, we have the opportunity to secure another trophy for the SAR community. The playoff run so far has been filled with hard work and dedication. While the championship on Sunday may be our toughest game yet, we will be ready for the challenge and are determined to bring another championship to the Hive.”
