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FM Home Loans IBL Playoffs Set to Begin

2/24/2020

by Ilan Katz

The regular season concluded in style and the playoffs are set to begin this coming weekend. Here is a preview of the FM Home Loans IBL Playoffs.

Tier I: FM Home Loans Championship Trophy

Byes:
(1) KHK/SZG Investments – the men from Grus finish the regular season at 6-1 and earn the #1 overall seed through a tiebreaker (aggregate record of opponents defeated). They are coming off an impressive finale in which they beat #3 seed B-Woods, 52-43. They’ll take on the winner of Gold Seals/KMK. They defeated Gold Seals by a mere five points previously and didn’t match up with KMK in the regular season.

(2) B-Woods – the guys from Los Angeles couldn’t finish their quest for an undefeated season, but perhaps it will allow them to refocus properly for the postseason. B-Woods will face the Lobos/All-American Poly winner, each of whom they defeated in the regular season.

(3) Tommy’s Midrash Ballers – the ballers finished off the season in style, defeating Symphony Care Network in a 48-42 close call. They enter the playoffs on a three-game winning streak. They await the winner of the Papa’s Fried Potatoes vs. Ashreinu Holy Bagel 1st round matchup.

(4) Yeshiva League Pass – YL Pass is reeling a bit entering the postseason, so perhaps a two-week bye will do them good as they wait for a winner to emerge in the matchup between Project Tzitis and Kol Hanearim. They have yet to meet up with either team.

Tier I 1st round matchups:

(5) Project Tzitzis vs (12) Kol Hanearim
This rematch will be just one week after Project Tzitzis ended Kol Hanearim’s winning streak with a 50-35 victory. These two teams play very contrasting styles, with Kol Hanearim looking to push with every opportunity and Project Tzitzis preferring to walk the ball up the floor most of the time and executing in the halfcourt.

(6) Papa’s Fried Potatoes vs (11) Ashreinu Holy Bagel
Another rematch from the last week of the regular season, this one also won by the higher seed, with Papa’s pulling out a seven-point win this past week. Ashreinu had been playing great ball down the stretch, so they will hope to regroup and recapture some of that magic to have a chance at pulling off the upset.

(7) Lobos vs (10) All American Poly
All American Poly won the first iteration of this matchup, which was this past week’s FM Home Loans Game of the Week, by a final score of 51-36. So, the Lobos will be out for revenge. We’ve said all year that AAP was better than its record, so it would be wise to ignore the seed differential in this battle.

(8) Gold Seals vs (9) KMK
These teams did not match up in the regular season and each finished with a 4-3 record. KMK plays a high-intensity, high-pressure defense, and it should be an excellent battle against Gold Seals’ methodical, ball-moving offense.

Tier II: AFI Gold Cup

Bye: (1) Kol Hanearim – the young men from Yeshivat Hakotel miss out on Tier I by virtue of tiebreakers, though they earn the lone Tier II bye. They await the winner of the Loketch Group/The Chaburah matchup.

Tier II first-round matchups

(4) The Loketch Group vs (5) The Chaburah
The Chaburah won the regular-season matchup in a defensive struggle by a score of 24-21, so the Loketch Group will be out for retribution.

(3) Symphony Care Network (6) Team Piaseczna
Symphony Care Network looked really stout in nearly upsetting Tommy’s Midrash Ballers in the final week of the regular season. Piasecna has really struggled down the stretch.

(2) Zalman’s Hot Dawgz (7) Nesiv HaTorah
Zalman’s won the first game between these teams just a few weeks ago by a score of 61-43. Nesiv HaTorah looks to snap out of their five-game losing streak.

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Tommy’s Takes Down Project Tzitzis in Instant Classic; Conglomerate of Middling Teams Desperate for Tier I

2/16/2020

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by Ilan Katz

With the regular season winding down, many teams’ playoff fates will come down to the final game. Here’s how they did on the second-to-last weekend of the regular season.

