From the opening tip, it was clear that Berman and MTA were in for a physical, back-and-forth battle. The first quarter saw both teams trading runs, with neither side able to take full control. The refs let the teams play through contact, adding to the intensity. Berman caught fire late in the quarter, hitting a series of shots to take an early lead, but MTA responded with an 8-0 run to keep it close. By the time the first quarter ended, Berman held a slim lead 19-13.
The second quarter continued the tight play, with MTA chipping away at the deficit. Berman maintained a small advantage, but a crucial tap-in by Yishai Neiss on an offensive rebound shifted momentum, bringing MTA within striking distance. By halftime, MTA had nearly erased the gap, trailing just 34-33.
Coming out of the break, MTA carried that energy into the third quarter and briefly took the lead. However, Berman’s defense stepped up, led by Eli Teitelbaum and Alex August, who forced back-to-back steals and converted them into fast-break layups. Those key plays sparked a run, allowing Berman to surge ahead 49-41. Still, MTA kept fighting, making acrobatic plays and grabbing key offensive rebounds that led to crucial putbacks, keeping them within reach.
The fourth quarter saw MTA make one last push. They converted two and-one plays, cutting the deficit to just a few points, but could never fully regain control after briefly leading earlier in the half. Berman's composure at the free-throw line down the stretch sealed the game, as the Cougars won by a score of 69-57.
August led all scorers with 29 points, guiding Berman to a hard-fought victory. With this win, they advance to face Frisch in a highly anticipated rematch. The two teams previously met in the Glouberman Tournament, where Berman narrowly pulled out a win. MTA will fall to Tier II play, where they will face the winner of Montreal/Maimonides.
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