SARACHEK PANEL GAME PREDICTIONS: FRIDAY
- MacsLive Staff
- Mar 28
- 16 min read
After our panelists all got the play-in game correct, a very strong first full day of picks ensued. Let’s see what’s in store for Friday!
Standings:
Yosef Silver (YS) 8-1
Akiva Poppers (AP) 8-1
Oren Glickman (OG) 7-1
Ari Schopf (AS) 7-2
Marvin Azrak (MA) 7-2
Tier I
YS: Each of these teams impressed in their Tier I Qualifiers. SAR was able to press Montreal into oblivion, forcing multiple turnovers that led to points. TABC dominated Fasman from start to finish with Coach Oz turning to his bench by the time the third quarter rolled around. Now, these two Yeshiva League rivals will turn to face each other in a Tier I Quarterfinal. They split the season series in the MYHSAL regular season and each would love to win this pivotal third game. I think TABC’s team will end up being too complete for SAR. Kinderlehrer will cause massive (pun intended) problems inside for SAR’s defense and Eyal has the surrounding cast in Mandel, Saks, and Borgen to create mismatches all over the court. TABC 52 SAR 45
AS: Both of these teams won comfortably in their Tier I qualifying games. After starting slow against Montreal, SAR cruised to a 73-49 win. SAR shot the 3 very effectively and forced a lot of turnovers which led to easy offense in transition. TABC relies on Kinderlehrer to generate offense and in this game he’ll do just that. I expect TABC to control the pace of this game and come away with a win. TABC 55 SAR 47
MA: Right away, SAR does what they do best—press. You can hear their bench roaring after a quick steal leads to an Ari Halpert fastbreak layup. The Sting are flying around the court, making TABC work for every dribble. Yet TABC has been here before. They don't panic. Yonah Mandel slows things down and finds Eyal Kinderlehrer in the post. After the first quarter, TABC is up 14-12, but SAR is just getting warmed up. Coach Oz Cross is pacing the sideline to get his guys to break the Sting's stingy press. Then, Halpert jumps a passing lane, slams home a dunk, and the energy in the gym shifts. Sam Weiss follows and buries a three from the corner for a 25-18 SAR advantage.
TABC calls a timeout. They need an answer, and they find one. Mandel steps up, drills a clutch three, then forces a turnover. The Storm ground out the final possessions of the half and cut the deficit to 27-24. Halftime adjustments are where great teams show their edge, and TABC comes out storming. They start spacing the floor and moving the ball quicker, letting their size take over. Kinderlehrer and Borgen win the paint, forming a 10-2 burst to take the lead.
SAR keeps fighting, but they struggle to get clean looks. Halpert does everything he can to keep them in it, yet TABC is in complete control heading into the fourth, up 45-38.
However, SAR built its identity on pressure, and it cranks up. They force two quick turnovers, leading to fastbreak buckets, pulling within 50-47 with four minutes left. When it appears SAR is ready to steal this one, Kinderlehrer pulls down an offensive rebound before feeding Borgen for a dagger three. On the next trip down, Mandel hits a tough floater, giving them an eight-point cushion. SAR scraps until the final buzzer, but they run out of time. TABC knocks down their free throws and closes it out.
TABC 61, SAR 55
AP: These two teams split in the MYHSAL regular season. Montreal struggled a lot with SAR’s pressure, but TABC will be able to handle that much better. The Storm are loaded with weapons around Kinderlehrer. With two talented teams and one clear advantage inside and on the boards, the answer to me is to pick TABC. Storm to the semis again, 47-43.
OG: Cannot make a prediction
YS: The ultimate round one upset was really a high-level performance from Frisch as they downed #3 DRS in an instant classic. We saw excellence from Isaac Stepner, solid team defense and Nathan Neufeld’s deeeeeep three to seal it. Berman are coming off of a win over MTA where they were able to take care of business, despite the rowdy home crowd. In this all-cougar matchup, I think the key for Berman will be to get their transition offense going. We saw it work for Berman in their last game and for DRS when they fell to Frisch. Ultimately, I think the Cougars are too much for the Cougars to handle as Berman heads into Shabbos with a spot booked in the Tier I Semis. Berman 56 Frisch 48
AS: I picked Frisch to win in their game against DRS. Did anyone else on this panel pick Frisch? No, just me. Am I going to spend this whole paragraph talking about that? I could. I won’t. But I could if I wanted to.