Tommy’s Midrash Ballers 54, Project Tzitzis 53
The FM Home Loans Game of the Week (streamed live on our Facebook page) lived up to its billing yet again, as Tommy’s hands Project Tzitzis its first defeat of the year. Led by the red-hot shooting Liron Benharush. (17 points) and the always reliable Nat Assayag (15 points), the Ballers chipped away at a double-digit second half deficit and iced the game thanks to a pair of free throws from Adam Motovich. Project Tzitzis is now 4-1, while Tommy’s moves to 5-1, inching closer to a first-round bye in the Tier I playoffs.

Gold Seals 52, The Chaburah Cubs 43
This game looked like it was headed for a blowout as the Gold Seals started the game up 10-0 and were up 31-15 at the half. But Chaim Katz (17 points) and co. brought the Chaburah back, as they started the second half on a 17-8 run and eventually got within three points of the Gold Seals. Unfortunately for them, they eventually ran out of gas. Gold Seals get to an even 3-3 on the season, while The Chaburah drops to 2-4.

Lobos 46, Loketch Group 27
This battle between two league veteran teams was won easily by Lobos. The Lobos made a deep run in last year’s Tier I playoffs, and look in position to potentially repeat. They are now 3-2 with two games remaining in their regular season. The Loketch Group, meanwhile, drops to 2-4 on the season as they lost their second straight game.

All American Poly 69, Team Piaseczna 33
As mentioned in last week’s recap, All American Poly is a much better team than their record indicates. Each of these teams entered this matchup at 1-4 on the year, but the scoring margin is more indicative of the difference in skill level. All American Poly, who were led by 26 points from Ari Eisenberger and 20 from Zevi Gralla, will need to win their final regular season game and get some help to qualify for Tier I. Piaseczna was paced by 16 points from Mendy Kanofsky.

KHK/SZG Investments 64, Symphony Care Network 46
Yisroel Feld once again led all scorers, netting 28 points in the KHK/SZG Investments victory. His team moves to 5-1 on the season, hoping to secure a Tier I first-round bye. Symphony Care Network, who played more competitive than the final score indicates, is another 2-4 team that will need to win and get help to qualify for Tier I. Otherwise, they would be one of the top Tier II teams in that field.

Papa’s Fried Potatoes 48, KMK 41
The Fried Potatoes have earned their way to a Tier I bid, as they now sit at 4-2 after this impressive victory against a very good KMK team. Made free throws by Papa’s down the stretch were the difference in a close game. Reuven Glashofer of KMK led his team with 14 points. KMK now sits at 3-3 and could use a win next week to secure a Tier I spot.

Zalman’s Hot Dawgz 61, Nesiv Hatorah 43
Shalom Dershowitz (18 points) led the Hot Dawgz, as usual. The win snapped a two-game losing streak and just barely keeps their Tier I hopes alive with a 2-4 record. Nesiv (1-5) will look to get ready for the Tier II playoffs in their final game after this tough loss.

Ashreinu Holy Bagel 42, Yeshiva League Pass 37
Ashreinu pulls off the upset of the week, as these teams entered the game three games apart in the standings. Max Mayerhoff (16 points), Aaron Weinstock (13), and Ariel Solomon (10) combined to score 39 of Ashreinu’s 42 points as the Holy Bagels move to 3-3 with their huge win. Yeshiva League Pass loses a close one for the second week in a row after starting the season 5-0. Their regular season is over, as they now await to see if their 5-2 record is enough to earn them a Tier I 1st round bye.

Kol Hanearim 60, Shtark Sharks 43
After starting the season 0-3, Kol Hanearim has looked like one of the scarier teams in the league, winning their past three games by an average of nearly 20 points per game. This game was close into the second half but, led by Moshe Wasserman (26 points) and Yehuda Wrotslavsky (18), pushed the pace and ran away over the final 10 minutes. Shtark Sharks were led by 14 points apiece from Jake Goldberg and Shlomo Meisels, and they now sit at 2-4 on the season.

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Week 6: Game of the Week Goes Down to the Wire; Logjam in Middle of Standings

2/10/2020

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by Ilan Katz

An exciting Week 6 of games included two top-tier matchups coming down to the wire, plus a cluster of teams sitting at 2-3 in the standings, setting up what should be an electrifying final two weeks of the regular season.

