Yavneh defeated Irving The Highlands School 68-48 Tuesday night in a TAPPS 3A Round of 32 BI-DISTRICT playoff game. The win improves the Bulldogs record to 31-4 (10-0).
Adam Schor, Sam Kleinman, and Steve Levine all tallied double figures as Yavneh stormed back into the TAPPS playoffs, making a close halftime score a runaway down the stretch Tuesday. Excited to have at least one home playoff game, the Bulldogs took all of 2.6 seconds to get on the scoreboard as Kleinman found Ori Guttman for an uncontested layup. Posts Itai Guttman and Adam Schor established their dominance early to claim a 6-3 edge but Highlands slowed the tempo and brought the game to a screeching halt for several minutes after that. Steve Levine scored a pair of early baskets, the latter of which came on a nice sweeping drive with contact to make the score 8-4. Itai Guttman’s halfcourt steal and llama-like finish all the way to the hoop opened an early 6 point advantage at 10-4. Highlands turnovers cost them early and often providing Yavneh with several open court opportunities. They crept to within 3 points but that was answered by a kick-ball assist from posts Guttman to Schor. The other Guttman swiped a pass as Ori fed Senior David Rudomin in transition for a 14-7 lead. The Guttmans then completed the period with a two-brother inside connection for an 18-10 lead. The Bulldogs out-shot Highlands 60-27%, turned the ball over only once compared to 7 forced, and won the rebounding 11-5. The game had every indication of a romp to that point. Yavneh benefited from 6 dead-ball easy points that Highlands look befuddled on but at 20-13 the game suddenly took a left turn. With serious foul trouble mounting for both sides, the Yavneh rhythm seemed to be more adversely affected than the Blazers, who had not done much of anything. Schor was able to dominate a 3 minute stretch in which he scored three inside baskets and had a monster blocked shot that was actually blocked 5 times all in one motion. With both teams in the foul bonus and still 6 minutes to play in the half, both teams needed alternate scoring options. Steve Levine apparently watched the entire Superman box set over the weekend because he was a true hero on this night. After assisting Schor on one basket, he went coast to coast, grabbed a pair of rebounds, and nailed a triple off a pass from Jason Epstein. Highlands lead guard Patrick Powers was at times almost as good, scoring 14 first half points and keeping his team within striking distance. Having trimmed the lead to 6 points, Powers watched Levine respond by driving right to the rack. The Bulldogs held a slim 31-25 lead at halftime but did they ever have issues. Out-rebounded 19-2 in the second period and connecting on just 2 for 8 from the free throw line, Yavneh seemed to be playing with fire. They had serious foul issues and without 12 points from Levine who knows what the score could have been.
Playing like a team whose alarm clock had the wrong time zone but finally did go off, the Red and Black shot out of a cannon to begin the second half. Sam Kleinman bulleted a pass to Ori Guttman in the corner for a ringing three ball and Itai Guttman bulled his way to the basket for a 36-27 edge. Kleinman’s first long-awaited three pointer provided the game-high 12 point lead with 4:56 to play in the third period. Powers continued to provide the offense for Highlands, connecting on a pair of way back threes of his own but the difference in the depth of these two teams was becoming apparent. Schor followed a miss with a chirping 4 foot rainbow for 43-30 and the game was on the verge of getting out of hand. A 6-2 Highlands run cut the lead to 9 points on the heals of a Joey Schaad potential 4-point play. With the missed free throw, however, came the game sealing Yavneh 7-0 run over the final 2:45 of the third quarter. The spurt was comprised of a trio of assisted plays. Levine found Kleinman cutting to the basket, Kleinman set up Schor for a great reverse layup, and then it was Levine’s corner three pointer off a feed from Kleinman that broke the game open at 52-36. Threatening to become the third straight Bulldog opponent to notch 25+ points with 20 through three periods of play, Powers was powered off by some great Jason Epstein defense to begin the final stanza. Suddenly the magic was gone for the pesky guard, and there was simply nowhere else for Highlands to turn to. Levine continued to make the plays as he got into the lane for a fancy dish to Schor for one of four potential three point plays that the Bulldogs failed to convert. In fact, Yavneh’s charity shooting was a grisly 10/19 when you consider that Kleinman and classmate Adam Steinbrecher ended the game by hitting their last 8 for 8. This last failed conversion by Schor was a blessing in disguise, however, as he managed a one-handed, eyes-closed volleyball spike follow off the ensuing possession. Moments later Junior Grant Prengler was the final beneficiary of Levine’s stellar logistics operation as he flipped in a baseline jumper for a 60-41 lead. The game got super scrappy down the stretch but Highlands never again posed a serious threat on the scoreboard. Adam Schor led the way with 22 points, 11 rebounds, and 4 blocks. Steve Levine is still signing autographs with the monster 15 point, 7 rebound, 4 assist masterpiece. All Sam Kleinman did was chip in 13 points and 8 casual assists, connecting on all 6 of his free throws to close the game out.
Yavneh (31-4) has still never lost a TAPPS home playoff game and this is the challenge for Frisco Legacy Christian during the Round of 16 Area playoff round. Legacy Christian finished 2nd in their district but will have their hands full entering a gym where the home team has not lost in over a full calendar year now, against a team that has won 15 games in a row, and being the only opposition that stands in the way of a Bulldogs state Quarterfinal appearance.
The Kennel Report, now in its tenth season, has been written by…
Zack Pollack
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