11-10-2011 | Cooper Macs Defeat NSHA 47-40, Score First Upset in Tournament

11-10-2011 | Cooper Macs Defeat NSHA 47-40, Score First Upset in Tournament

By Cooper Invitational Staff

The home town team, the Cooper Yeshiva Macs, took the court with a full complement of seasoned and new players: Gabe and Seth Goldstein, Bentzi Kampf, Ethan and Jeremy Cooper, Ian Eckhardt, Justin Wruble, Isaac Graber, Eli Osdoba, Asher Silbermann, Bryan Itkowitz, and Efroni Schlesinger. Coooper won the tip-off, but Northshore scored the first bucket. Justin Wruble of the Macs hit a 3 to put Memphis in the lead, but it did not last for long as Northshore roared back. Ethan Cooper tied the score with a floating jumper and Eli Osdoba scored three baskets in quick succession to bring the Macs within one at the end of the first quarter with Northshore still leading 12-11.

Osdoba opened the second half with a three pointer to take the lead for the Macs, but Bryan Itkowitz, the Macs 6’2″ Center went to the bench with three fouls. With the Goldstein brothers coming to the rescue, Osdoba continued to hit threes for the Macs. Stars forward Benjamin Hakakian brought his team within 4 as the half ended with a score of Macs 23 – Stars 19.

In a run and gun third quarter, the lead never changed hands as the Macs ended the quarter up 31 to 24. With the home team fans cheering the Macs on, the gym was crazy as both teams battle out every play with every possession counting.

The Stars played tough on every play, and played with fierce and fought to the end. The key for the Macs was the free throw shooting down the stretch, which allowed them to keep their slim lead. When the final buzzer sounded, the Cooper Macs had pulled off the only upset of day 1, beating Northshore 47-40.

The Cooper Macs continue on into Tier 1 taking on MTA for a chance at the Final Four, while Northshore is sent packing down to Tier 2 for the second time in 3 years by the Macs where they hope to get their shine on tomorrow.