The JEC’s RTMA junior varsity basketball team has competed against the SAR JV this season in three classic games. Each game had meaning and excitement and major turns of fortune. It was the third battle, played on February 23, that was most meaningful and had the most impact on the two teams’ fortunes.

In that one, the RTMA Thunder came home with the win and the move-on in the Yeshiva League JV playoffs.

Interestingly, the three games each had the same storyline: huge comebacks by the winning team, only to eke out the victory by a small margin.

On January 4, the Thunder travelled to Riverdale to meet the Sting in a game both teams knew had playoff, and home court, implications. In that first game, RTMA came back from a 10 point deficit in the first half, to be trailing by only 1, 21-20 at the half. In the third period, the Thunder blew past the Sting by an 8-2 margin, to take what seemed to be an insurmountable 17 point RTMA lead. The final period was all SAR, however, as the Sting fought back, outscored RTMA 25-8, and, on a last second shot, came away with a 48-46 win.

Result: Home court in the playoffs against RTMA goes to SAR. One bee bite for the Sting.

Next was the fabulous Montreal Hebrew Academy JV Tournament played the weekend of February 8-11. SAR needed the win to make the semis (against North Shore). JEC, pretty much guaranteed a semi-final spot, needed the game for pride. This time, RTMA built a 17 point lead going into the fourth quarter. The rules of the tournament were NBA rules, meaning a 24 second clock. And the Sting took full advantage as they rallied for an amazing 73-68 win.

Point, a sharp one, once again, Sting.

Now, the playoffs. At SAR. Huge crowd. Nine PM start after SAR varsity defeated Kushner in a first round game. Would RTMA be intimidated by the SAR homecourt advantage? Or by the two prior comebacks?

It sure seemed that way in the first period and a half. SAR, this time, built their own 15 point lead; with 3:14 left in the first half, the score was 28-13 SAR. In the middle of the second period, with the insertion of RTMA PF Jacob Winters into the game, and the revival of RTMA PF Yair Kimmel, the Thunder finally woke up. With a beautiful pick and roll feed from PG Moshe Heller to Kimmel, and a foul make, RTMA chipped away to make the score 30-18 SAR. Next, Winters executed a weakside steal and full court finish to cut the lead to 30-20. Then, another stop, and Moshe Heller broke the ankles of his defender on a cross over, another score and SAR now had a 30-23 lead. By the time the first period ended, SG Aharon Heller finished the scoring for RTMA with a nifty drive and the SAR lead at the half was reduced to six, 33-27 SAR.

In the third period, the squads went at each other mano-a-mano. SAR was able to open a bit of daylight,and entering the final climactic period was ahead, 44-37. Seven points. Was it possible for RTMA to make it up?

The period opened with RTMA power forward Jake Goldberg nailing a pure swish three from the left corner, and suddenly it was a three point game, 44-40 SAR. SAR followed with a basket, to make it 46-40, and Kimmel, again on a sweet feed from Moshe Heller, tallied an acrobatic layup, plus one, and the score was 46-43 SAR.

Now the capacity house was in a total state of excitement. SAR followed that score with a putback, and a 48-43 lead. But Moshe Heller had plenty left in the tank, scored five consecutive points, highlighted by a left-handed drive to the rack, scored, and foul. He made the FT, and on the dint of his heroics at this point, the score was tied, 48-48, with 4:18 to play. Anyone’s game now.

RTMA stopped the Sting again, and for the third time Kimmel drove and scored at the 3:27 point, to give RTMA its first lead since the Thunder led 1-0 in the opening seconds of the contest. Score: 50-48 RTMA with 3:48 to play.

SAR closed to within one on a foul shot, 50-49.

Kimmel was fouled under the glass and he answered with a foul make, and the score was 51-49 Thunder at the 2:55 mark.

SAR was not done. Joseph Gross scored for the Sting and knotted the game at 51 all.

On RTMA’s next trip down the court, Moshe Heller once again found Goldberg in the left corner, and Goldberg calmly nailed the corner trey, his fourth, to give the Thunder a 54-51 lead with 2:10 left. The raucous RTMA crowd, made up of students of all grades, as well as rebbeim and principals, were going into fan heaven. But not yet…there was much time left to play.

SAR scored again, and narrowed the difference to one point at the 58 second mark. SAR was pressing all out. RTMA, which had the ball under the SAR basket and the full court to go, called a timeout.

Back in play, the Thunder executed its “bingo” play; inbounder Goldberg lofted a perfect baseball pass to the breaking Moshe Heller, for the full court layin, and a 56-53 RTMA lead.

RTMA got the stop, and this time Aharon Heller nailed a foul shot, to give the Thunder a 57-53 lead with 34 seconds remaining. SAR then was fouled, hit two foul shots, and the score was 57-55 RTMA.

SAR fouled to regain possession, and Goldberg made a foul shot for the Thunder, and now SAR had the ball, trailing 58-55, with four seconds to play.

RTMA defended, SAR could not get off a decent shot, and RTMA won the game as the assembled throng mobbed the Thunder players on the classic SAR floor.

The biggest comeback story was to be in that final game, with the RTMA Thunder winning the big game and advancing in the playoffs.

Leading the way for RTMA was Moshe Heller with 15 points (seven assists), followed by Goldberg with 14 (four treys), Kimmel with 12 (eight rebs), and Winters and SG Joe Matthew each with six points..