The final score says it all: 61–54 TABC Storm, but that doesn’t even begin to capture what this game felt like. This wasn’t just a Tier II final — this was two teams that battled all week, earned their way here, and played like it with a trophy on the line. You had the #13 TABC Storm, riding momentum after knocking off #12 YULA and #9 Berman. And across from them, the #10 Ida Crown Aces — the Kings of Tier II — looking to prove they still owned that title after taking down #1

This isn’t just a Tier II final. This is a matchup between two teams that have played like contenders all week — and now get one last shot to prove it. The TABC Storm and Ida Crown Aces didn’t coast their way here. They earned it through some statement wins like the #13 Storm upsetting #12 YULA and #9 Berman, while Ida Crown, notably the Kings of Tier two, beat #15 MTA and #14 Fuchs Mizrachi. So what are the keys for the Aces from Chicago to retain their moniker or for the S

STANDINGS: Marvin Azrak: 19-2 Zachary Sicklick: 16-5 Yosef Silver: 16-5 Ari Schopf: 15-6 Oren Glickman; 9-9 Akiva Poppers: 3-1 #18 Beren vs #19 Hillel Akiva Poppers: Hillel has never been to a championship game, but I think they have the group to change that. They aren’t extremely talented, but they are physical and play hard. They’ll keep this game low-scoring and escape with a win. Hillel 39, Beren 37. Yosef Silver: Beren had a great season,  I really like the Beren had an

ANNOUNCEMENT: With Ramaz falling to Jewish Culture in the Tier I quarterfinals and being eliminated from championship contention, we welcome Ramaz Assistant Coach and MacsLive legend Akiva Poppers back onto the picks panel. STANDINGS:  Marvin Azrak: 15-2 Yosef Silver: 13-4 Zachary Sicklick 12-5  Ari Schopf: 11-6 Oren Glickman: 7-8 Akiva Poppers: 0-0 Tier 2 Quarterfinals: #12 YULA vs #13 TABC: Akiva Poppers : I’m told that no one cared about the panel without me on it, but thi

Friday picks: #3 Frisch vs #6 SAR Yosef Silver: Give me the Sting in this one, as SAR ends Frisch’s season twice in upset fashion. SAR 62 Frisch 58 Ari Schopf: Frisch will avenge their Yeshiva League semifinal loss to SAR and Stepner will put up 25+ points in the win. Frisch 60 SAR 54 Marvin Azrak: Stepner takes over. And that’s the difference as the Cougars avenge their Yeshiva League semifinal loss. Final: Frisch 68, SAR 60 Zachary Sicklick: These are both 2 great teams. Fr

For a half, this felt funny. Fuchs made it messy. They made it physical. They made Frisch uncomfortable, up 23-10. And for a moment, it felt like we might be in for something. And even as Isaac Stepner started to heat up, it didn’t immediately change the tide. He was hitting ridiculous shots,  heavily contested, self-created, the kind of buckets that shouldn’t be sustainable, and yet, Fuchs was still right there, up 33-31 at halftime. Then everything changed. Frisch stopped o

The #14-seeded Fuchs Mizrachi Mayhem will take on the #3-seeded Frisch Cougars in a Tier I qualifier on Thursday at 8:30 PM. Frisch enters the Sarachek tournament as a top contender under Coach Zach Tuchman, who assumed head coaching duties midseason. The Cougars find themselves in a reversed position from last year’s tournament, while ending as a #14 seed. That run included an upset over DRS, capped by a Nathan Neufeld buzzer-beater in the Tier I qualifier, before ultimately

Note: Akiva Poppers has resigned from the panel as he is now an assistant coach at Ramaz. In his place is MacsLive Associate Producer, Zachary Sicklick.  Wednesday picks: HANC vs. JEC Yosef Silver: These two teams played earlier in the year, but both coaches would tell you that they aren’t putting too much stock into the JEC blowout victory. JEC is a talented team with a few nice pieces. In their playoff game, HANC showed us they can hang with some of the best. I think this g