In a thrilling showdown under Riverdale’s Saturday night lights a week ago, the SAR Sting unleashed an electrifying performance against the skilled TABC Storm. The TABC squad came dangerously close to blowing a late lead, but were able to edge out SAR with a nail-biting final score of 47-46. The relentless defense of TABC, combined with an impressive performance by Ayden Gurin, who canned five three-pointers, proved to be the winning formula.
Right from the outset, TABC showcased their defensive prowess, and led 23-14 at halftime. SAR found themselves thwarted at every turn by the unyielding TABC defense. Just when it seemed like the Sting were on the verge of surrender, a late resurgence ignited their hopes and the crowd.
With a minute and a half remaining in the third quarter and TABC ahead 33-18, SAR rallied. Jake Glick sank a crucial three-pointer, followed by a Sammy Teplitsky layup, slashing the deficit to a ten-point margin by the end of the period.
As the clock ticked down to three and a half minutes remaining, and with TABC holding a 41-33 lead, the tension began to escalate. Jake Glick's layup, coupled with a steal leading to another bucket, set the stage for a riveting comeback. The crowd erupted in excitement as SAR closed in on the Storm’s now slim advantage, overwhelming TABC with their lightning-fast ball movement. Teplitsky and Glick orchestrated a series of layups, setting the audience ablaze and leaving TABC in disbelief.
With just 13 seconds left, Jonathan Itzhaki's old-fashioned three-point play narrowed the gap to a heart-stopping one point, 47-46. A swift possession change gave SAR a throw-in with 6.9 seconds on the clock, and a chance to win it. The ball found its way to Itzhaki for a buzzer-beater attempt from beyond the arc, but the rock rattled off the rim, allowing TABC to secure the narrow victory in a spectacular finish.
TABC’s Eyal Kinderlehrer anchored their basket protection efforts and finished with 16 points and four rebounds. Gurin scored a game-high 18 points and also contributed three steals and three boards. This was a huge contest for both teams, as TABC sits atop the western conference with just two losses. SAR, meanwhile, is situated in a tight battle between themselves, JEC, Heschel, and Ohr Yisroel for three available playoff spots, and a win would have gone a long way towards securing a spot. The game’s intensity was further echoed by the crowd's roars, as both teams’ fans were left on the edge of their seats until the final buzzer. These two teams will rematch in Teaneck on January 30th.