10-25-2012 | #3 YULA Panthers Pounce on #14 Rambam Ravens, 56-40

10-25-2012 | #3 YULA Panthers Pounce on #14 Rambam Ravens, 56-40

By: Shmuel Meir Perl

In the third game of the day the Jack Gindiless YULA panthers went up against the Rambam Ravens. YULA, who is trying to defend their title won the tip but could not convert on their opening possession. Rambam then got the ball and made a three, but YULA scored on a layup by Avi Zilberstein and then two free throws also by Zilberstein. YULA continued on its 8-0 run with a jumper and a layup. After two turnovers by Rambam, Johnathan Rabbaninan hit a jumper. Rambam had another turnover which resulted in two missed free throws by Leron Ryan, one of which was airballed. Rambam scored and made the score 14-5. Then Avi Zilberstein hit a three and Menachem Solomon scored to extend YULA’s lead to 14. Jeremy Bock hit a three and Avi Zilberstein made a layup to put the score at 23-8 at the end of the first.

To open the second YULA hit a free throw and then Shmuel Rosenthal of Rambam made a jumper. After a few turnovers, some missed shots, and three minutes of play the score was still only 24-12 YULA; the panthers still had not made a shot from the field in the second quarter. Shmuel Rosenthal scored on another jumper to trim YULA’s lead to 10. YULA went on a 4-0 run was ended by a Jeremy Bock 3-Pointer. On the other end YULA’s Avi Zilberstein made a three to up his total on the night to 9 points. The shootout continued when Yarden Sokol of Rambam rattled in a three. At the end of the first half the score was 31-22 with YULA on top.

Jeremy Bock of Rambam scored the opening basket of the second half. YULA responded with a basket of their own and a free throw by Zilberstein. Then Josiah Himmelman the 6’6 180 pound center from YULA made an impression by scoring his first bucket of the half and extending YULA’s lead. Each made some baskets and the score became 38-26. Jeremy Bock hit a pair of free throws to cut the lead to 10. Then Leron Ryan rebounded it, took it up the court, and made a nice assist to Josiah Himmelman who had a nice reverse layup. After an airballed three by Rosenthal, some free throws made my Himmelman, and a lot of changes of possession, the game was looking like it would be a YULA victory. With a few seconds left Rambam made a free throw, missed the second one and got their own rebound, and chucked up a buzzer beating jumper that went in. The score at the end of the third quarter was 45-31 in favor of YULA.

Josiah Himmelmen had the first bucket of the fourth quarter to put YULA ahead by 16. Both teams then exchanged baskets, and with six minutes left in the game YULA had a comfortable lead. Then Rambam made a three to keep the game from getting out of hand, but with only four minutes left they really needed a miracle. Unfortunately no miracle came as YULA went on to win 56-40. The high scorer for Rambam was Shmuel Rosenthal with 14 points; the high scorer for YULA was Josiah Himmelman with 17 points.