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

The #1-seeded DRS Wildcats will face the #8-seeded Valley Torah Cougars in a heavyweight Tier I quarterfinal matchup that promises to be a good one! DRS enters this game following a resilient opening-round performance against #16 HA Montreal. While the Heat kept pace early, tying the game at 10-10 after the first quarter, the defending Yeshiva League champions eventually took control, securing a 63-50 victory. They continue to rely on the veteran leadership of offensive orche

This was everything you thought it would be. Honestly, even more—and in the end, Valley Torah outlasted Berman 58–56 in overtime, advancing to face top-seeded DRS in Tier I quarterfinals. Meanwhile, Berman dropped to the Tier II bracket. Berman came out sharp, confident, and completely in control from the start. They jumped on Valley Torah 16–8, dictated tempo, and played exactly the kind of game that lets a star like Alex August take over. And while August absolutely had his

Buckle up. This isn’t just one of the better matchups of the day—it might be the most intriguing one on the board. Valley Torah walks in feeling underseeded. Berman walks in with one of the best players in the entire tournament. They already met once this year in Memphis, and Valley Torah won. And now they meet again, this time with everything on the line. For the feisty Cougars, the mission is simple: give Alex August—a Maryland native, 3,000-point scorer, and the greatest p

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