From Repeat to Perfect: YU Tops Farmingdale Again For Skyline Crown

In a rivalry measured by banners and heartbreak, by runs answered with runs and moments that echo for years, Sunday afternoon delivered exactly what it promised. YU perfection was on the line. Nineteen conference games. Eighteen wins already secured. One final hurdle standing in the way — Farmingdale State, again.

Before a delirious crowd at the Max Stern Athletic Center, which sold out in three minutes, Yeshiva University defeated the Rams 79–72 to capture its second straight Skyline Championship, and fourth in program history.

The tilt unfolded in waves. The Macs sprinted out early. The Rams steadied and seized control. YU stumbled through a frigid first half, shooting 1-for-14 from three and failing to reach the free-throw line. They trailed by eight early in the second half. The building grew tense.

And then everything changed.

Zevi Samet authored a championship performance worthy of the rivalry’s history, erupting for 36 points in his final game at the Max Stern Athletic Center with numerous step-back daggers. Beside him, Max Zakheim provided the backbone. Physical on the glass. Relentless downhill. Calm at the stripe as the clock bled out. His complete performance earned him Skyline Tournament MVP honors.

Through a combination of timely threes, defensive stops, and a decisive second-half surge. From an eight-point deficit to a double-digit lead, the Macs imposed identity when it mattered most. The result: back-to-back Skyline titles. A perfect 19–0 conference campaign. And another unforgettable chapter in a rivalry that continues to define this era of Skyline basketball. Round nine belonged to Yeshiva, who will be dancing into the NCAA DIII Tournament.

How It Happened:

• YU opened on a 6–0 burst and forced an early Farmingdale timeout as the sold-out MSAC erupted. The Rams quickly answered with a 7–0 run of their own, setting the tone for a back-and-forth opening stretch.

• Behind Michael Notias and sharp ball-screen execution, Farmingdale strung together a 12–2 run to take a 19–13 lead. The Macs struggled from deep (1-for-14 in the half), committed early fouls, and went nearly six minutes without a field goal.

• Despite being outrebounded and attempting zero free throws in the first half, YU closed strong. Zevi found Roy, Dothan threaded a pass over the top to Samet, and improved ball movement cut the deficit to 23–21 at halftime.

• Farmingdale opened the second half with authority, stretching the margin to 33–25 behind Sean Conroy, and continued interior pressure.

• Zevi Samet converted a four-point play to tie the game at 33, igniting the crowd and flipping momentum.

• That signaled a Samet Take Over. What followed was Step-back threes, a putback, a reverse finish, and multiple wing triples fueled a personal scoring eruption. Zevi poured in 36 points, repeatedly answering every Rams push.

• Dothan Bardichev hit back-to-back threes. Yoav Oselka delivered a seeing-eye pass to Yair Dovrat. Yair finished in transition. Zakheim attacked downhill and rebounded in traffic.

• A 15–5 stretch midway through the second half turned a one-point game into a multi-possession YU lead, capped by Samet’s dagger threes that pushed the margin to 73–60, eliciting chants of “Monsey Mamba”  from a raucous Macs Nation with just over two minutes remaining.

• Zakheim iced the game at the line as Farmingdale made one final push, but the Macs controlled the final minutes. These seniors who’ve played together for four years weren’t leaving their second home, this floor, without that 79-72 win.

The Macs are back-back Skyline Conference Champions. (Photo Credit: Israel_In_CBB/Instagram)

Surviving the Ugly First Half:

YU shot 1-for-14 from three, attempted zero free throws, and went through a six-minute drought — yet trailed by only two at halftime. Despite early foul trouble and being outrebounded, the Macs defended just well enough to keep the game within reach. In a championship setting, surviving your worst stretch is often the difference between chasing the game and staying alive in it. They basically survived and advanced within themselves. And because of that, they were alive when Zevi ignited their best one.

Monsey Mamba Ends It Perfectly:

A four-point play ignited the MSAC. A step-back three gave YU life. Another triple put them in front. The rhythm shifted, the crowd swelled, and suddenly Round Nine felt eerily similar to Round Eight.

Last year, the Monsey Mamba dragged the Macs back from the brink in Farmingdale’s gym to a title. This year, he seized control at home.

The Shtark Shooter finished with 36 points in his final game on home hardwood, delivering another championship performance against the same rival that has defined this era of Macs Basketball.

Timely Secondary Shots:

This wasn’t January’s balanced explosion — it was selective, timely support. Bardichev’s back-to-back threes created breathing room. Oselka’s playmaking kept the offense flowing. Dovrat’s transition finish extended the lead. Zakheim’s downhill aggression and composure at the line sealed it. When Farmingdale loaded up on Zevi, someone else made the possession count.

Dothan Bardichev’s back-to-back threes widened the margin when the Rams were trying to hang around. Yoav Oselka’s vision kept the offense connected, threading passes that prevented possessions from stalling. Yair Dovrat’s transition finish stretched the lead when Farmingdale was scrambling to recover.

And then there was Zakheim, the red rocket — attacking downhill through contact, securing rebounds in traffic, and calmly closing it out at the line while the crowd roared.

Championship Composure:

This rivalry has produced swings before. Farmingdale made its runs. The game tightened. The building held its breath.

But once YU seized control, there was no panic.

Zakheim stepped to the line under “MVP” chants and calmly delivered. The offense was smooth. Defensively, the Macs finished possessions. Down the stretch, there were no rushed shots. No careless fouls. No unraveling. Three years of experience and all of those heartbreaks from earlier this year showed.

From an eight-point deficit to a thirteen-point lead in a matter of minutes, YU turned pressure into precision and noise into legacy fuel.

It was the act of a group of back-back champions, filled with a core determined to take this final ride and drive it as far as they can to glory in the 64-team NCAA DIII Tournament. Maybe they’ll even win a game in the 64 team March Madness, unlike last year, when they were one-and-done. We’ll find out next weekend.

Yet on this first Sunday of March, that ride finished a perfect 19-0 in Skyline play, and a second consecutive title earned the hard way.