Blog Archives

Week 6: Playoff Brackets Set

5/30/2021

by Ilan Katz

The last undefeated team in the FM Home Loans IBL goes down, while the Reishit Studs win a thriller in a game with key playoff implications.
For an updated look at the playoff bracket, go to http://afisports.weebly.com/playoff-bracket.html

Chovat Piaseczna 60, Neveh Fighters 45
Chovat needed a win and they got it, but unfortunately for them, it was not enough to secure a Tier 1 bid. The young men from TVA, who were led by Josh Hyman’s 22 points, instead earn the top seed in Tier 2, with a shot at the AFI Cup. The Fighters took some time to adjust to the level of play of the FM Home Loans IBL, but they have gotten tougher as the season has gone on.

Imrei Binah 55, Neveh Fighters 44
Kobi Schuman (20 points) led Imrei Binah to a crucial win, as they would secure the final spot in Tier 1. They will look to upset top-seeded Symphony Care Network in their quarterfinal matchup. The Fighters, meanwhile, will also have upset on their mind, as they open Tier against the higher-ranked Hot Poppers. They were led by Eli Raider, who also had 20 points in this one.

DNA Lab Center 45, Probstein 123 Midrash Ballers 42
Naftali Wallach of DNA Lab Center led all scorers with 19 points, but even a hard-fought win wasn’t enough to earn a shot at the top trophy. His team finishes the regular season at 3-4 and gets a first-round bye in Tier 2. The Ballers were led by Nat Assayag (15 points) and Yisrael Probstein (13). They will face Sherlocks Hats in their Tier 2 opener.

SINAI Schools 59, Symphony Care Network 50
There will be no undefeated regular season, as SINAI Schools upsets previously 6-0 Symphony Care Network. Danny Weinberger and Gavi Domsky each scored in double-figures for SINAI Schools, who essentially clinched a Tier 1 berth with this win. Yisroel Wasser scored a game-high 23 points for SCN, who still earned the #1 overall seed due to a tiebreaker over Yeshiva League Pass. They will play Egert and Cohen in their quarterfinal Tier 1 match.

Reishit Studs 46, TC Gold Seals 45
The new kids on the block defeat the veteran-laden team in a game with Tier 1 seeding implications. The Studs (5-2), who were undermanned in this game, earn the 4-seed and will play Good Guys in the Tier 1 quarterfinal. The Gold Seals (4-3) fall to the 6-seed and will take on SINAI Schools in their QF matchup.

SINAI Schools 56, Sherlocks Hats 45
No letdown performance for SINAI Schools following their monumental win earlier in the week. Danny Weinberger (23 points) had his second great performance of the week, as SINAI Schools (5-2) closes out the regular season with its third straight win and earns the 3-seed in Tier. They will take on TC Gold Seals in the quarterfinals. Sherlocks Hats (2-5) will face Probstein 123 Midrash Ballers in the Tier 2 opening round.

Yeshiva League Pass 77, Hot Poppers 66
In a fast-paced, high-scoring shootout, the Hot Poppers were able to hang with the elite Yeshiva League Pass for much of the game, but simply didn’t have enough gas to pull off the upset. YLP (6-1) earns the 2nd overall seed and will face Imrei Binah in the Tier 1 quarterfinal, while Hot Poppers (2-5) take aim at the AFI Cup in Tier, opening against the Neveh Fighters.

0 Comments

Week 5: Playoff Picture Comes into Focus

5/23/2021

0 Comments

by Ilan Katz

The league’s best record remains unblemished as we enter the stretch run of the 2021 FM Home Loans IBL regular season. A huge logjam in the middle of the standings creates incredible drama over the season’s final two weeks.

Symphony Care Network 44, TC Gold Seals 32
Symphony Care Network extends their league-best record to 6-0 and, with just one regular-season game remaining, have a great chance to finish undefeated. The Gold Seals were led by Chesky Lewin’s 13 points and drop to 4-2 on the season. They will look to bounce back next game.

SINAI Schools 56, Egert and Cohen 41
Jackie Haber’s 18 points weren’t enough for Egert and Cohen, who finish their regular season at 3-4. They still have hope to qualify for Tier 1 of the playoffs, depending on next week’s results. SINAI Schools, who had five players score at least seven points, bounce back with a crucial win after dropping two straight games. They are 3-2 entering their stretch run, and one win in their final two games should secure a Tier 1 bid.

