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Friday, March 29, 2024

Yeshiva Basketball Update: Magen massacre, Warriors thump YDE in crucial rout

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Marvin A Azrak

If someone asks you what’s the “Warrior way” of basketball? This night was a clinical display of it.

Asher Melamed led all scorers with 16 points. The suffocating MDY defense held MVP candidate Isaac Tawil to a mere five points in Magen David’s 50-28 thrashing of the YDE Thunder in front of a capacity crowd on a “Senior Saturday” evening in the Warrior Dome. The game we a battle between two 7-5 teams jockeying for playoff positioning in the East and was a matchup that received much fanfare ever since the date was announced that the two Brooklynites would square off on Super Bowl eve, but you didn’t need context to tell you the story of this game for it was a “Magen Massacre.”

Before the game, head coach Benny Mann honored the seniors on the team, speaking about a relationship that spanned since they were in eighth grade, and even won a championship when this group was in their first year of high school.” We’re like a family,” Mann said, “I love each one of them, and it’s been an honor to coach them. It may be their last home regular-season game, but hopefully not their last.” Each 12th grader received a plaque that said,” A winner is someone who recognizes his G-D given talent, works his tail off, develops his skills, and uses those skills to accomplish their goals. Magen David senior night 2022”. The seniors featured team captain Allie Dweck along with Jack Cohen, Joseph Cohen, Michael Gabbay, team manager Emil Cohen, Joey Lati, Jeffrey Shabot, Benn Mann(cousin of the coach), and David Sakkal. Benny also thanked the fans for their continuous support this season and said the team feeds on that when at home. That proved true tonight, as after a quick YDE bucket to start the game, MDY ripped off a 9-1 run, forcing Thunder coach Corey Sandusky to use an early timeout, and the old-school annihilation was on.

A week ago, when Magen David squared off against Flatbush, the contrast in styles made for a compelling affair. But stylistically, this was the worst primetime matchup YDE could’ve endured. The Warriors were patient and punishing in the paint all night long, outmuscling the Thunder down low for numerous trips to the line. This was precisely how the scouting department drew it up, who watched three full tilts of the opponent’s gameplay leading up to the game. “We had a lengthy and insightful pregame meeting, devising our plan of attack,” said assistant coach Morris Zarif. “It’s a great team we were going up against tonight, and we had to be ready. But our guys were more than willing to put the work in, make those sacrifices, and adhere to us in a unified way. These rivalry games  are the types of games you get up for, and we wanted it more tonight.” The Warriors outclassed YDE on the glass all night long and stifled them on defense with their relentless press. But perhaps the most remarkable achievement was limiting star Isaac Tawil to a mere five points on the night, and the one field goal he did score earned a timeout from coach Mann, despite his team still leading 30-15 late in the first half. “The boys were exhausted and were squeezed all they had into every possession, and we couldn’t let him get hot,” said coach Zarif. The triple threat of Allie Dweck, Joseph Cohen,  and David Sakkal hounded him all night long. When he tried to kick it out, YDE went dry from downtown and was quickly on their heels defensively. “I thought he played well, but our defense was just better tonight,” remarked coach Zarif. “He’s hard to handle.”

After the timeout, the Warriors then finished the half on a 5-1 clip to head into the locker room with a stranglehold 35-16 advantage igniting the boisterous, mostly MDY-laden capacity crowd on hand.

But as much as this was a clinical performance from the hosts, it was also a self-implosion from the visitors, as Thunder coach Sandusky made no effective adjustments when it was clear that the offense needed to be more spread out. It was easy as pie for Magen, who kept their foot on the gas all night long, to force the 50-50 balls, where the Warriors also reigned supreme in the category of heart& hustle. This was a beatdown in all facets of the beautiful game of basketball. It showed that you couldn’t win on talent alone.” They were prepared for us,” conceded Eddie Beda, who went scoreless on the night, “It’s tough because that’s the game we had circled on our calendar all year, knowing the atmosphere that awaited our team tonight. Everyone schematically and mentally looked flat-footed.” This game exposed the lack of preparation, scouting, and poor coaching on one side, while also serving as a testament to great coaching on the other, which will likely help Magen David’s Sarachek tournament case.

But we can give YDE a break here because they did have a Thursday night contest against the Hawks.

Hypothetically, Magen David could’ve laid a goose egg in the second half and still would’ve walked away victorious, and by the time the third quarter came to a close, the 46-22 margin was an accurate representation of this one’s divergence.

“I came in the second half,” said a fan,” But I saw enough to know what just went down here. A textbook Magen win and a nightmare YDE loss.” Indeed 28 points in 32 minutes aren’t ideal, and finishing the contest with no field goals in the fourth will knock YDE off their pedestal next week. Points were at a premium in the fourth, with both strings running out the clock. The starters were on the bench as the fans took over the contest and relished in their playoff-bound Warriors while roasting YDE with chants of “Sunday school,” referring to the losers being on a school night and serenaded Tawil with “Overrated”  echos throughout the game.

“The fans didn’t intimidate me, but our team needs to learn how to block out all the noise and just play ball,” said Isaac. “I give credit to Magen, for they played exquisite defense on me and completely discarded me from point production in the contest.” “All of us, from coaches to players, need to be better, and I hope we get a rematch with  these guys because they’re beatable.”

Allie Dwcek(#1) was one of the key components in the Warriors plan to keep YDE star Isaac Tawil (#1) off the scoreboard. Tawil mustered just five points on the evening; several below his lofty standards. 

 

“There’s always room for improvement, but I’m extremely proud of the guys tonight, and this is a team we may see again come playoff time, so it was a great test for us, and we played one of our most complete games of the year..” said coach Mann, “Anytime you sweep a three-game week, it’s a great feeling,” stated Allie Dweck, who had hit the game-winning layup in a 53-52 home win over the Frisch Cougars(7-5 out in the Western conference) three days earlier, despite being on tired legs from the teams win at Rambam the night before.

 

UP NEXT:

YDE: The Thunder (7-6) will face Flatbush(9-4), who locked up the two seed and bye spot with Saturday’s result on Tuesday. YDE needs a win or a HAFTR (6-7)) loss to Hillel (6-5 but in another conference) on Tuesday or a Magen Avraham loss to Waterbury(8-5) to secure a playoff spot. Although the Hawks and Thunder split their season series, HAFTR currently holds the strength of schedule edge. But a three-way tie at 7-7 between YDE, YMA, and HAFTR, would leave the Hawks as the odd team out, for they fell to the Kings, while the Thunder dethroned them earlier this season.

MDY: The Warriors(8-5) will travel to Heschel(3-9) for their regular-season finale, where a win will secure the third seed in the Eastern Conference and a home playoff game in the first round of the playoffs. The lowest they can get is fourth if Waterbury knocks off YMA and Magen David wilt to the Heat.

The Magen David bench celebrates the final moments of their rousing rivalry victory.

 

The MDY Warriors flexed their muscles in their 50-28 rout of YDE on Saturday night, and the seniors guaranteed themselves at least another game on their home floor.

 

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