SAR JV Boys Basketball defeated TABC in the quarterfinal round in true nail-biter fashion. The game was neck and neck throughout in a defensive slugfest, with no team taking a large lead.
After being held to only 2 points in the first, SAR scored 11 in the second quarter. For the night, the Sting hit four 3-pointers, including two by Eitan Hain and one each by Michael Klein and Eli Friedman, accounting for 12 of the team’s points. Hain led SAR with 8 points overall while Ariel Smith and Michael Klein played shut-down defense on TABC’s best offensive player, Tai Gerzberg, through a tight box and one matchup. However, the night belonged to Smith.
Tied at 26, TABC scored with 44 seconds to play. With 16 seconds to go, Simon Kofman missed the first of two free throws after making a great drive to the hoop. He cramped up, yet courageously fought through the pain and swished the second to go down one. SAR immediately fouled TABC and their big man missed the first of a one-and-one with SAR getting the defensive rebound. Smith took the ball and went coast to coast, driving without fear and draining a short jumper despite getting fouled (but no foul call) with 4.4 seconds to play. With SAR up one, TABC called timeout. The SAR defense stiffened up and won the thriller.
On to Flatbush for the semis!
By Michael Courtney