Tommy’s Midrash Ballers 49, The Chaburah 34

After Tommy’s got out to a big lead, Chaim Katz (17 points) brought The Chaburah to within a single possession, but that’s when Tommy’s put their foot back on the gas pedal and cruised to a 15-point victory. Nat Assayag (18 points) and Adam Motovich (16) of Tommy’s Midrash Ballers matched The Chaburah on their own, and the Ballers’ other pieces made the difference. Tommy’s moves to 4-1 with the win, while The Chaburah joins the logjam of 2-3 teams.

Project Tzitzis 46, All American Poly 45

All American Poly got out to a 4-point halftime lead in this evenly-matched, physical matchup, but Project Tzitzis emerged with the victory. Led by Shragi Peretz (23 points) who accounted for half of his team’s total output, Project Tzitzis moved to 4-0 and are one of two remaining undefeated teams. Down by 1 with under 10 seconds remaining, Peretz knocked down a pair of free throws, and All American Poly couldn’t convert a beautifully executed play on the other end. All American Poly has played arguably the toughest schedule in the league, and they fall to 1-4.

Papa’s Fried Potatoes 57, Zalman’s Hot Dawgz 40

The battle of delicious foods was won by the Fried Potatoes, who received double-digit scoring efforts from three different players. Moshe Goldring (15 points), Asher Kaufman (14). And David Lurie (12) helped Papa’s to a 20-plus point lead and built enough of a cushion to stave off a late Zalman’s push. Shalom Dershowitz led the Hot Dawgz, as he has all season long, with 15 points. The Hot Dawgz drop to 1-4 with the defeat, as Papa’s improves to 3-2.

B-Woods 52, Yeshiva League Pass 50

The FM Home Loans IBL Game of the Week certainly lived up to its billing, and may have been the game of the year. Each team came in at 5-0, with impressive resumes to date. B-Woods got off to a phenomenal start, making each of their first five shots, all from three-point range. They built a 12-point halftime lead, which extended to as many as 17 in the 2nd half. But YLP can never be counted out with its offensive firepower. Led this time by Aharon Heller (17 points), YLP managed to cut the deficit to just one basket, with a chance at tying in the final seconds, but couldn’t convert.

KHK/SZG Investments 57, Gold Seals 52

Yisroel Feld of KHK/SZG had 30 points, a league-high for the weekend, as he powers his team to a 4-1 record. After winning two in a row, Gold Seals has now dropped their past two by a combined seven points. They move to 2-3 in the crowded middle of the standings, where point differential will be key in determining playoff positioning.

Symphony Care Network 63, Loketch Group 37

Big things were expected of this SCN team headed into the season, and on this night they showed why. Although they are now just 2-3, they have the star-power to beat the top teams in the league. They are worth keeping an eye on if they can get into the Tier I playoffs. The Loketch Group had won two of their previous three, and they are also now 2-3 on the year.

Kol Hanearim 62, Team Piaseczna 24

Each of these teams entered the evening at 1-3, but Kol Hanearim was the more prepared team on this night, as can be inferred from the final score. They used tempo and ran all over the young men from TVA. Yehuda Wrotslavsky of Kol Hanearim led all scorers with 20 points, while his teammate Moshe Wasserman chipped in 15 points of his own.

Shtark Sharks 59, Lobos 55

Down by eight with 30 seconds remaining, the Lobos nearly pulled off a miraculous comeback, pulling to within three, but the Shtark Sharks made enough free throws to seal the victory and to move to 2-3. The Sharks were led by 23 points from Shlomo Meisels, while the Lobos had a superb effort from Elisha Rudman (22 points). The Lobos are now 2-2 on the season.

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Week 5: Top Teams Continue to Win Big

2/3/2020

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By Ilan Katz

Yeshiva League Pass and B-Woods win yet again, and are now the only two undefeated teams, with Tommy’s Midrash Shmuel and Project Tzitzis falling. Project Tzitzis had two opportunities for statement wins, but tired legs did them in in their second chance.

KMK 66, Zalman’s Hot Dawgz 56

The 10-point final spread is not completely indicative of how close and intense this battle was, though this was officially the first game of the season for KMK that wasn’t decided by two or fewer possessions. Yoni Snow was the hero for KMK, as he hit three clutch 3s from the top of the arc in the final minutes. He led four KMK double-digit scorers with 15 points. Zalman’s loses a hard-fought battle to drop to 1-3, while KMK moves to 3-2.

