Yavneh defeated Mc Kinney Christian 48-39 Monday evening. The win improves the Bulldogs record to 6-1.
The triumvirate of Elan Kogutt, Jordan Prescott, and Miles Pulitzer combined for 37 of the team’s 48 points as Yavneh stumbled to victory in the first of a four game week. At times in the first half signs of crispness were apparent in the Bulldogs offensive attack but they were few and far between, clearly playing a step down to the level of their opponents Monday night. Although Yavneh did come out strong in the first period, they managed to continue their dubious season-long streak of turning the ball over on the first possession in their seventh straight game. They are, however, still sending a player to the jump circle to start the games despite this distinction. On this night, though, the Bulldogs pounced on their opponents to the tune of an 11-1 start. Junior scoring sensation Elan Kogutt scored 9 first quarter points to atone for the 8 early Bulldog turnovers. Even with the sloppy effort, Mc Kinney Christian just could not take advantage. They did themselves no favors becoming the third consecutive Yavneh opponent to get in deep foul trouble early. In fact, the home squad actually made a couple for a change (12-18) Seldom fouled Senior Captain Miles Pulitzer made 5 of his 8 freebies all in the first half to account for the additional distance on the scoreboard and a 15 point halftime lead. The Bulldogs outshot MKC 40 to 23%, controlled the rebounds, and played just hard enough to maintain the double-digit lead. Yavneh barely kept their interest for a three minute stretch to start the second half as they surged to a 37-17 seemingly insurmountable lead. With three more games to come this week, everyone got plenty of rest as the team coasted to the finish. Still a 21-point lead after three periods, the Bulldogs had things under control. Several mistakes by some of the bench players inserted to play out the final 8 minutes led to one tenuous moment. With 1:29 to play, MKC actually got the ball off a turnover down by only 9 points. Still a three possession game versus a somewhat inept offense, the threat was short-lived and the game preserved by that identical score of 48-39. Kogutt led all scorers with 17 points, while Jordan Prescott chipped in 11 and Pulitzer with 9 points/5 assists. The obvious concerns here are three-fold: (1) the inability to put an inferior team away early and bury them, paving the way for the bench to cruise for an entire half rather than just a quarter. (2) the inability of that bench to close out a wide-margin game with NO drama at all. (3) the inability of the team as a whole to play their game rather than up or in this case down to an opponent’s level. Through 7 games, though, the Bulldogs will take it in stride.
Yavneh (6-1) will play at Shelton Tuesday night in a game that will be another interesting test for the up and coming front line of Greif and Romaner as they tangle with yet another huge post presence.
The Kennel Report, now in its sixth season, is written by…
Zack Pollack M&M
LF 4-4