Chovat Piaseczna 46, Probstein 123 Midrash Ballers 37
Nat Assayag of the Ballers had 18 points, but it wasn’t enough to defeat the scrappy guys from TVA of Chovat Piaseczna. Josh Hyman led Piaseczna with 12 points as they finally come out on the right side of a close game. Piaseczna improved to 2-3 with this win, and the Ballers fall to 1-4, though each team had another game later in the week.

DNA Lab Center 36, Neveh Fighters 30
The Fighters finally lived up to their nickname in this instant classic, but DNA Lab Center outscored the Fighters 6-0 in overtime to notch its second win of the season. The Fighters are still looking for their first victory and will have two more opportunities to try and do so. Neveh was led by 21 points from star guard Eli Raider, while DNA Lab Center got 17 points from Yehuda Rabinowitz.

Reishit Studs 61, Probstein 123 Midrash Ballers 37
The Studs were led by Eli Jesselson (18 points) and Jonah Eber (16) as they ran the Ballers out of the gym. Reishit improves to 4-2 on the season, all but assuring them a spot in in Tier 1, while the Ballers will likely settle for a spot in Tier 2, where they will be tough competition.

Good Guys 57, Chovat Piaseczna 45
In a chippy battle, the Good Guys were able to stave off a late Chovat Piaseczna run to snap a two-game losing skid. Morris Tobias had 18 points for the Good Guys, while Chovat Piaseczna was led by another good game from Josh Hyman, who finished with 15 points. Chovat Piaseczna drops to 2-4, with a must-win final game coming up in Week 6.

Good Guys 51, DNA Lab Center 43
Tired legs and a late DNA Lab Center push made this one closer than the Good Guys would have liked, but they complete a two-win day to improve to 4-2 on the season. DNA Lab Center drops to 2-4 and is yet another team that desperately needs a win for a shot at the Tier 1 playoffs. David Sasson (DNA Lab Center) was the game’s leading scorer with 19 points.

Yeshiva League Pass 53, Sherlocks Hats 26
Ethan Aaron and Raanan Glashofer (15 points each) outscored Sherlocks on their own, as Yeshiva League Pass won their 4th straight game, improving their season record to 5-1 in the process. Sherlocks Hats simply didn’t have enough firepower to compete with the league’s elite, and they have now dropped four of their past five games. Sherlocks is yet another team that needs to win their final game for a shot at Tier 1.

Imrei Binah 52, Hot Poppers 41
In a game with tremendous postseason ramifications, Imrei gets the vital victory they needed, improving to 3-3 on the season with a great shot at Tier 1. With the loss, the Hot Poppers become one of four 2-4 teams in the standings.

0 Comments

Week 4: One Undefeated Team Remains as Action Heats Up

5/18/2021

0 Comments

by Ilan Katz

Some close matchups included Symphony Care Network improving to 5-0 as the last unbeaten team. Egert and Cohen and Yeshiva League Pass were also impressive, each notching a pair of wins on the week.

Egert and Cohen 69, Hot Poppers 41
In their first of two back-to-back games, Egert and Cohen had the hot hand en route to a comfortable 28-point victory. Star guard Jackie Haber led them once again, scoring 23 points in this match. The rebranded Hot Poppers were coming off their first win of the season and would get another shot at a win later in the week.

Egert and Cohen 64, Probstein 123 Midrash Ballers 45
The hot shooting continued for Egert and Cohen, with their second 60+ scoring output in one night, an impressive feat for the FM Home Loans IBL. We’re running out of superlatives to describe Haber, who 31 points in this one, 22 in the first half alone. Egert and Cohen has now won three straight after starting the season 0-3. Haber outdueled fellow scoring machine Nat Assayag, who had 25 points for the Ballers in a losing effort.

Symphony Care Network 53, SINAI Schools 30
SINAI Schools looked like one of the league’s top teams through their first two games but have dropped back-to-back tough ones. They were shorthanded in this one, though, and will be a tough matchup for any team during the stretch run. On the other side, Symphony Care Network has proven themselves as the team to beat thus far. Moshe Wasser had 26 points to lead his team to their fourth victory on the season.

Sherlocks Hats 51, Neveh Fighters 25
As per usual, Sherlocks used a balanced scoring attack, with no player scoring more than 10 points. They snap a three-game skid with this crucial victory. Neveh continues to face a difficult adjustment to league play, as they are still searching for that elusive first victory.

Reishit Studs 46, Chovat Piaseczna 42
In a battle of two promising teams, Reishit pulls away with a big win. The Studs continue to win with balance, with four of their players going for at least 10 points. Chovat Piaseczna continue to come out on the wrong side of close games. They are now 1-3 on the season, but one of those three losses came in OT and the other two were by a combined five points.

