Cooper Invitational

10-27-2012 | Frisch Cougars Squeak by YULA Panthers, 45-43

10-27-2012 | Frisch Cougars Squeak by YULA Panthers, 45-43

By: Shmuel Meir Perl

In a matchup many people thought would be the semi-final game, the #3 YULA Panthers faced off against the #2 Frisch Cougars for a chance to get into the fifth place game. YULA won the tip and got off to a hot start with an Avi Zilberstein three-pointer. YULA scored again, and then Frisch got its opening basket when star Judah Cohen hit a three of his own. The shootout continued when Zilberstein hit another three to make it an 8-3 game. Frisch then went on an 8-3 run powered by extremely good shooting. Then Frisch stole the ball, scored, and took the lead for the first time. YULA didn’t let up, and scored four points to take the lead back and at the end of the first the score was 15-13.

The first two and half minutes of the second quarter had no scoring, but Jo Jo Himmelman broke the silence with a layup. YULA and Frisch battled back in forth with YULA having a slight advantage going on a 7-4 run. Both teams scored to end the first half and the score was 23-19 with YULA ahead.

Jacob Shapiro of Frisch scored the first bucket of the third quarter by hitting a three to put Frisch within one. Both teams kept scoring, but Frisch scored three more points than YULA and cut YULA’s lead to one. YULA scored on a Zilberstein layup, but then Frisch showed is touch and hit a three to tie the game up again. Both teams exchanged baskets, but Frisch hit one free throw to go ahead 32-31 to end the third quarter.

Frisch started off the fourth quarter with a made free throw to extend their lead, but Leron Ryan and Avi Zilberstein scored to give YULA a two point lead. Zilberstein scored again to give YULA a two point lead and up his total to 18 points on the night. Daniel Lubat of Frisch scored to tie it up then Ryan scored again to give YULA the lead once again. Frisch missed two potentially tying free throws, and Zilberstein made a reverse layup to make it a 41-37 game in favor of YULA. Frisch didn’t give up, going on a 6-0 run sparked by great defense to take the lead back. With a minute left, Ryan scored to tie up the game. With ten seconds left, Judah Cohen drove the ball in and made a potentially game winning floater to put Frisch up by 2 points. With one second left, Leron Ryan came off a screen and barely missed a one handed five foot shot that could have tied the game up for the Panthers. But the shot rimmed in and out and Frisch managed to squeak by YULA by a score of 45-43. YULA was led by Avi Zilberstein with 20 points, and for Frisch it was Jacob Shapiro with 17 points.

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