Oselka Leads the Way over Manhattanville as Macs Stay Perfect in Conference Play

It was one of those cold Saturday nights at the MSAC where the building feels a little bigger, a little quieter, and the game dares you to bring your own energy. For a half, Manhattanville hung around, punched back, and made the Maccabees earn it. In the end, though, good teams on their last ride found their rhythm — and the Macs did, pulling away late for a 79–67 win to keep their conference streak spotless at 2-0.

At halftime, this didn’t feel like a blowout brewing. Yeshiva led 38-33 at the break, and the crowd was sparse, and Manhattanville had already proven it wasn’t going to roll over. Yet, in the second half, it belonged to the Maccabees, and it started with a reminder of what the reigning conference champions can look like when it’s locked in.

This was a balanced effort in the truest sense of the word. Zevi Samet matched Oselka with 18, calmly knocking down shots and burying free throws when momentum mattered. Yair Dovrat poured in 16 with his usual burst and confidence, while Dothan Bardichev added 10, including two massive first-half threes that stopped Manhattanville from pulling away. Four guys in double figures, no one forcing it, everyone taking what the game gave them.

How it Happened :

• Yeshiva opened the night with immediate pace and purpose — a quick-hitting Yoav Oselka, Yair Dovrat, Max Zakheim connection produced the Macs’ first basket just seconds into the game, setting an aggressive tone early.

• The Macs rode that energy into a 9–5 lead in the opening few minutes, getting stops and running clean offense, but Manhattanville kept the margin from growing past five.

• The Valiants settled in and responded with an intense stretch to climb back to 11–10, then took their first lead at 12–11. Even when Yeshiva briefly grabbed it back on an Oselka finish, the Valiants’ pressure and finishing inside started to swing the flow.

• A series of layups and efficient possessions powered an extended surge — the Valiants jumped ahead 25–17 with 7:47 left in the half.

• Right when the gap threatened to balloon, Dothan Bardichev hit back-to-back threes, slashing the deficit and changing the feel of the game. Those shots weren’t just points — they were a momentum reset.

• Even as Manhattanville briefly pushed the lead back up, the Macs stayed composed. Oselka cleaned up possessions, including a key tip-in to make it 32–31, and Yeshiva started stacking stops with smarter, more patient offense.

• Layups from Yair Dovrat and Roy Itcovichi in the closing moments gave the Macs insurance heading into halftime, up 38-33

• Yeshiva came out of the locker room on a mission, ripping a 14–2 spurt, on the backs of transition play to blow the game open and transcend the lead to 52–35.

• The Valiants didn’t fold, responding with a 10–0 run, capped by an Andrew Saint-Louis three, slicing things to 59–54 with around 10 minutes left.

• After a Yeshiva timeout, both teams went ice-cold,  more than three scoreless minutes passed, and the game briefly turned into a grind of empty trips and missed looks.

• Joe Schanzer finally cracked the scoreboard with a layup, and that bucket sparked Yeshiva’s closing stability. 

• Over the final minutes, baskets from Samet, Bardichev, and Schanzer pushed the lead back to double digits at 66–56 with 5:14 left, and from there, the score orbited around a 7–13 point Yeshiva cushion for the rest of the way.

• The Macs finished the job without giving Manhattanville extra life — just 12 turnovers, smart possessions, and enough stops to close out a 79–67 win.

  
  

  

The Macs defeated Manhattanville 79-67 improving to 2-0 in Skyline Conference play and 3-6 overall (Photo Credit: Jewish Telegraphic Agency)

Yoav Oselka Night:

This one starts and ends with Oselka. His 18 points and 17 rebounds don’t just appear on the stat sheet; they explain the flow of the game. When Manhattanville made runs, Oselka cleaned the glass and erased second chances. When Yeshiva needed organization, he initiated offense and found shooters. He filled every gap: scoring when needed, rebounding like a big man, and defending with urgency. That all-around presence is why every Valiant's push eventually came to a stall.

Balanced scoring kept Yeshiva steady:

This wasn’t a one-person show, and that’s precisely why it never spiraled. Four Macs in double figures — Zevi Samet (18), Yair Dovrat (16), Dothan Bardichev (10), and Yoav Oselka — meant Manhattanville couldn’t load up on one option. When the Valiants keyed on one scorer, another stepped up. Bardichev’s back-to-back first-half threes stopped a potential runaway, Samet iced key moments with his shot and free throws, and Dovrat’s downhill attacks kept pressure on the defense. It was a collective offense at its best.

Ball security and second-half execution:

The Macs quietly won this game by not beating themselves. Just 12 turnovers, far below their season average of 18, allowed Yeshiva to maximize possessions and control tempo — especially in the second half. That discipline fueled a 14–2 opening run after halftime and prevented Manhattanville from sustaining momentum. Even when the Valiants cut it to five, Yeshiva stayed composed, ran sets through their motion offense, and closed the game without panic. 

UP NEXT:

The Macs host Illinois Wesleyan Monday December 29 at the MSAC. Tip-off is 7:30PM.