(Even Poppers picked DRS)
Anyways, Berman will win this game. They scored 69 points against MTA on a night where the offense was sloppy and they did not shoot it as well as they can from three point range. This is the game it all comes together for Berman. Alex August has a dominant scoring game in this one and Teitelbaum and Rozmaryn provide great all around performances to give Berman the comfortable win. Berman 72 Frisch 58
MA: Frisch thrives in chaos, feeding off turnovers and fast breaks. Berman is a team that dictates the pace. They don't get sped up, don't force shots, and they play within their system. Alex August runs the offense with patience, slowing the game down when needed and preventing Frisch from turning this into a track meet. As good as Frisch has been, they don't have a player on August's level. That's no disrespect to sophomore stud Isaac Stepner or buzzer-beating hero Nathan Neufeld. Yet AA is a three-level scorer who can shoot, drive, and distribute. When Frisch makes a run, August will make you feel like it's Summer again. Late in the game, that's the difference. Yes, the Cougars are riding the high of an all-time upset, but they're also running on tired legs. Playing a physically and emotionally draining game late at night, only to turn around for a morning Elite 8 matchup, is a brutal task. At some point, fatigue catches up. Their shots come up short, their defensive rotations get slower, and Berman takes advantage.
Unlike DRS, which relied on individual shot-making, Berman plays beautiful team basketball. Their spacing is excellent, their passing is crisp, and they get high-percentage looks through their speed. Yishai Neiss is an inside presence that forces Frisch's defense to collapse, creating open threes for guys like Teitelbaum; over four quarters, that efficiency wins out. Frisch has the heart of a fighter, but Berman embraces pressure, and when Frisch is forced to foul late, August steps up and knocks down some free throws. Frisch keeps it close, and the momentum from their Cinderella run keeps them in the game; Berman's discipline, efficiency, and August's heroics wins the Cougar-Cup, and sends them to the Final Four for the first time in school history.
Berman 53 Frsich 49
AP: What a high for Frisch. A win over the MYHSAL Champions, and Stepner was the best player on the floor as a sophomore. The problem for the Cougars is that Berman doesn’t need to generate halfcourt offense to win this game. They can get layups and wide open 3s on the break due to their speed. Frisch needs to slow this game down and keep Berman below 55 to win, and they won’t be able to do that, especially with the fatigue—both physical and mental—from a close, late game the night before. Cougars extend their first ever Tier I trip, 63-54.
OG: It’s a Battle of the Cougars. Berman went from a possible slaughterfest to DRS to believing they can knock off Frisch now and advance to the Final Four. Itai Rozmaryn impressed me in Berman’s opening win over MTA. Their defense did a solid job on Treuhaft but will have a much more difficult task containing Stepner. I’m just not sure Frisch will be ready for a quick turnaround after shocking the world on Thursday night. Berman 55 Frisch 49
YS: Hillel looked dominant in a blowout win vs Ida Crown on Thursday. They locked down defensively and Eli Braha and this Hillel offense proved to be as advertised. YULA on the other hand wasn’t as dominant. They took care of business against Mesivta, but allowed the Mustangs to hang around a lot longer than they should’ve. YULA will need to play better than they did against Mesivta if they want to come out on top. I thought long and hard about this one but I think Coach Mikey Pollack will have his guys up to task and playing at a championship level. Hillel will throw the book at YULA defensively but the Panthers will do a solid job countering the Heat’s varied schemes. Give me YULA in the closest game of the day. YULA 54 Hillel 50
AS: I may have underestimated Hillel’s offensive firepower when I picked Ida Crown to beat them in the Tier 1 qualifier. I’m prepared to make that same mistake again. YULA started off slow and did not put together a pretty performance against 16 seeded Mesivta. That being said, the talent of Gabbay, Azeroul, and Holender will propel YULA to another Tier 1 semifinal appearance. YULA 51 Hillel 45
