Yavneh defeated The Cambridge School of Dallas 90-48 Monday night. The win improves the Bulldogs record to 4-2.
It had been a week shy of two years since Yavneh reached the 90 point plateau but on Monday the Bulldogs took their circus act on the road, overcoming 9 out of 13 more errant free throws and 21 opponent offensive rebounds for a runaway win. Four starters finished in double figures to combine for 76 of the 90 points as the Red-and-Black absolutely bludgeoned another competitor in the paint. This contest possibly could have been called in the first 46 seconds as Yavneh sprinted to a 7-0 lead right out of the gate. Seniors Zach Bernstein and Ofek Reef hooked up for a baseline finish, Jonah Eber recorded the first steal/layup of the night for another basket, and Reef actually finished a three point play at the basket for the opening 7 points quicker than the Cambridge faithful even could find their seats. The points kept coming early on as Eber scored on an own tip follow, a layup with a foul, and dished out two assists. The 14-0 and 16-3 beginning for the Bulldogs consisted of 7/8 shooting and four steals for points. In a slick role reversal, Reef threw an alley-oop to Tyler C Winton for an air-alert finish just inches from the rim. The signature make a layup, draw a foul, and miss the ensuing free throw was on display thrice early as Eber made it 20-3 and then 22-3 on a nice dish to Winton for his second basket. McBuckets had been slow to the scoring party but broke out in a big way on this night. The passing was on display early and often for Jonah to find several recEBERs with Winton, Reef, and Mason Schwaber finishing on the back end. Schwaber threw a deep touchdown pass of his own off a steal to end the first period with two more points for Reef and a 32-7 statement. This best start of the year saw advantages of 65-18% from the field and 11-1 in forced turnovers. Reef started the second quarter with his only slam dunk of the evening, a transition runout. Eber muscled his way to the hoop for a 36-7 lead as the points and pinpoint passing by the Junior guard continued to multiply. With his team struggling from high school three point distance, the Freshman sensation decided to take a For Rael? NBA range rainbow missile which found the bottom of the net. The pass from Reece Parker set up Ben Rael for that bucket but Cambridge was starting to gain traction offensively. They could not make many of their first shots but the offensive rebounds were piling up for the Lions. Tom Oster steadied the game with three steals in a critical 2-minute stretch in which Cambridge was beginning to score nearly every possession down the floor. If they weren’t connecting on three pointers then they were attacking the offensive glass and being pests in the lane. Their grit and determination was inspiring in a game that defensively got away from them in the layup lines. As hard as they were working, though, it was beginning to get demoralizing as the Bulldogs once again owned the paint at their goal. Reef swarmed in and out of the lane with ease and multiple baskets to show for it, and then Schwaber counter-punched with two late first half baskets and a step-out straightaway trifecta. The lead was 50-28 at halftime, which felt almost too close for comfort even though there was no actual resistance from the Cambridge defense. Four Lions putbacks were concerning and embellished their turn-around 21 point second period but Reef/Eber combined for 29 points on ridiculous 14/17 shooting while Winton/Schwaber added 16 points on 7/9 shooting.
Yavneh continued to score and score and score in the second half and did so by sharing the basketball. Eber lobbed to Reef for an AND ONE finish and Reef fed Schwaber, who was now getting closer to the basket for his looks which were all pure gold. A streaking Winton went glass for one finish and then pilfered a pass at halfcourt for a steal, scoop, and score with contact for a 65-32 lead. Bernstein brought the energy from the opening tip with 6 total steals including one for a layup late in the third period to hold off Cambridge in the amount of 70-36. Junior Simcha Malina returned from the mountains to deliver a bruising performance. One possession alone included two offensive rebounds and a put-back to counter the Cambridge second chance machine. He then combined with Schwaber on a high-low look that looked more like a rural truck stop, finishing for a 40-point 76-36 lead. Rael double-dimed Schwaber for two more punishing finishes at the basket and the Bulldogs eclipsed 80 points on a Winton setup of Zander Feinstein in stride for a rhythm string music mid-range jumper. On one play, Reef lasered a pass from halfcourt and somehow managed to fly down the court in time to score on the ensuing offensive rebound put-back. Even when the Lions were able to make a statement down low like a block on Winton’s layup attempt, the ball just seemed to bounce the way of the Bulldogs. On that play, Winton gathered and shoveled the loose ball to Schwaber for his final points of the night. It was just one of those nights for a team that could do no wrong offensively inside of 15 feet. Ofek Reef posted yet another double-double efficiently with 24 points, 11 rebounds, 6 assists, and no turnovers on 11/14 shooting. Mason Schwaber encored his 20 point game with a 19 spot to go along with 7 rebounds. Tyler Winton broke out with 17 points on 8/12 shooting and notched four each assists and steals. Jonah Eber put up back-to-back 16 point efforts to go along with 7 rebounds, 6 assists, and 5 steals. Also of note, Zach Bernstein recorded 6 steals of his own in leading the charge to a third straight game where the Bulldogs forced 30+ turnovers.
Yavneh (4-2) has now won 3 straight games and has looked better in their attack with each passing game and has dispatched 1A, 2A, and 4A TAPPS teams in consecutive games. The 90 points is the most in a single game since the Bulldogs tallied 95 against Sunset in 2016. Next up is Lucas Christian for the final TAPPS non-conference test before the public school section of the schedule rolls on in. The Lucas-Yavneh rivalry goes back a decade including one of the classic endings in school history when Erez Krengel hit an impossible buzzer beater on the road to stun the Warrior faithful and send the Metroplex into a frenzy. What will this contest have in store?
ONLY TIME WILL TELL!!!!!
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