New Kids, Meet the Standard: DRS Rolls to the Final

The new kids on the block looked like they belonged on the Final Four stage. They came out confident, running, attacking — setting the tone early and showing they were more than ready for the moment. For a stretch, Jewish Culture didn’t just hang, they banged. 

And then the back-back Yeshiva League champs — the top seed arrived. What followed was a complete shift. DRS settled in, tightened everything defensively, and turned a tight semifinal into a runaway, pulling away for a 65–43 win and a trip to the Tier I final against Frisch.

Jewish Culture came out flying, running the floor, attacking early, and jumping out to a 5–0 lead like the moment wasn’t too big at all.

But then DRS did what DRS does. They settled in. A quick response flipped it to 6–5, and from there, you could feel the shift starting. Even as David Albilia’s tip-in tied it at 7–7, and Jewish Culture carried a 9–7 lead after one, the tone was already changing. The urgency was there. The physicality was real. Yet DRS was adjusting in real time. And then came the run. A 9–0 burst in the second quarter turned the game on its head. Suddenly it was 20–11, and it wasn’t just scoring — it was how they were doing it. They were rushing Jewish Culture on one end, then beating them down the floor, boxing out, winning 50-50 balls, and even beating them at their own pace. Add in some threes, and by halftime, it was 23–16 Wildcats, fully in control. It was more of the same out of the break, with a Gabi Spodek bucket in transition making things 28–19. DRS relentlessly pushed, attacked, and overwhelmed the Lions. Another Spodek strong take. A Steal leading to a hoop-and-harm from Elisha Tsaidi. A Michael Solomon lob to Spodek. Just like that, it was 35–19, and Jewish Culture looked completely flustered.

Closing the statement was Elisha Tsadidi, who nailed A smooth pull-up going left — tough shot, better make. Then another moment of pure effort on the glass, multiple chances, finishing a putback at the third quarter buzzer. The “new kids” experiencing their maiden Sarachek tournament had officially met the standard. 

The Moment Was Real Until It Wasn’t: 

Jewish Culture was roaring early, but once DRS settled in, the game changed for good. What started as their pace quickly became DRS’s control, and from that point on, there was no going back. Once the wildcats built that first real cushion in the second quarter, you could feel the shift. The energy changed, the confidence grew, and every possession after that felt heavier for Jewish Culture. That’s what elite teams do — they don’t just take the lead, they turn it into a runaway.

DRS Won the Game You Don’t See in the Box Score:

Rebounding. Hustle. Beating guys to spots. Second chances. This is where the game broke open. DRS didn’t just score more — they outworked Jewish Culture on every possession, turning effort plays into separation.

The Greenhouse Unit:

You can’t key in on DRS And that’s the problem for every team in the country. Tsaidi took over stretches, Spodek controlled everything, and others stepped in when needed. It wasn’t one run from one player — it was constant pressure, until the game cracked open.