Zucker Dominates Inside, Macs Win Big in Zakheim’s Return

The Macs dominated in the second half of this game to win 84-63. Matan Zucker got the scoring started for the Macs with an and-one. A few possessions later, Max Zakheim scored his first points since he returned from injury, connecting on a three-pointer. With under 10 minutes to go in the half, Zakheim finished at the rim for an and-one to give the Macs a 25-17 lead. The Dolphins’ Joshua Cabezudo then scored at the rim to cut the Macs' lead to 28-25. Samet’s second three of the night gave the Macs a 44-36 halftime lead.

Max Zakheim returned from injury and finished with 17 points in the win. (Photo Credits: Akiva Poppers)

In typical fashion, the Macs came out strong to start the second half. Dothan Bardichev opened the scoring with a triple and a few minutes later, Max Zakheim hit back-to-back threes to give the Macs a 55-38 lead. Samet’s third triple of the game made the score 62-40 with 12 minutes left in the game. The Dolphins didn’t manage to get back into the game during the remaining time, and the Macs won, 84-63.

Interior scoring

The Dolphins came out in a box-one defense specifically designed to shut down Zevi Samet. This created more space for the four other Yeshiva players, especially in the interior. The Macs took advantage of this, with Matan Zucker leading the way down there. Zucker had one of his best offensive nights, scoring 29 points and grabbing 16 rebounds. Their success inside forced the defense to collapse when the ball got into the post, which led to kick-outs for open threes for the Macs.

Offensive rebounding

In the first half, the Macs allowed 14 offensive rebounds and 12 second-chance points off of those rebounds. This was a major factor in the Dolphins keeping this game within reach. The Macs played some exceptional defense to get stops but could not get the rebound to end the possession. In the second half, the Macs allowed seven offensive rebounds, which was a much-improved effort and allowed them to make a big run to begin the half.

For Mount Saint Vincent:

• Joshua Cabezudo led the way with 18 points on 8/14 shooting for the Dolphins.

• DJ Tucker had a double-double, with 12 points and 10 rebounds.

For Yeshiva:

• Matan Zucker dominated inside, finishing with 29 points, 16 rebounds, and five assists on 11/16 overall shooting.

• Max Zakheim had a strong performance on his return, finishing with 17 points and four threes.

• Zevi Samet had 16 points on 6-15 shooting, including three for eight from beyond the arc.

Up Next:

The Macs will head on the road to face the Old Westbury Panthers on Thursday night, December 8, at 8 pm.

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