Yeshiva League Pass 71, Good Guys 48
This was a highly anticipated matchup between two of the league’s more impressive teams to date. But Yeshiva League Pass came out to determine they are in the elite tier of the FM Home Loans IBL. Led by 25 points from Moshe Heller, they put on an offensive showcase. Edward Benjamin led Good Guys with 12 points in the loss.

Yeshiva League Pass 61, Reishit Studs 44
It was the second game of the day for both teams, but that didn’t stop them from putting on an exciting show. Yeshiva League Pass continued to assert their dominance, though it wasn’t without a fight from Reishit. The Studs were led by point guard Eli Jesselson, who scored 13 points in the match. His team fell to 3-2 on the season, still in the upper echelon of the standings.

Symphony Care Network 55, Good Guys 52
The two teams that entered Week 4 undefeated squared off and Symphony Care Network exits with the league’s last unblemished record. The Good Guys had a rough week, losing two games, but should keep their heads held high. They lost to arguably the top two teams in the league. Brighter days will be ahead.

Hot Poppers 49, DNA Lab Center 47
Hot Poppers won this thriller in dramatic fashion, holding off a starving DNA Lab Center team still looking for their first victory. Hami Alexander led the Hot Poppers with 14 points as they improve their record to 2-3 on the season after an 0-2 start. DNA Lab Center is 0-4 on the season but battle hard, as they showed in this valiant effort.

TC Gold Seals 51, Imrei Binah 46
It was an old-fashioned scoring duel between Chesky Lewin of Gold Seals and Moshe Gross of Imrei Binah. Each player had 25 points in this exhilarating matchup, which Gold Seals took by a close margin. Gold Seals are now tied for second place in the league at 4-1. They have won four straight games since dropping their season opener. Imrei Binah joins a logjam of 2-3 teams in the middle of the standings.

0 Comments

Week 3: Symphony Care Network and Good Guys Still Unbeaten

5/9/2021

0 Comments

by Ilan Katz

Week 3 brought some dazzling scoring performances and one defensive nail biter along with some dominating victories. Several teams have begun to separate themselves from the pack.

Gold Seals 25, Chovat Piaseczna 24
In the most thrilling game of the weekend, the Gold Seals continue to win with their defense. In the first half, the Gold Seals grabbed an early lead before Micah Cohen of Piasecnzna went on a personal 7-0 scoring run. But the Gold Seals regrouped and made their opponent earn every point the rest of the way. With the game on the line, Piaseczna star Josh Hyman saw his potential game-winning midrange jumper barely roll off the rim, as his team loses its second consecutive heartbreaker. Gold Seals, meanwhile, have bounced back from a season-opening loss to win three straight games.

Good Guys 52, Neveh Fighters 29
The Good Guys remain undefeated in this comfortable victory. They won by 23 points, which equaled the personal output of leading scorer Zack Cytryn. Neveh has faced an adjustment to the FM Home Loans IBL, which is typical of younger teams. The Good Guys, meanwhile, have been playing together for a while, and it shows in their cohesiveness.

Egert and Cohen 53, Imrei Binah 32
Backed by 19 points from star guard Jackie Haber, Egert and Cohen pick up their first win of the season. Alan Sassoon also contributed with 12 points, including eight in the first half. Yosef Groman led Imrei Binah with 10 points in a losing effort, as they dropped to 1-2 on the season in their first of two games on the week.

Imrei Binah 51, Probstein 123 Midrash Ballers 37
Yosef Groman led Imrei in scoring once again, this time going for 20 points. Imrei Binah is now 2-2 on the season, alternating losses and wins with each game. Midrash, meanwhile, was led by 14 points by Nat Assayag. The Ballers have also alternated losses and wins, though they have played one fewer game than Imrei, and their record stands at 1-2.

Symphony Care Network 76, Egert and Cohen 47
Symphony Care Network put on an offensive clinic, their 76 points scored the most any team has achieved in a single game this season. Three of their players scored at least 15 points, led by 22 from point guard Moshe Wasser. Egert and Cohen was led by 18 points from Alan Sassoon, and they dropped to 1-3 on the season. SCN is one of two undefeated teams at 3-0.

DNA Lab Center 51, Sherlocks Hats 35
DNA Lab Center finally broke through into the win column, following a tough overtime loss last week. Azriel Feldman and Chanoch Brukirer had 12 points each for the winning team. Sherlocks loses their first of two games this week.

