On Monday night, January 13, the Ramaz Rams JV basketball team hosted the SAR Sting in a pivotal game that would shape the playoff race in the Western Conference. A win for the Rams would keep them in control of their own destiny for a coveted bye, while SAR needed a victory to push themselves into strong position for a first-round home playoff game.
The game began with a back-and-forth first quarter, as neither team could build a lead greater than four points. SAR’s Nathan Wild made his presence felt early, contributing five points in the opening period. However, the Sting were forced to burn two early timeouts when the Rams found their rhythm. After one, SAR held a slim 12-8 lead.
From that point on, it was all Ramaz. The Rams took control in the second quarter, moving the ball and executing their offense with precision. With solid player movement and fast-break opportunities, they dominated the period. SAR’s Wild was the only scorer for the Sting in the quarter, adding four more points. Meanwhile, Jared Miller sparked the Rams with four layups, leading Ramaz to a 26-16 lead at halftime.
The third quarter saw Ramaz put the game out of reach with a remarkable 14-2 run to start the half. The Rams’ defense smothered SAR, and their offense was firing on all cylinders, highlighted by Emanuel Kushner’s 10-point explosion during the period. Over a 13-minute stretch spanning the entire second quarter and most of the third, Ramaz outscored SAR 32-6, with an-and-one layup by Ed Ash capping off the dominant run. By the end of the third, the Rams held a commanding 46-25 lead.
In the final period, Ramaz’s offensive depth showed as Hank Dweck and Ralph Sigoura combined for 11 points, pushing the lead out to 60-32, as Ramaz put the finishing touches on a 64-41 victory. The Rams’ dominance near the rim was evident throughout the contest, as they finished with 52 points in the paint, showcasing their strength in attacking the bucket and exploiting SAR’s defensive weaknesses.
For the game, Kushner finished with 17 points and 4 assists, displaying his abilities both to score and pass the ball. Ash had 6 assists, including multiple beautiful passes to open teammates. Hiltzik scored 15 points and himself had 3 assists, demonstrating his unselfishness. Miller added 10 points and Sigoura 9 points, and each were instrumental to both the Rams’ defensive efforts and offensive execution.
SAR, now 5-4, will look to bounce back in their regular-season finale on January 27th against Frisch, who would secure a 1-seed with a victory. With the win, Ramaz improves to 7-2 on the season and now needs a victory over MTA in early February to secure one of the two highly coveted Western Conference byes. The Rams will head into intercession with momentum and a clear focus on the opportunity which lies ahead.
