Yavneh defeated Coram Deo Academy 89-76 Thursday night. The win improves the Bulldogs record to a perfect 2-0.
Jonathan Ochstein and Steve Levine notched double-doubles, Noah Rubinstein scored 21 points exactly 4 years prior to the day of his 21st birthday, and Yavneh withstood a 46 point performance from Coram Deo’s Logan McClure to remain undefeated through a pair of games this season. If you liked points and more specifically points off turnovers this was your game with the teams combining for a gaudy 49 giveaways. 165 combined points did not even seem possible through the first minute with a variety of fouls, turnovers, and charges of all shapes and sizes leading to nary a single point. Senior Captain Steve Levine found Junior Noah Rubinstein off an inbounds play for the game’s first point 1:10 into the contest, and from there the scoreboard lit up on both sides. Rubinstein would start great, connecting on his first two field goals before quick foul trouble saddled him until the second half. Levine picked up the slack and was literally assisted by the other Levine (Griffin) for a corner triple and a 7-1 start for the Bulldogs. Griffin Levine then drove coast to coast to coast and ignited another steal fest similar to Tuesday night, extending to a 16-7 advantage on a pair of Sophomore Micah Romaner flip shots courtesy of Steve Levine creations. No matter who stepped on the court for Yavneh they were scoring early and often. Junior Liad Guttman was the middle man in a Levine to Levine connection in transition stemming from a Steve leaping steal save from out of bounds. Active all night long, Senior captain Jonathan Ochstein scored his first basket in addition to some great early rebounding for a 20-7 start but the end of the first period was a Bulldog nightmare. A 11-0 explosion from Coram Deo courtesy of Yavneh turnovers in the open floor and just the beginning of an awesome night for Logan McClure left the margin at a tenuous 2 points after a single period of play. The game suddenly took a left turn and became a back-and-forth war for the next 2+ quarters. Bulldog foul trouble coupled with the injuries for the first time left the home team in a precarious position. Coram Deo and specifically McClure started to assert themselves on the offensive glass and captured the lead at 25-24 for the first time. The teams would trade baskets with Griffin Levine assisting himself with a missed shot put-back but the game was a virtual see-saw. The Levines took turns assisting each other, and the Bulldogs look to assume control again when Ochstein tip-followed for a 32-29 edge with 2:32 to play before halftime. But it seemed every positive run was answered by an even better Coram Deo run as they seized back momentum at every possible turn. A 5-0 response from CD was in turn answered with a Romaner banker but the first half ended with an unpleasant sequence of two turnovers for 5 Coram Deeeeeooooo points and a 40-35 halftime lead. The visitors had a 12% shooting percentage advantage now from easy opportunities off the 12 Yavneh turnovers and 10 points off offensive rebounds explained the pendulum swing of the game.
Coram Deo extended to a 42-35 game-high lead moments into the second half as they just simply got to every loose ball. Ochstein kept his team within contact with a big finish off the glass from Steve Levine but with the game in need of a momentum swing he provided it moments later. With the Bulldogs again 7 points behind, Ochstein emphatically attacked the baseline for a finish that sent shock waves through the entire arena. Steve Levine immediately stole a pass and Griffin Levine found Rubinstein at the basket for his first points in forever. Rubinstein then threaded a pass to Ochstein for an acrobatic reverse layup to slice the lead to a single point. CD had an answer every time with a momentum triple or three point play. Guttman dashed through the paint for a nice finger roll finish and then Steve Levine’s steal three ball tied things at 54-54 but even that was answered by a layup plus foul. Both Levines finished the period with a flurry of steals and transition finishes to stake the Bulldogs to a one point lead at 60-59. Somehow it felt like that was not going to be enough points to win this game. Each team had a turnover somehow in the first 14 seconds of Period #4 just because it was that kind of night. For what felt like the 30th time tonight, Coram Deo hit Yavneh with a 5-0 run to take a 64-60 lead. Rubinstein’s up and down night saw more up than down in the final stanza starting with an emotionally charged offensive rebound put-back three-point play. Once again the Bulldogs used momentum to seize control with the steal. On a night that three pointers were just not a good proposition, Steve Levine managed to bury a pair of them from the exact same spot in the course of 29 seconds. Assists on those from Griffin Levine and then Ochstein added up to a 9-0 Yavneh run in less than a minute for a 69-64 lead with 5:51 to play. The Bulldogs had climbed the mountain and finally achieved separation but oh no there was still almost 6 minutes left in this defensive barn-burner. But now the Bulldogs were doing everything in THREES and not just turnovers!! A Coram Deo bucket was answered by a second emotionally charged three point play AND-ONE finish, this time off a dish from Rubinstein to Guttman off the backboard. The Levines provided energy for both teams on this night but in the end their steals and transition game were enough from the guards. With that said, it was Ochstein and Rubinstein who provided the punch in the final period to put the game away. Rubinstein’s two free throws and lefty finish extended to a 78-66 lead and Ochstein hammered home a finish when the game got as close as 80-72. Rubinstein finally put the game on ice with a series of two layups, a fourth team charge taken, a steal, and a rebound all in the final minute to salt the game away on his birthday. While Logan McClure was unconscious with 46 points, the Bulldogs countered with a pair of impressive double-doubles. Jonathan Ochstein’s 22 point/12 rebound performance was at times breathtaking to watch as it went from buzzer to buzzer. Steve Levine also never sat for even a second in his 18 point/10 assist/9 steal near triple-double with even a number of assists to Coram Deo since he was so zoned in on this night. Noah Rubinstein scored 21 points with 6 rebounds while Griffin Levine added 14 points to go along with his 7 assists. Also of note, Liad Guttman and Micah Romaner combined for 14 much-needed bench points.
Yavneh (2-0) has now scored 167 points in just 2 games without a pair of projected leading scorers even stepping foot on the court. It is very early, the turnover count is alarmingly high, the defense has not quite been there yet; However, this is an explosive start for a team that has aspirations 12 miles high for 2015-16. Up next will be TAPPS 2A champions from a year ago, Dallas Cambridge. On Tuesday night, not only will the Bulldogs be trying to take down a team that has not lost since before the 2015 playoffs started but will also be avenging a tough loss in their own building in which they surrendered a double-digit lead late.
The Kennel Report, now in its twelfth season, has been written by…
Zack Pollack M&M
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