You've likely heard this from a coach or someone who refuses to accept losing: "Great teams find ways to win, even when the shots aren't falling."
That perfectly encapsulates Sunday’s 88-75 matinee victory for your Yeshiva University Men’s basketball team. It’s what you want to see from a group with NCAA tournament aspirations and indicates that the core has matured since beginning its ascent two seasons ago.
In their matchup against Georgia’s Oglethorpe University at the Max Stern Athletic Center, the Macs struck first and showed resilience to secure the 88-75 non-conference win.
Heading into Thanksgiving week with a 3-1 record, they have plenty to be thankful for. Despite struggling from beyond the arc, YU’s offense found other ways to keep pace with the Stormy Petrels high-octane attack, and their defense stepped up late in the game to push them into the win column.
How it Happened:
-Zevi Samet delivered a crisp pass to a wide-open Or Sundjyvsky for an early bucket, but Coach Elliot Steinmetz was not happy with the rushed offense. Even up 4-2, he called a timeout to settle the team and to encourage them to be more delicate when moving the rock.
-A steal by Dothan Bardichev led to a turnover and a fast-break bucket by Max "Red Rocket" Zakheim. The Macs went up 12-8, forcing an Oglethorpe timeout with 14:25 remaining in the half.
-Both teams attacked the rim early and traded buckets. Zevi Samet cashed in from the free-throw line, while Luke Cronin used his size to dominate inside for the Macs as they traded blows with the speedy visitors.
-YU created plenty of open looks against Oglethorpe’s high zone defense, but the shots weren’t falling. Yet they kept themselves afloat with free throws, using their size advantage to draw trips to the charity stripe.
-Defensive struggles emerged as the Macs’ man-to-man defense faltered. Oglethorpe took their first lead, 32-31, with 2:40 left in the half.
-Two three-pointers by Dylan Pumpian and heavy lifting by Perry Robinson gave the Petrels a 35-34 lead.
-YU got crushed on the boards, getting outrebounded 21-11 in the first half; having players stuck in foul trouble did not help matters.
-Despite the challenges, the Macs kept trading baskets in this see-saw barnburner. A Max Zakheim clutch three gave YU a 42-41 lead at halftime.
- The second half started with Luke Cronin heating up for Yeshiva. The Macs made adjustments within their defensive scheme, capitalized by Dothan Bardichev silencing Robinson. All the offensive firepower Oglethorpe had was effectively zapped at intermission. Now powerless of their Stormy potential, the Macs generated transition points, igniting the fast-paced tilt even further.
-Zakheim took over, storming coast-to-coast for a layup and draining a corner trey. He nearly added another but missed—luckily, Roy Itcovichi was there to clean it up. The Macs’ 13-1 run was capped by Zakheim feeding Yoav Oselka for a two-hand slam, pushing the lead to 67-54 with 11:40 left.
-The Stormy Petrels fought back with a half-court press, closing the gap from 80-65 to 82-73 with just over a minute left. The Macs stumbled under pressure, even committing a backcourt violation.
-However, Zevi Samet sealed the deal at the free-throw line, going a perfect 10/10 from the 15 foot mark despite an off shooting day (3/9 from deep, 5/12 overall).
-Luke Cronin added a late dunk as the Macs secured an 88-75 victory, improving to 3-1 on the season.
-After the game, Max Zakheim reflected on the win: “We didn’t rebound as well as we wanted to (37-32 Oglethorpe), but made some adjustments defensively, switched on their guys, and built that 15-point lead.” On maintaining his stamina despite minimal rest, sitting just a combined 10 minutes through four games, he credited offseason preparation: “Me and Zevi were in the gym every day this summer, working out 2-3 times a day. There’s no secret sauce.”
Max Zakheim had a double-double of 18 points and 10 rebounds as the Macs used a second half surge to defeat the Oglethorpe Stormy Petrels 88-75, and improve to 3-1 on the season. (Akiva Poppers/Macslive)
Red Rocket fuels the Macs:
The Macs were in stormy conditions and needed fuel to rescue them. That’s where the Red Rocket put on his boosters and ignited the victory fire. Max Zakheim was unstoppable when the Macs needed him most. He hit big shots, went baseline-to-baseline for a layup, and even set up a two-handed slam for Yoav Oselka. His energy spearheaded the game-breaking 13-1 run, making Oglethorpe see red the rest of their Sunday.
Defensive Switch Sparks Win:
Coach Elliot Steinmetz switched to an agressive man defense in the second half, and it worked. The Macs slowed down Oglethorpe's offense, forced turnovers, and got out in transition for fast break points, an area they outscored the Stormy Petrels 20-13, en route to a hard-earned win.
Taking advantage of Free points:
While their three-point shooting fizzled, (7-23), the Macs were lights out at the free-throw line. Zevi Samet went a perfect 10/10, part of a 17-21 day, while Oglethorpe went 13-20. The most straightforward points in basketball came in handy down the stretch as YU closed things out.
For Yeshiva (3-1):
- Zevi Samet led the scoring with 23 points
- Max Zakheim posted a double-double with 18 points and 10 rebounds
- Luke Cronin added 13 points
For Oglethorpe (2-2):
- Perry Robinson had 24 points
- Malachi Dooley contributed 20 points
- The Stormy Petrels outscored the Macs 19-4 on second-chance points
UP NEXT:
The Macs travel to Connecticut to battle with a national title contender in Trinity on December 1st.