Reishit Studs 65, Neveh Fighters 13
Five Reishit players scored at least nine points, led by 18 from Jonah Eber. Ari Ofman provided elite rim protection as Reishit cruised to a very comfortable win. The Studs are now 2-1 on the season, while Neveh is still looking for its first win, sitting at 0-3.

Yeshiva League Pass 58, SINAI Schools 51
The anticipated matchups between two FM Home Loans IBL heavyweights was won by Yeshiva League Pass in impressive fashion. Moshe and Aharon Heller combined to score more than half of YLP’s points as their squad bounced back from last week’s loss to Symphony Care Network. They are now tied in the standings with SINAI schools at 2-1.

Hot Poppers 59, Sherlocks Hats 46
In the final game of the weekend, the shorthanded Hot Poppers won their season debut. Judah Klein of the Hot Poppers led all scorers with 20 points. On the opposite end, Sherlocks continue to struggle, as they have lost their past three games following a season-opening win over Imrei Binah.

0 Comments

Three Teams Remain Unbeaten After Two Weeks

5/3/2021

0 Comments

by Ilan Katz

Symphony Care Network, SINAI Schools, and The Good Guys all looked impressive in improving to 2-0 on the young season. Chovat Piaseczna’s completes an incredible comeback to earn their first victory.

Probstein 123 Midrash Ballers 45, Neveh Fighters 24
The Fighters were down a couple of key players in their season debut, but that shouldn’t take anything away from the big Ballers win. Nat Assayag had another strong performance, scoring 12 points in the first half, as Probstein 123 cruised to a victory to even their record at 1-1. The Fighters will look to get to full strength and into the win column their next time out.

Chovat Piaseczna’s 46, Egert & Cohen 43
Josh Hyman of Chovat Piaseczna’s blocked Jackie Haber’s last-ditch three-point attempt in the waning seconds, as the young men from TVA were able to grab their first win of the season. Chovat was down by 15 points but went on a huge second half run to stun Egert & Cohen. Hyman led the victors with 16 points, while his counterpart Haber looks like one of the more prolific scorers in the league. He led all scorers with 22 points, following a 21-point outing a week ago.

TC Gold Seals 44, Levy 32
The Gold Seals have bounced back from their season-opening loss to win two straight, this win sending Levy to their second straight loss. The veteran Gold Seals were favorites coming in, but Levy kept it close until the final few minutes. Chesky Lewin led TC with 13 points, while Eli Lowenstein paced Levy with 18 of his own, accounting for more than half of his team’s scoring output.

Imrei Binah 44, DNA Lab Center 34 (OT)
After dropping a close one to Sherlocks Hats a week ago, Imrei Binah came out hungry tonight and outscored DNA Lab Center 10-0 in overtime to grab an important first win. Dovid Zelikovych had 17 points in the win. Azriel Feldman and Nate Wallach each scored in double figures for DNA Lab Center in the losing effort.

SINAI Schools 57, Reishit Studs 37
Two of the top teams in the league met on Friday and SINAI Schools jumped out to a 20-point halftime lead and hung on to win by the same margin. Danny Weinberger and Gavi Domsky each scored in double figures for SINAI Schools as they improve to 2-0 on the season. Jonah Eber made his season debut for the Studs and led them with 19 points, but it wasn’t enough, as Reishit moves to 1-1.

The Good Guys 68, Sherlocks Hats 35
The Good Guys continue to roll, as they have utilized a very deep bench to steamroll their first two opponents, winning by an average of 29 points. Morris Tobias of the Good Guys scored 20 points, leading all scorers. Sherlocks Hats didn’t come in with the same fire they had in their season-opening win, and couldn’t contain the Good Guys on the defensive end. They will look to get back on track in their next game.

Symphony Care Network 52, Yeshiva League Pass 48
Yisroel Wasser was the star for Symphony Care Network, making big shot after big shot down the stretch. He showed off his tremendous range from the point guard spot, and Yeshiva League Pass did not have an answer for him defensively. Moshe Heller was impressive with 12 points in defeat, as YLP drops to 1-1. Symphony Care is looking very formidable in their 2-0 start.

0 Comments

Authors

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”.

Week 6: Playoff Brackets Set

Week 5: Playoff Picture Comes into Focus

Week 4: One Undefeated Team Remains as Action Heats Up

Week 3: Symphony Care Network and Good Guys Still Unbeaten

Three Teams Remain Unbeaten After Two Weeks

Authors

Archives

Categories