MA: Hillel made a statement with their dominant win, but YULA is the reigning champion for a reason. They don't get rattled. They don't get caught up in the moment. They know how to grind through challenging games and come out on top. The Heat thrive on second-chance opportunities and full-court pressure. Yet, that won't work the same way against a bigger, more disciplined YULA squad. The Panthers control the boards, limiting Hillel's extra possessions, and their crisp ball movement breaks the press before it can become a problem. Azeroul is an elite two-way player, and Gabbay has already proven he can take over when needed. When the game tightens up, those two will deliver big plays. Hillel has talented scorers, including Eli Braha, but they don't have anyone who can match the combination of size, skill, and poise that the Panthers possess. When they can push the pace, Hillel is lethal. Yet things get tougher if YULA forces them into a slower, half-court battle. Without easy transition points, the Heat must work harder for baskets, and against YULA's disciplined defense, that's a problem. If this game is close late, the California boys have the edge. They've played in—and won—these types of games before. Their experience and ability to execute under pressure will be the difference. Hillel starts strong, feeding off their momentum, but the champs' experience and talent take over in the second half. YULA 61 Hillel 50
AP: Hillel can really score the ball. Their mixing up of defenses really confused a young Ida Crown team, but a veteran YULA squad will be able to figure things out on the fly. Tournament experience will be clutch for the Panthers as they survive an upset and march back to the semis. YULA 57, Hillel 49.
OG: This is going to be the most exciting quarterfinal matchup for me. When these two teams met in Memphis, it was a classic that went all the way to OT. If not for Braha missing several free throws, the Heat would’ve won the game. I think Hillel get their revenge here and dethrone the defending champs. Braha outdoes Gabbay and Holender. Hillel 63 YULA 59
YS: Magen David has gone on an incredible run so far this tournament. They defeated Flatbush in the opener and shut down North Shore in their Tier I Qualifier. However, each game they have left a bit to be desired. Speaking of, you could say the same for Shalhevet after they squeezed by Katz in a narrow victory. I think Sam Jacobson is the difference here. His size will cause problems for Magen’s defense and could potentially open things up for Bitran from outside. After doing just enough to squeeze by on Wednesday and Thursday, Magen David fall short in what should be a great battle. Shalhevet 53 MDY 48
AS: Shalhevet narrowly escaped with the win against 15 seeded Katz Yeshiva on Thursday. This felt like the kind of game that Shalhevet needed to get out of the way earlier in this tournament before they begin to play against tougher competition. Magen has won two games in two days but has not won those games cleanly. I think fatigue catches up to them in this game and Shalhevet enters this game motivated to have a bounce back performance. Jacobson will feast on the interior and lead the way for the Firehawks. Shalhevet 57 MDY 41
MA: MDY comes out with a vengeance from the start. Right off the tip, Joshua Chabbott pushes the pace, runs down the court, and hits Jack Dweck for a quick corner three. The Warriors are playing fast, forcing Shalhevet to keep up, and they don't look back. Aidan Bitran starts to control the tempo for the Firehawks, but Phil Sherr is all over him. Sam Jacobson starts bullying his way inside, and Coach Ryan Coleman makes an innovative adjustment, telling his team to slow things down and feed Jacobson on every possession. Jacobson starts dominating in the paint, but MDY tries to respond from downtown, although they start cooling off.
As Chabbott gets in his bag, Yakov Liberman is stepping up defensively, shutting down lanes and forcing contested takes. Bitran starts to find his groove, hitting a couple of jumpers, and by halftime, Shalhevet is ahead 30-24.
After the break, Spike Dweck rips into his boys, and they answer the call. Chabbott nails a step-back three, and then Sherr forces a turnover that turns into an easy, fast break. Dweck drills a deep three to put MDY ahead 41-40 entering the fourth.
In the final stanza, Jacobson feasts inside, scoring back-to-back buckets, while Bitran responds with an-and-one layup. MDY is still hanging tough, but they're running out of gas, as their third game in three days is starting to show. There’s the difference. My heart says the Warriors as i would love for the Brooklyn boys to keep dancing. Yet my brain’s saying otherwise in crunch time. Chabbott and Dweck get open looks from deep but fatigue hits just as it did against DRS in the Satran finals and they come up short, and Shalhevet locks in at the free-throw line for a thrilling 57-52 win. That pick hurt to make but I need to be fair.
