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Writer's pictureAri Schopf

Macs Capitalize in Transition; Win 96-45

The Macs came out fast and jumped out to big leads in the first half before extending that lead in the second half for a 96-45 win against the Sarah Lawrence Gryphons. Turell led the way once again, ending up with a total of 24 points on an efficient 9-13 shooting. The Gryphons were led by Liam Barry, who scored 10 points in 28 minutes. The Gryphons started the game off with a man-to-man defense before switching to a 2-3 zone for most of the game. The Macs were especially effective against the zone when they got the ball into the high post, which set up open looks at the rim and on the perimeter. The Gryphons were able to cut the lead to 12 near the end of the first half, but the Macs ran away with this game in the second half of the game.

Eitan Halpert had 21 points and made 6 threes in the win (Photo Credits: Joe Bednarsh)

How it Happened:

  • Jordan Armstrong connected on one of two free throws to give the Macs a 1-0 lead to start the game.

  • With 18:20 remaining in the half, Ofek Reef finished a layup off a gorgeous behind-the-back pass from Eitan Halpert to give the Macs a 7-2 lead.

  • Eitan Halpert knocked down his first three of the game, giving the Macs a 14-4 lead with 15:47 left in the first half.

  • Ethan Lasko checked into the game and promptly hit a three-pointer to give the Macs a 23-7 lead.

  • Matan Zucker’s layup increased the score to 29-9 with 11:30 left in the half.

  • David Gelb’s three-pointer cut Sarah Lawrence’s deficit to 16 with 10:38 remaining in the half.

  • Adi Markovich found Ofek Reef for a layup on a backdoor cut that gave the Macs a 36-19 lead.

  • Lasko finished a layup in transition that helped the Macs end the half with a score of 43-28.

  • While fouled, Turell scored a transition layup and gave the Macs a lead of 48-28 with 18:56 left in the contest.

  • Halpert nailed back-to-back three-pointers, contributing to the Macs’ lead of 54-30 and forcing a Sarah Lawrence timeout.

  • A hook shot by Gabe Leifer capped off a 10-0 Macs run that increased the score to 66-33 with 13:50 remaining in the game.

  • Liam Barry scored four straight points and decreased the Macs’ lead to 71-39 with 11:50 to go.

  • With less than five minutes remaining, Eitan Halpert made his sixth and final three-pointer of the night to give the Macs a 86-41 lead.

  • Gav Landau and Aryeh Halpert both made three-pointers in the final minute, and the Macs ended the game with a score of 96-45.


Getting Out in Transition

The Macs started the game playing fast and looking for any opportunity to get out in transition. The Macs were able to get easy buckets through turnovers and long rebounds. They finished with 29 points from fast breaks and 36 points off of turnovers. This helped the Macs jump out to a 20 point lead in the first half and ultimately secure their 11th conference win of the year. The Macs have the perfect roster to play an up-tempo style. With players like Gabe Leifer, who can make long outlet passes, and finishers like Ofek Reef and Ryan Turell, who can beat their defenders down the court and finish at the rim, the Macs are built to succeed in transition.


Defending the Opposing Stars

Entering this game, the two leading scorers for Sarah Lawrence were Liam Barry and Justin Bailey, who were averaging a combined 30 points per game. Tonight, the Macs were able to hold those guys to a combined 16 points on 7/19 shooting. The Macs made it a priority to force their opponents to make plays and tonight Sarah Lawrence was not able to consistently do so. As the Macs brace for a tournament run, they will have to continue to find ways to take away the other teams’ star players and force role players to step into the role of main playmaker.


Perimeter Shooting:

In the five games prior to this one, the Macs had not had a game where they made 10 or more three-pointers. Tonight they snapped that streak, going 10-25 from the three. This was especially critical for the Macs once Sarah Lawrence switched to a 2-3 zone. In contrast, the Gryphons struggled from behind the arc, finishing with just four made three-pointers out of 17 attempts.


For Sarah Lawrence (6-11, 3-6 ):

  • Liam Barry led Sarah Lawrence with 10 points.

  • Justin Bailey finished with six points and four rebounds.

  • Sarah Lawrence struggled from behind the arc, shooting just 4-17 in this game.


For Yeshiva (18-1, 11-0):

  • Ryan Turell led the Macs with 24 points on 9-13 shooting.

  • Eitan Halpert finished with 21 points, making six three-pointers in the process.

  • Ofek Reef had 12 points on 60% shooting.


Up Next:

The Macs will host the Farmingdale St Rams on Saturday, February 5. Tip off is at 8:30 pm and you can watch the game here.


Macslive:

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