The eighth grade Noam Knights boys basketball team won the yeshiva league championship last week, defeating the SAR Sting 45-39. Noam finished the regular season 9-1 and had home-court advantage throughout the playoffs. Their first-round playoff game was a tough, hard fought win against RYNJ. In the semis, Noam found their groove and got a big win on the Ramaz Rams.
This led them to the highly anticipated finals against SAR. It was the third consecutive year that these two teams met in the finals, SAR having won the previous two championships in sixth and seventh grade. Noam and SAR had split the season series, oddly enough each team winning on the other’s home floor. However, the championship game would be the first time all season that these two teams met at full-strength.
Noam jumped out to an early 12-4 lead, thanks in part by two quick 3-pointers from Ikey Herman. The rest of the first half was back-and-forth, with Noam taking a 25-17 lead into the half. Noam came out of the half with a quick bucket by Netanel Benloulou and a pair of free-throws by Ezra Halpert, giving them a 12-point lead, their largest of the game. But they knew that no lead was safe against SAR, led by stars Akiva Schanzer and Benny Newirth, who answered with an 8-0 run of their own, making it 29-25 and anyone’s game, midway through the third quarter.
Noam responded by doing what they do best, attacking the basket. Benloulou, Rafi Suss and Moshe Kesier got to the lane and to the line on Noam’s next three possessions and helped widen the margin. SAR pushed Noam until the end, but Noam held strong and ended up winning their second consecutive eighth grade boys championship, and the first for this particular grade.
This team’s success is a clear byproduct of their outstanding leadership. Coach Rabbi Yosef Weinberger led this team not only in basketball strategy but with his exemplary midot. Yeshivat Noam, thanks coach Yosef for his dedication to this group who after three amazing seasons together finally got to truly enjoy success in the form of a championship.
By JLNJ Sportsdesk
