11-7-2014 | #1 NSHA Stars squeak by #8 RASG Warriors in nail biter, 47-45, Advance to Final Four

11-7-2014 | #1 NSHA Stars squeak by #8 RASG Warriors in nail biter, 47-45, Advance to Final Four

By: Shmuel Perl

In a game of very high stakes, two powerhouses from opposite ends of the east coast faced off. The #1 North Shore Hebrew Academy Stars had come off an impressive win over DAT, while the #8 RASG Warriors had beaten JDS in their previous game. Morris Esformes opened up the scoring by hitting a corner three, but North Shore responded with a 6-0 run behind star forward Cody Cohen’s two buckets. North Shore hit a free throw, but another Esformes three made it a one point game. The back and forth continued, as both teams had their way offensively, but a Chad Masin buzzer beating three tied the game at 13 at the end of the first quarter.

Cody Cohen scored a minute into the second quarter to give North Shore the lead back, and a Max Setton three extended the Stars lead to five. After some turnovers by both sides, Eli Portnoy made a three and Chad Masin hit a free throw to cut the Stars’ lead to one. RASG made a free throw to tie it up, but a Cody Cohen shot gave the lead back to North Shore. North Shore continued to score ending the half on an 11-1 run. At halftime the score was 29-19 in favor of the Stars.

The Stars started the second half aggressive on defense as Cody Cohen picked off two passes which he turned into three North Shore points. The Warriors had their first bucket of the second half courtesy of a Morris Esformes three with three minutes into the quarter. North Shore responded with a 6-0 run powered by Ryan Paul’s four points. Chad Masin hit another three for RASG, and Morris Esformes made a layup to cut North Shore’s lead to 11. Michael Bixon hit a free throw to make the deficit 10, but Esformes’s attempt to make it closer at the end of the third was ferociously blocked by Cody Cohen. After three quarters the score was 38-28 North Shore.

Chad Masin’s three-point play to start the final period cut North Shore’s lead down to 7, and Morris Esformes’s corner three made it 4. Cody Cohen hit three free throws, but then Chad Masin drilled a three for RASG to keep the game close with four minutes left. Michael Bixon then converted a second chance opportunity, and made it a two point game. North Shore made a free throw, but an Aharon Diveroli three tied the game at 42. Then, the Warriors came right back, got a steal, and Esformes hit one from downtown. Cody Cohen hit a pair of free throws, and Josh Hecht made one more to tie up the game. With 50 seconds left, RASG stole the ball but failed to score. Cody Cohen got the rebound and was fouled immediately. Cohen hit both shots to give North Shore a two point lead. RASG got the ball back with ten seconds left, but a Chad Masin buzzer beater shot went in and out. The final score was 47-45 North Shore. Cody Cohen led the Stars with 25 points, and Chad Masin and Morris Esformes led the Warriors with 18 points.