Yeshiva League Pass 71, Tommy’s Midrash Shmuel 51

Each team was down key players, but two players really stood out, one from each side. Moshe Heller continued his phenomenal scoring pace, netting a ho-hum 24 points in this one for YLP. Nat Assayag is a league veteran, and it showed on his way to matching Heller with 24 points of his own for Tommy’s. YLP improves to a stellar 5-0, while Tommy’s suffers its first defeat of the season, now sitting at 3-1.

B-Woods 55, Symphony Care Network 38

Another week, another win for B-Woods, who are tied with Yeshiva League Pass for a league-best 5-0 record. Zack Muller led the way with 17 points. Symphony Care Network had high expectations coming into the season, but a combination of bad luck and a tough schedule have them sitting at just 1-3 after four games.

Ashreinu Holy Bagel 33, The Chaburah 27

Chaim Katz had nearly half (13) of The Chaburah’s points, but it wasn’t enough to keep pace with the energetic Ashreinu, who were led by a combined scoring effort, mainly from Max Mayerhoff and Ariel Solomon. The Chaburah falls to 2-2 on the year, while Ashreinu improves to 2-3.

Loketch Group 48, Nesiv Hatorah 35

The Loketch Group has looked really good over the past few weeks. After starting the season 0-2, they have won two of their past three and look to keep pace with Tier I. Nesiv Hatorah got its offense back on track, more than tripling their offensive output from a week ago, but it wasn’t enough on this night. They fall to 1-4.

Project Tzitzis 59, Gold Seals 57

In the first of two games on the weekend for Project Tzitzis, they win a thriller against another top-tier team. Gold Seals usually max out their scoring in the 40s, so the pace in this one clearly favored Project Tzitzis, who moved to 3-0 with this one. The Gold Seals are now an even 2-2.

Lobos 45, Project Tzitzis 40

Project Tzitzis’ quest for an undefeated season ended in their second game of the weekend, as they couldn’t hang on against a surging Lobos team. Tired bodies may have been a valid excuse, but credit is due to Lobos, who have rebounded from a blowout loss to start the season to win their past two against credible teams.

Papa’s Fried Potatoes 53, Shtark Sharks 37

David Lurie led the Fried Potatoes with 14 points as his squad ends their two-game skid. Shlomo Meisels of Shtark Sharks led all scorers with 17 points, including five made 3-pointers. The hero for Papa’s was Asher Kaufman, whom teammates anointed “pickpocket gold medal winner” for his ballhawking defense. The Shtark Sharks can’t build on last week’s win and drop to 1-3.

KHK/SZG Investments 56, All American Poly 49

All American Poly has arguably played the toughest schedule of any team in the FM Home Loans IBL, so their 1-3 record should be taken with a grain of salt. That being said, KHK/SZG Investments was the better team in this back-and-forth affair, eventually securing a victory and improving to 3-0.

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Authors

Ari Adler is a sportswriter and video editor, based in Jerusalem.

Ilan Katz is a veteran author, sportscaster, analyst and organizational sports consultant. His first love in journalism is basketball, for which he has been doing play-by-play since his days as the lead broadcaster for the Yeshiva University Macabees, as well as the Red Saracheck Tournament. He anchors the FM Home Loans Israel Basketball League weekly broadcasts.

Monty Wayland is a journalist whose work is syndicated by the GAN News Network, and featured in media including The Jerusalem Post and Ha’aretz.
His latest book, co-authored with Figmentov Uri Magination, is “Fourth-and-T’fachim: What the NFL and the Babylonian Talmud Teach Us About the Dynamic Tension Between Technocratic and Substantive Systems of Codification, and Life”.

FM Home Loans IBL Playoffs Set to Begin

Tommy’s Takes Down Project Tzitzis in Instant Classic; Conglomerate of Middling Teams Desperate for Tier I

Week 6: Game of the Week Goes Down to the Wire; Logjam in Middle of Standings

Week 5: Top Teams Continue to Win Big

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