Covenant defeated Yavneh 54-44 Monday evening. The loss snaps Yavneh’s 8 game winning streak and drops their record to 13-7.
Yavneh hit a bump in the road Monday as they tried to make it 9 in a row. For the first time this season, foul trouble disrupted their fast-paced style of play and threw a wrench in the flow that the Bulldogs have built up over the previous 8 games. In the process, Covenant exposed weaknesses that tired teams had been unable to discover in prior instances. The game started harmlessly enough with Sophomore guard William Zalstein showing an offensive aggressiveness for the first time in two years. Zalstein, known to many as a volume passer, raced down the court off the opening tip. That early energy, however, was marred by 3 quick early fouls from key post player Sam Pulitzer. The fouls took Yavneh out of their patented run and gun system and left them in a battle unfamiliar to them this season. The first quarter was a back-and-forth affair with Yavneh leading 12-11. The problems were evident: 8 Yavneh fouls, 3 of which belonged to Pulitzer. The lead was a plus but to be up by only 1 after watching Covenant shoot just 2/13 from the field was disheartening. The second quarter was very much an evenly played period as well with the score tied at 18-18 for halftime. One of the second quarter’s key plays was a steal and lay up combination by Zalstein, clearly reminiscent of Yeshiva University point guard David Schaulewicz’s signature play. Both teams shot miserably for the half, well under 30% each. 9 Yavneh turnovers and 13 fouls kept Covenant in the game while Yavneh hung around on the strength of their defense allowing just 5 field goals for the entire half. The feeling at the half was that whichever team executed down the stretch would take control of the game. The Bulldogs may have lost the game in the opening minute of the third quarter. Three critical turnovers led to 6 quick Covenant points and suddenly the score was 24-18. A once dormant offensive attack from Covenant suddenly found John Magnuson looking like an All-America candidate. He really came alive in the second half, scoring most of his game-high 24 points. The lead swelled to 32-20 late in the third quarter when Pulitzer, back on the court, finished a huge three point play to stop the bleeding. An Erez Krengel lay up and a timely three pointer at the third quarter’s buzzer propelled Yavneh to within 34-28 heading to the fourth quarter. It was all starting to head the Bulldogs way but the one thing they could not afford was a start to the fourth quarter as they started the third. It happened. Yet another 6-0 Covenant run was fueled by more critical Yavneh turnovers. In the process, Pulitzer was back on the bench with his fourth foul and chances of any comeback was slim to none. The lead would grow as high as 16 with 4:38 to play at 46-30. The Yavneh press along with the best stretch of offensive basketball that Junior Michael San Soucie has ever played gave the Bulldogs a fighting chance at 48-38 with 2:58 left. San Soucie finished two tough opposite-handed lay ups off key steals. While Covenant tried to keep Yavneh in the game by over-aggressive shot selection, Krengel’s three point chance to cut the lead to 7 rimmed the basket and with it went any chance that was left. The team’s traded free throws to finish the game and, other than a controversial intentional foul called on Freshman Josh Karnett, the game rolled to an uneventful conclusion. Krengel led the Bulldogs with 18 points, while Pulitzer added 12 points in just 12 foul-plagued minutes.
Yavneh (13-7) will play a very talented Home School Athletic Association team Tuesday night. HSAA throttled the Bulldogs last season and has a veteran team returning. They have lost some key road games this season in the final seconds. Yavneh will have to battle to get back on the winning track.