Yavneh defeated Thomas Jefferson High School of the Dallas Independent School District 62-41 Monday night. The win improves the Bulldogs record to 6-2.
Thanksgiving is about to be upon us but that did not stop Yavneh and Thomas Jefferson from kick-starting the giving a bit early with 54 combined turnovers. The Bulldogs forced 30+ giveaways for the 5th straight game, Ofek Reef/Jonah Eber combined for 34 points, and somehow they persevered despite yielding an insane 23 offensive rebounds Monday. The start to this game was tenuous for Yavneh, yielding a careless layup off the opening tap and notching a pair of turnovers before even thinking about scoring. Nearly two minutes in, Eber found Reef slicing to the basket. Their roles reversed moments later culminating in Eber scoring on the run and Freshman Ben Rael capped a 6-0 spurt with a steal and layup to electrify the capacity pre-holiday crowd. TJ battled back with four quick points before another 8-2 Bulldog stretch created some separation. Reef slipped behind the defense for one easy finish, Mason Schwaber scored on a nice step through move utilizing a significant speed advantage, and Tyler C Winton’s monster rebound found Eber in transition for 14-8. In a shocking turn of events, Reef connected on his first four straight free throws. Future NFL star something Kendrick Murphy salvaged the quarter for TJ with a turn-around nonchalant flipper finish to minimize the Bulldog lead to 16-10. The Patriots had difficulty scoring but made a living on missing, rebounding, missing some more, and occasionally finishing a field goal or two. When they were not playing this game of ping pong they were turning the ball over without much cause. Winton transformed TW3 into QB1 on this night as his passing was a never before seen level of exquisite. A laser feed to Eber in transition followed by a steal that found Zach Bernstein at the rim had the Bulldogs rolling to a 20-12 lead. Bernstein was inspired and delighted the crowd with a tear-drop finish that brought rain inside the SRC. Simcha Malina darted a basketball to Eber for a lefty scoop finish while dancing and Reef took classmate Bernstein’s lead with a rainbow finish high off the window. The Patriots could not hold on to the ball and Yavneh was cashing in at the other end. Eber fed Reef for the two-hand flush that has become commonplace in the 2018-19 basketball season. Reece Parker joined the assist train as the Bulldogs surged to a 34-20 lead but the two most pivotal sights for sore eyes came late in the first half. Headlining the category of ITS ABOUT TIME, Jonah Eber MADE TWO CONSECUTIVE FREE THROWS and keeping it in the family Ben Rael connected on a line drive trifecta from the corner. The shooting woes for this Bulldogs team suddenly felt like issues from the way back past, birds were chirping again, and all was right with the world….except for the 17 offensive rebounds from Thomas Jefferson in the first half alone. 39-22 was the Yavneh lead at halftime behind 19 forced turnovers, a breathtaking 8/9 free throws in a complete reversal of fortune, and 28 points from the Reefber combo. While it was well over the edge of absurdity that TJ collected the 17 first half offensive rebounds, the Patriots needed to come to terms that Tom Brady was not sprinting out of the tunnel for a second half comeback.
Yavneh was well on its way to a victory, regardless of the aesthetics of this contest. Winton grabbed a steal and Bernstein cashed in on a put-back for 45-24 early in the third period. Reef fed Eber for a bully-ball backboard finish and Winton continued the best passing night of his career with another pinpoint dart to Schwaber. On a night lacking many TJ highlights that were not rebounds of their own misses, football star Murphy may have earned his place in the Jefferson blooper Hall of Fame with a wipeout inbounds pass where he slipped, slid, and chucked the ball three feet backwards in a legendary sequence of events. Freshman Noah Ohayon played made his debut and sparkled with an early assist to Rael for a baseline flip shot, grabbed a rebound, steal, and connected on two free throws. The highly touted and heralded three point specialist shocked no one in burying a corner triple for his first points on his very first try. That shot is only the beginning for someone who could be critical to solving the shooting opportunities that this team continues to have. 54-30 through three periods of play kept the final stanza free of any game drama. Reece Parker, who typically owns these type of fourth quarters, did not disappoint. A floater off every inch of the rim before dropping through was followed by a sweet dish to Elisha Klein for two points. That play was matched only in DFW by Dak Prescott’s Sunday lob to drive the Cowboys to victory and Parker was once again dominating late. The lead would briefly creep under 20 points but Nik Krasovitsky delivered the finishing blow with a strong finish around the rim with power. Ofek Reef led all scorers with 20 points including 10/11 free throws and Jonah Eber added 14 points in the victory. Ben Rael and Zach Bernstein combined for another 13 points on 6/7 shooting to pace the Bulldogs.
Yavneh (6-2) dispatched Thomas Jefferson and will move on to another DISD opponent Tuesday in Sunset High School. With a step forward in some of the shooting, a step back in rebounding, and coming off just a strange basketball game, the Bulldogs look to win for the sixth straight time in their final tune-up before heading to the Weiner Tournament in Baltimore next week. Sunset and Yavneh have played for nearly 14 straight years with some very entertaining results including last year’s shootout.
The Kennel Report, now in its 15th season, is written by…
Zack Pollack M&M
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