Yavneh defeated Harvest Christian Academy of Watauga, Texas 76-25 Tuesday night in a TAPPS 3A Round of 16 AREA playoff game. The win improves the Bulldogs record to a still unbroken 30-0 and keeps the season alive.
The second season did not begin well for a Yavneh team that ran wild through 29 games of the regular season. Trailing 2-0 and searching for answers against a seemingly stellar Harvest Christian zone defense, a gym nearly over the state mandated legal occupancy was on HIGH TENSION ALERT. Those 78 seconds of uncertainty, doubt, anxiety, and hopelessness were enough to appreciate the mauling to come in this Area playoff tilt. A possession that saw a trio of Bulldogs offensive rebounds but no points ended with a foot on the end line turning the ball back over to the Saints. All that did was ignite the Yavneh pressure defense to force turnovers on every one of the next 8 defensive trips. Ofek Reef swiped the first steal of the night that resulted in a free throw. Griffin Levine Sr had a theft for a touchdown and was the beneficiary of a Jonah Eber appropriation. The Bulldogs spent the next 4 minutes of game time playing on a single half of the court and simply turned the game into a three-ring circus with all the rings pointed towards the Yavneh offensive basket. On one hand Harvest Christian was flawless from the field and shooting 100% nearly 5 minutes into this basketball game. On the other gigantic paw was the fact that they got shot attempts on only the two trips they scored on and were busy at work handing the ball over to the Bulldogs on a silver platter in 9 other possessions. Pierce Bell stole one basketball that ended up right back in his hands for a layup courtesy of a lead pass from Levine for a 15-4 lead. Sam Schultz entered the game and wasted no time in getting his first steal/assist to Reef as the margin ballooned to 19-4. The game was already on its way south when it was signed, sealed, and delivered by a sure TOP 10 of the season nominee courtesy of Griffek, a science experiment that is soon to be released to the general public in blue, pink, and burnt orange. Levine threw his best dime of the season in the perfect spot for Reef to collect at the peak of his elevation and emphatically posterize the entire city of Watauga. That true alleyoop may have ended this game at 21-4 but even the Saints fans in attendance were at peace with the fact that they made the trip to see this show. 27-6 was the lead after one period of play for Yavneh where the story was super simple. 75% blazing shooting for Harvest Christian (3/4) paled in comparison to their 13 turnovers that totally neutralized any efficiency. Most teams yielding 75% shooting would be in hot water but the Bulldogs were sprinting away with this game by the second. Bell scored 10 quick points to begin the second period. Two triples off the helping hands of Levine and Eber started the festivities but two more quick Eber assists started to really push the lead to new heights. Bell was just waiting under the basket to complete the back end of layup drills while the passes just seemed to bring him right to the rim. The pinpoint passing continued as Schultz found Tyler C Winton for a straight away trifecta and a 42-12 edge. Against a team that Noah Rubinstein just last season tied the school’s all-time single game assists record at 13, Levine and Eber combined for 17 helpers while Schultz added 5 more. It was a passing clinic once again for the Bulldogs, who held a 44-14 halftime advantage. They were outshot 63-51% but held a decisive turnover advantage of 21-2 over the Saints in one of the top 3 ball security games in school history.
The final Yavneh home half of the season was a coronation of a season that has been spectacular for this group. Levine, Reef, and Bell were as sharp as they have been at any point this year and virtually everyone that entered the game played well on this night behind them. Eber notched another couple of assists to Levine for a three ball and then Bell at the rim yet again. Levine’s subsequent steal set up Reef for a second jam special. Reef would find Bell for a buzzer beating layup that ended the third period with a 66-20 lead as a rare running clock playoff game sent the gargantuan crowd home fairly early. The final stanza was a Sophomore Soiree. Mason Schwaber was hard at work in the post with 4 second half field goals. One innovative move off a feed from Winton had the Saints defenders spinning to nowhere trying to defend Mt Mason. Eli Minsky picked up a rebound and a slick assist late while Levine’s high octane swag finish recorded the 70th point of the evening, Micah Romaner picked up a late power rebound, and a Seth Gerstenfeld free throw headlined the Seniors final moments on their home court in a competitive basketball game. Winton’s Drive Home Safely rack attack completed the scoring for the Bulldogs and immediately triggered a focus to the Regional Final. Griffin Levine finished his home career with a nice 22-point performance to go along with 9 assists and 5 steals while Pierce Bell also produced 22 points and had 9 rebounds. Ofek Reef pitched in a 13-point, 6 rebound effort while Jonah Eber amazingly passed his way to 8 assists during crunch time. The dynamic Sophomore duo of Tyler Winton and Mason Schwaber added 8 points apiece as well in the playoff win.
Yavneh (30-0) has cracked 30 wins for a second straight season. Their perfect home record has now stretched two full seasons at the SRC and they will now attempt win a trio of neutral site games to secure a State’s championship. But it will not be easy as Willow Park’s Trinity Christian will be out for blood and the trip to the State Final 4 that the Bulldogs took away from them one year ago, in this very game. Can The Red-and-Black put together a 31st win to get back to the Final 4? What is in store for the final chapter of this Senior class and the legacy they will ultimately leave? After starting their playoff run with an under .500 opponent is this squad ready to step into the deep end of the pool and defeat three of the top teams in 3A standing between they and the ultimate prize?
ONLY TIME WILL TELL!!!
The Kennel Report, now in its 14th season, is written by…
Zack Pollack M&M TL-BW-SP-BR