AP: I have not been impressed by either of these teams thus far. Shalhevet has the size advantage with Jacobson and I will give them the edge due to that. Magen David sticks with them through 3, but the Firehawks finally advance back to the Tier I Semis. Shalhevet 46, MDY 40.
OG: Shalhevet got a scare from Katz but they were able to survive and advance. Magen David were able to hang on against North Shore. I think Chabbott and Bitran cancel each other out here. The X factor for me is Sam Jacobson. He is too big for the small MDY team to keep out of the paint. Firehawks advance to Big Sunday semis. Shalhevet 49 Magen David 41
Tier II
YS: Katz put up an impressive showing against Shalhevet, hanging with the Firehawks through three quarters. Elmakies was electric as their transition offense was firing on all cylinders. Fuchs is an exciting team lead by Moshe Jacobs who is an excellent scorer. I think this is a tough matchup for the Mayhem as they don’t have the horses to keep up with the Storm as Katz comes out on top. Katz 57 Fuchs 43
AS: Katz was down 28-27 after 3 quarters against the 2 seeded Shalhevet Firehawks. Shalhevet pulled away in the fourth quarter but I came away impressed with the KYHS defensive intensity. I expect more of the same on that end of the floor against Fuchs Mizrachi. KYHS wins a defensive battle. KYHS 41 Fuchs 38
MA: The game starts off at a frantic pace, with both teams struggling to find clean looks. Katz’s defense is locked in from the jump, forcing early turnovers and making life miserable for Fuchs in the half-court. Yet Moshe Jacobs finds gaps in the zone and drills a deep three to put Fuchs on the board first.
Katz, on the other hand, thrives in transition. Elmakies is a blur, slicing through the defense and finishing at the rim to tie it up at 5-5. Fuchs struggles to establish any offensive rhythm against the aggressive Storm trap, turning the ball over on consecutive possessions. Katz capitalizes, with Elmakies pushing the pace and getting to the line.
However, Jacobs responds by weaving through traffic, hitting a tough floater, and following it up with a transition three. The Mayhem adjusts to the 1-3-1 by flashing a high post and swinging the ball quicker, leading to better shot opportunities. Jacobs continues to be the spark, knocking down a mid-range jumper to cut the Katz lead to two.
Katz responds by returning to their bread and butter. Elmakies picks off a lazy pass and takes it coast-to-coast for a layup, then finds a cutting teammate for another bucket. The fourth is where the Storm separates itself. The heightned 1-3-1 trap forces Fuchs into rushed shots and bad passes,, while Elmakies continues to be a nightmare in transition.
Jacobs tries to will Fuchs back, but he’s running out of gas. Without much depth behind him, Fuchs struggles to keep up as Katz methodically pulls away for a 41-32 victory.
AP: Katz’s 1-3-1 wreaked a lot of havoc for Shalhevet. Fuchs is not a deep team as they are a small school, and they will struggle against the trapping zone. The Storm roll in this one. KYHS 63, Fuchs Mizrachi 46.
OG: Katz looked way better than a 15 seed on opening day. Some people believe Fuchs could’ve had a case for Tier 1. I think the Storm will bounce back here and punch their ticket into Tier II where they will be a legitimate threat. Katz 53 Fuchs 42
YS: HA Montreal are probably pretty annoyed by the shot heard around the world which forced them into Tier II qualifying play as DRS took away Montreal’s bye. That being said, the Heat should respond well after a tough loss vs SAR. Maimonides has struggled mightily in tournament play this year and I think that continues in this one. HA Montreal 64 Maimo 33
AS: Tough loss for HA Montreal against SAR. I thought they played very well in the first few minutes of the game and showed signs of a team that can make things happen in Tier 2. I think they make a statement in this game against a weaker Maimonides team. Montreal 61 Maimo 30
MA: After being knocked out of Tier I, HA Montreal comes into this game with extra motivation. They're better than their seed suggests, and they'll be eager to prove it. The M-Cats haven't found their rhythm all season. Against more substantial opponents, they've looked overwhelmed, and this matchup doesn't favor them. With Ohayon and Alloul leading the way, Montreal has multiple offensive weapons that Maimonides can't match. The M-Cats struggle with ball security, and Montreal's aggressive defense, especially their ability to press, will force turnovers and easy transition buckets. They're too fast, skilled, and motivated for Maimonides to handle. Expect a dominant performance from the Heat. HA Montreal: 58 Maimo; 30
AP: HA Montreal is a good team and they will take the anger out of having had to play a really good SAR squad in this Friday matchup against an overpowered Maimonides team. Montreal 71, Maimo 31.
