Yavneh defeated Cambridge 69-40 Monday evening in the season opener of the 2009-2010 season.
Yavneh easily carved up the very same Cambridge defense that gave them fits in the first week of last season en route to a blowout victory to kick off their season. Questions surrounding which star player would step up to be the offensive leader will have to wait another game as Junior Elan Kogutt and Sophomore Jordan Prescott both easily cruised to 18 points apiece. Among the most encouraging signs of the opening game were how the two players worked together to produce easy offense which was truly a microcosm of the entire team on this night. More than any Yavneh team in any single game in quite some time, this team worked together with precision passing to wear down a bigger but equally befuddled Cambridge squad. Another big question for this season would be the maturation of the two (now) Sophomore big men. If Game 1 was any indication, this season will provide much production from the post position. Jake Grief had a monster 10 point/11 rebound performance while Ben Romaner followed suit with 5 points and 5 rebounds. The game started slowly as both teams exhibited early jitters. The Bulldogs turned the ball over on its first three possessions before Senior Captain Miles Pulitzer found Grief for the first basket of the season. Prescott along with Sophomore Reid Cohen initiated the Yavneh pressure with great drives to the basket, each having early chances at three point plays. Kogutt and Romaner hooked up for a nice pass and score to end the opening quarter with the Bulldogs in front 14-6. The lead hit double digits in the second stanza and the game was in hand at 27-11 halfway through the second. Yavneh led by 12 at halftime shooting 44% from the field.
The only drama left for the second half was an unusual 8-10 second sequence in which Kogutt scored 6 points on three different baskets. It was truly the quickest stretch in Yavneh history to score three field goals but it took a careless sequence by Cambridge to make it all possible. That lack of focus opened the game up to the 20+ point lead that existed for most of the final period. There is only so much to read from one game against an opponent clearly overmatched but nevertheless a great start for the upstart Bulldogs. The home team had the better shooting percentage at 49+% but the game was won on a 49-16 edge on the boards and a nearly equal 48-16 gap on points in the paint.
Yavneh (1-0) will have a week to get ready for a three games in four nights scenario including a rematch with Hill Country in Austin. Cambridge will also have seven days to figure out the Princeton-style passing cutting attack of the Bulldogs in an effort to even the season series.
The Kennel Report, now in its fifth season, is written by…
Zack Pollack M&M
LF 2-2