Flip the Switch: #1 DRS Pulls Away from #16 Montreal After Halftime Surge

Exactly as expected, but not without a little early intrigue. Montreal came out flying — fast, physical, and feeding off pure energy. And right at the center of it all was Simon Alloul, who was nothing short of electric. Every time it felt like DRS might start to settle in, Alloul had an answer. Tough finishes, confident pull-ups, relentless pace, his 27 points weren’t just numbers; they were moments. For a half, he made you wonder. Then the champs made their mark with a green marker. DRS came out of the break, and we saw composure return, connectivity tightened, and the offense click, leading to a 63-50 victory. 

The #1 DRS Wildcats defeated #16 HA Montreal, 63-50 moving into the Tier I Bracket. (Photo Credit: MacsLive)

The matchup zone wore Montreal down: 

That matchup zone was the turning point of the game. Early on, Montreal’s speed and chaos gave DRS some real issues, but once the defense settled in, everything changed. Driving lanes disappeared, passing angles tightened, and those confident first-half looks turned into rushed, contested shots. It wasn’t a sudden stop — it was a slow suffocation. Possession by possession, Montreal lost rhythm, and by the third quarter, you could feel the offense grinding to a halt.

Championship Response After a Real Test: 

Give Montreal credit — that 28–24 halftime lead wasn’t a fluke. They dictated tempo, played physical, and made DRS uncomfortable in a way you rarely see. For a half, this looked like a game that could get interesting. But great teams respond, and DRS did exactly that. The third quarter was a complete tone shift. The energy, the focus, the execution — it all snapped into place. Whatever coach Moshe Cohen said at halftime worked, because from that point on, the game was played entirely on DRS’s terms.

A Greenhouse Barrage: 

Once DRS settled in, their offense became a clinic in control and balance. Gabe Spodek dictated everything with poise — 15 points, 7 rebounds — managing tempo like a veteran and never letting the game speed up on him. Elisha Tsaidi impacted the game everywhere with 11 points, 8 rebounds, and a +13, doing all the little things that quietly tilt the floor. Shoam Gabby added 14 points, consistently capitalizing on defensive lapses and keeping the pressure on, while Meir Ohayon chipped in 8 points off the bench, bringing that burst of energy that stretched the game in those key in-between moments. It wasn’t one player taking over — it was a unified group , and that’s what makes DRS so difficult to deal with over 32 minutes.

Now, the top-seeded Wildcats are heading to the Elite 8. And now, they look fully awake. Meanwhile, Montreal drops into Tier 2 qualifying, where they’ll battle #17 HANC.