11-7-2014 | HAFTR Hawks Soarin’, sneak past NCJHS Jaguars, 52-50

11-7-2014 | HAFTR Hawks Soarin’, sneak past NCJHS Jaguars, 52-50

By: Shmuel Perl

In a game to see who would get to play in the Tier I Semifinals, the #6 HAFTR Hawks faced off against the #3 NCJHS Jaguars. The Hawks were coming off an excellent win against #11 Kohelet, while the Jaguars also had won their previous game against Cooper. This was a game that was defined by pressure defense and lots of fouling from both sides.

Both teams had easy opportunities on their first possessions, but neither team could convert. Two Jonathan Greenberg free throws opened up the scoring to give HAFTR a 2-0 lead. Edan Evenhaim responded with two free throws and a fast break layup to put the Jaguars up two. The Jaguars then forced another turnover and Noah Emanuel converted it into points on the other end. Coming out of a timeout, HAFTR found its rhythm forcing turnover after turnover and scoring six points to tie it back up. Both teams traded baskets, but good free throw shooting by the Jaguars propelled them to a three point lead. At the end of the first quarter, the Jaguars led 13-10.

As the second quarter started, the fouling continued, and it was HAFTR who took advantage of it by making two free throws. Then, Bryan Nathan had a nice steal which HAFTR converted into a fast break layup, but the Jaguars came back with a steal and a layup of their own. Both teams scored again, but an Abie Perlow three-point play gave HAFTR its biggest lead of the game with four minutes left in the half. The Jags hit three free throws to give them back the lead, but HAFTR responded with a 5-0 run to make it a 24-20 game. The Jags tried to regain the momentum by pressing, but the Hawks broke the press easily which led a to Michael Weissman layup. Both teams hit some free throws to end the half, and the score was 29-22 in favor of the Hawks.

HAFTR and NCJHS traded baskets to start the second, but then the Jaguars started to look like its old self going on a 5-0 run to make it a two point game. With three minutes left in the third, Abie Perlow hit a free throw and Jonathan Greenberg made a layup to put HAFTR back up five. HAFTR made another layup, but a quick 4-0 run put the Jags within three going into the final quarter.

Edan Evenhaim hit two free throws to open the fourth and make the score 36-35. Both teams scored, but then Max Rosner hit a fifteen foot jumper to extend HAFTR’s lead to three. Then, Edan Evenhaim hit an eight foot floater and Justin Kalkin made a jumper to give the Jaguars their first lead since the first quarter. HAFTR came back the other way and gave the ball to their star Center Abie Perlow. Perlow did his job by drawing a foul, and hitting two free throws, to give HAFTR the lead back. Edan Evenhaim responded by making two free throws on the other end to give New Jew a 43-42 lead. With three minutes left, Abie Perlow powered his way to another basket, but a Justin Kalkin free throw tied up the game. Edan Evenhaim went one for two from the line to give the Jaguars a one point edge, but two Jon Greenberg free throws and a Max Rosner basket gave HAFTR a three point lead. Both teams scored again, but a nice move and short jumper by Daniel Ozer-Ross made it a one point game.

With forty seconds left in the game, Edan Evenhaim drove to the basket to draw a foul. With his team on his back, Evenhaim made the first free throw to tie up the game. But, Evenhaim missed the second free throw, and gave HAFTR an opportunity to win the game. Coach Steve Kuritzky called a timeout and drew up a play to try to give the Hawks the victory. The Hawks got the ball to the basket, but a layup that would have given them the lead was blocked and the Jaguars gained possession of the ball. The Jaguars called timeout, but they too were unable to score and turned the ball back over to HAFTR with ten seconds to play. The Hawks got the ball to big man Abie Perlow, who drew the foul and got to the line with 2.2 seconds to play. Perlow, with the game on the line, hit both free throws to give HAFTR a two point lead. The Hawks pulled out the victory, winning 52-50. The high scorer for New Jew was Edan Evenhaim with 23 points, and Abie Perlow led HAFTR with 17 points.