Gameday Preview Yeshiva Maccabees @ St. Joseph’s Long Island Golden Eagles

The Storm of ’26, depending on who you asked, dumped more than a foot of snow across New York City. The day after, the city was essentially shut down: office buildings sat empty, restaurants were void of customers, and there was no in-person school. No in-person school, that is, except for the Maccabees basketball team, who still took the floor for a Monday afternoon practice, even as the halls of Yeshiva University were filled with cold air and emptiness. This is a team that has shown no quit throughout a grueling season, and they don’t plan on stopping now. With the final push for the Skyline 1-seed directly in front of them, the Yeshiva University Maccabees (10-8 overall, 9-0 Skyline) head across the bridge to Long Island tonight to battle the St. Joseph’s Long Island Golden Eagles (9-8 overall, 5-3 Skyline).

The Maccabees are coming off their biggest win of the season, and arguably the most complete regular-season performance this core has put together. The Macs caught fire in the second half, shooting a ridiculous 50% from deep on their way to an emphatic 84-60 blowout of rival Farmingdale State. Balance was the story of the night. Each member of the starting five turned in a strong performance, a trend fans are hoping continues as the postseason approaches. Yair Dovrat led the charge with a near triple-double, pouring in 22 points on 6-of-9 shooting from beyond the arc, while adding 7 rebounds and 9 assists. Zevi Samet once again showed why he’s one of the premier pure scorers in college basketball, finishing with 21 points and 5 rebounds while knocking down 50% of his threes. Oselka filled up the stat sheet with 9 points, 6 rebounds, and 8 assists, while Zakheim contributed 8 points, 8 boards, and 5 assists of his own. Rounding out the effort, Roy Itcovichi added 7 points and 7 rebounds, continuing the team’s dominant play on both ends of the floor. Performances like this are exactly why the Maccabees have positioned themselves as deserving of home-court advantage throughout the Skyline playoffs.

Yair Dovrat looks to continue his recent play and keep the Macs undefeated in Skyline play. (Photo Credit: MacsLive)

On the other side, the Golden Eagles are coming off a dominant win of their own against the Mount St. Mary Knights. St. Joseph’s cruised to a 21-point victory, fueled by a phenomenal defensive first half in which they held the Knights to under 30 points. The Golden Eagles were led by a pair of junior forwards in AJ Esposito and TayShaun Hawkins. Esposito was outstanding, finishing with 28 points and 14 rebounds, while Hawkins added 22 points to cap off a strong offensive effort. Riding a two-game win streak, St. Joseph’s will look to carry that momentum into tonight’s matchup as they attempt to pull off an upset at home against the Skyline’s leaders.

Rebounding:

The biggest challenge for the Maccabees tonight will be controlling the glass. While the Macs have been relatively successful in that area this season, they face a new kind of test against a St. Joseph’s team that ranks top 25 in the country in rebounds per game and thrives on exploiting weaknesses inside.

AJ Esposito, the Golden Eagles’ starting forward, is one of the most dominant rebounders in the nation. He ranks third nationally in rebounds per game, pulling down over 12 per contest, and sits inside the top ten in offensive rebounds, averaging more than four per game. When Esposito is on the floor, the Maccabees will need to maximize every possession, as second-chance opportunities will be far more limited than usual. That means constant awareness. The Macs must make sure Esposito is accounted for at all times, with bodies committed to boxing him out and limiting St. Joseph’s extra looks. If Yeshiva can win, or at least survive, the rebounding battle, they’ll put themselves in a strong position to control the tempo and the outcome tonight.

Man Defense:

Offense wins games, but defense wins championships, and tonight is one of those nights where that cliché rings especially true for the Maccabees. With playoff positioning on the line, the formula is simple: lock in defensively. The Golden Eagles feature two elite offensive weapons whose primary objective is clear: get shots up. AJ Esposito ranks inside the top 50 nationally in field goal percentage, while TayShaun Hawkins sits in the top 25 in the country in three-point shooting. If either player catches fire, it could create serious problems for the Macs. It doesn’t even stop there. St. Joseph as a team ranks top 40 nationally in three-point percentage, making perimeter defense absolutely critical. The Maccabees will need to play disciplined, physical, and connected defense, limiting open looks and forcing tough shots. If they can do that for forty minutes, they’ll give themselves every chance to walk out with a win tonight.

Shooting:

After shooting just 23% from beyond the arc against Old Westbury, the Maccabees bounced back in a big way against Farmingdale, knocking down nearly 45% of their three-point attempts. If the Macs want to keep their perfect Skyline record intact, look for them to lean heavily on the hot hands of Zevi Samet and Yair Dovrat tonight. That task won’t be easy. St. Joseph’s has done a stellar job all season of limiting opponents from deep, ranking 23rd in the country in defensive three-point percentage. Expect the Golden Eagles to once again prioritize perimeter defense, making every look contested and every shot earned. If the Macs want to walk away with a win, they will need to create open threes, and they will need them to fall as well.

How to Watch:

Tip-off is at 7:00 PM at the Danzi Athletic Center. You can also catch the game right here on the St Joseph’s Long Island Live Stream.