OG: Montreal had some good sequences but the going got tough against SAR, particularly with breaking the press. Alloul and Ohayon should have a much easier time going to work against the M-Cats. Montreal 68 Maimo 35
YS: Fasman was dealt a tough draw having to take on TABC in the opening round. The Yeshiva struggled against TABC’s press and couldn’t contain the Storm’s multi-pronged attack. Skokie will look to put their tough loss behind them as they face Farber who have had an impressive season for their standards. That being said, I think Fasman is able to use this as a get-right game after last night’s disaster and takes care of business. Fasman 42 Farber 30
AS: Losing in blowout fashion will help Fasman in this game. Fasman will be eager to turn the page on an embarrassing loss against TABC and this is a good opportunity to do so. Adir Amster will have a big game for Fasman. Fasman wins convincingly. Fasman 50 Farber 31
MA: Fasman starts fast, fueled by frustration from their TABC loss. Amster gets a couple of early buckets, and they look more composed. Farber isn’t rattled. They force a couple of turnovers and keep the pace slow. Farber’s defense arrives on the scene. They cut off driving lanes, force tough shots, and get physical inside. Akin to their dud against the Storm, Fasman starts forcing things on offense, leading to some ugly turnovers. Amster makes a couple of big plays, but the offense still isn’t flowing. Farber keeps grinding, and winning the rebounding battle. It’s an ugly, low-scoring game, which is how Farber wants it. Fasman tries to make a push, but they don’t have enough rhythm offensively. Farber gets a couple of clutch defensive stops, hits their free throws late, and closes it out. Farber 40 Fasman 34
AP: Farber defends and is a better team than their 19-seed would otherwise suggest. Fasman went from hoping to upset TABC to not being competitive at all. I think we see a low scoring contest here, and that favors Farber. Give me the upset. Fire win, 37-35.
OG: Rough opening day for The Yeshiva. I think Amster lights up the Fire here in a bounce back game. Fasman 44 Farber 21
YS: Valley Torah really wanted a crack at Tier I and was extremely disappointed that they were ranked outside of the Tier I Qualifiers. They come into this game looking to prove the committee wrong and at least earn a spot in Tier II. I was initially leaning towards Valley Torah in this one but I was really impressed with Mesivta’s performance against the defending champs. They are clearly a very well coached bunch and have some nice players in Ben David, Bitas, Hirsch and others. Give me the Stangs to advance to Tier II in what will be the closest game at TABC. Mesivta 49 Valley Torah 45
AS: I was super impressed with how Mesivta hung in the game against YULA. They showed incredible fight and will against the reigning champions. However, I see a potential letdown game from Mesivta as they face a Valley Torah team that has yet to play in this tournament and will be eager to prove they are a threat to win Tier 2. Valley wins this one. VT 45 Mesivta 41
MA: Valley Torah plays angry and takes control of the game when it matters. Mesivta, while impressive in their loss to YULA, isn’t able to carry that same energy over to this matchup. Valley Torah gets the win and sends a clear message that they belonged higher in the rankings. VT 53 Mesivta 45
AP: Valley Torah is very mad that they did not have a crack at Tier I. Usually when a team is very mad in Sarachek, they win. However, I was pretty shocked to see how well Mesivta defended on Thursday. They will be hyped to prove the committee right, and their ability to both get stops and play through the post will enable them to do so. It feels like an upset, but give me the better seed Mesivta, 48-46.
OG: This will be the game of the day at TABC. Any time you have the 16-17 matchup, it makes for great chatter on who the team should have really been to get the last Tier I spot. Mesivta showed they deserved it by playing honorably against YULA and now have to back it up against Valley Torah. I think they pass the test. Mesivta 54 Valley Torah 42
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