SARACHEK PANEL GAME PREDICTIONS: WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY
- MacsLive Staff
- 17 hours ago
- 14 min read
Note: Akiva Poppers has resigned from the panel as he is now an assistant coach at Ramaz. In his place is MacsLive Associate Producer, Zachary Sicklick.
Wednesday picks:
HANC vs. JEC
Yosef Silver: These two teams played earlier in the year, but both coaches would tell you that they aren’t putting too much stock into the JEC blowout victory. JEC is a talented team with a few nice pieces. In their playoff game, HANC showed us they can hang with some of the best. I think this game is closer than many think it will be, but I worry about HANC’s ability to close the game well. JEC 48, HANC 42.
Ari Schopf: This matchup is the first time that the winner of the play-in game will not have an opportunity to play for a Tier 1 championship. As for the game itself, JEC is a well coached team that will be very prepared for this game and will prevail.
JEC 47 HANC 40
Marvin Azrak: I’m back after being the runner-up last year, seeking to complete some unfinished business. My journey to the top begins with the annual play-in game. JEC probably comes out controlling tempo early, working through Schnur and Krauss inside and trying to keep this a half-court tilt. HANC will have their runs, especially if Davidowits gets hot from three and Tillis starts creating off the bounce, but they’ll need those shots to fall consistently to keep up. If this turns into a grind, JEC’s size and structure should take over. If it gets chaotic, HANC has a real shot. Ultimately, I think the Thunder steady things late, record enough stops, and finish inside. Don’t worry, they’ll hit those valuable free throws too.
JEC 57 HANC 51.
Zachary Sicklick: The Hurricanes started the season 0-5 before turning things around and sneaking into the 6th seed in the East. Their momentum, however, came up just short in their four-point loss to Magen David in the first round. The Thunder had playoff hopes; however, they fell just short in the West with a 6-8 record. They are hungry to end the season on a high note. Schnur and Krause will carry the Thunder into the Sarachek Tournament. JEC 52 HANC 41
Oren Glickman: These teams actually met during the last game of the regular season- JEC were already out of playoff contention and HANC had their playoff seed sealed. Now a spot in Sarachek is on the line here. I’m going to pick the Thunder- Schnur and Rozehzadeh outplay Tilis and Davidovits. JEC 57 HANC 43
Thursday picks:
YS: Frisch went through a tumultuous year, capped off by a home loss to SAR in the Yeshiva League Semis. Fuchs is a team that always plays tough, but I just think Stepner and Frisch are too talented to drop this one. Frisch 57, Fuchs 40.
AS: Stepner will cement himself as a Sarachek legend in this tournament. That will start with this game. Frisch will have control of this game by halftime and cruise to a relatively easy win.
Frisch 59 Fuchs 36
MA: Fuchs is going to make this fun. They always do. They’re physical, they compete, and they don’t go away easily. Jacobs will have his moments, Pizem will keep them organized, and for stretches, it’s going to feel closer than it probably should.
Yet this game comes down to one thing: Isaac Stepner. He’s one of the best players in the tournament, and this feels like the start of a big Sarachek run for him. The scoring, the rebounding, the control, and he impacts too many areas for Fuchs to fully contain over 32 minutes.
Frisch also just has more answers. Neufeld can score in bunches, Suss spaces the floor, Grossman defends at a high level, and with Tuchman now fully settled in as head coach, this feels like a team that’s ready to make a deeper push than last year. Fuchs will hang around early, but eventually, Stepner takes over and Frisch pulls away.
Final: Frisch 65, Fuchs 54
ZS: Frisch was the favorite out of the West in the Yeshiva League, but they got upset by the SAR Sting in the semifinals. This season, as the 3 seed, they will look to go deeper in Sarachek than they did last year, when they lost to Berman in the Tier I quarterfinals. Be on the lookout for a Stepner takeover in the tournament; an All Sarachek recognition is in the picture. Fuchs this year has an opportunity to play in Tier I, but even with Jacobs and Pizem, I don’t think it will be enough to bring down the Cougars. Frisch 57 Fuchs 41
OG: Fuchs has another Jacobs in their arsenal. That won’t be enough to keep up with a Stepner led Frisch side. Frisch 55 Fuchs 33
YS: Montreal is always a fun team to watch, but they’re going against one of the top teams in Jewish basketball that rightly earned the #1 spot. It will be interesting to see if there is any Championship hangover for DRS or if they can prove that they’ve learned from last year’s disappointment. DRS 56, Montreal 39.
AS:
UMBC over Virginia.
Fairleigh Dickinson over Purdue.
Could HA Montreal join the list of 16 seeds upsetting a 1 seed?
No.
DRS 65 HA Montreal 41
MA: Montreal is fun. They play fast, they pressure, and Simon Alloul is a stud. He’ll have his moments and maybe even a stretch where he makes you pause and think for a second. But over 32 minutes? DRS is too much. They’re too disciplined, too connected, and too experienced. That matchup zone is going to slow Montreal down, force them into tougher shots, and take away the chaos they rely on. And offensively, with Spodek running the show and multiple scoring options around him, they’re not going to get sped up or thrown off.
If there’s any early “championship hangover,” it might show in the first few minutes. After that, it’s the DRS show. Final: DRS 70, Montreal 44
ZS: Simon Alloul led Sarachek in scoring last year, averaging 22. He will be one of the top players, but facing the Yeshiva League’s best in the first round, won’t be an easy matchup. While a 16 upsetting the 1 would be an all-time Sarachek moment, I don’t believe it will happen this year. DRS 75 HA Montreal 52
OG: Simon Alloul is one of the best players in the tournament this year. Unfortunately, Montreal has zero shot of taking down the Greenhouse and the back to back league champs DRS. DRS 70 Montreal 35
YS: This is one of the better matchups of the day. Valley Torah is coming into this one feeling like they are underseeded. Berman have one of the stars on the tournament in Alex August. These teams played in Memphis and Valley Torah won. I think we see a similar result here, as Valley Torah proves they mean business. Valley Torah 57, Berman 49.
AS: Rockville vs LA
Bigger community:
LA
Better restaurants:
LA
Better pro sports teams:
LA
Better Jewish high school basketball team:
Rockville
Berman 58 VT 45
MA: This one feels like a true toss-up. It might come down to style vs. substance.
Berman has the best player on the floor. Alex August is a veritable game-changer, and if he gets into a rhythm early, he can completely take control and rule the roost. There’s a very real path where he takes over stretches and carries Berman through. Yet Valley Torah is built differently. They’re deeper, more balanced, and play with a level of cohesion that doesn’t rely on one guy having to be great every possession. With Victor running the show and Meir Dan bringing that pugnacious edge, they can attack from multiple angles. Over the course of a full game, that kind of structure can slowly wear a team down. If Berman is still fresh and August is creating clean looks, they can absolutely close this. Yet I see Valley Torah turning this into a physical war; their depth starting to erode Berman down the stretch. In a game that could get mercurial, I trust the team with more answers. Final: Valley Torah 62, Berman 58
ZS: A lot of the final thoughts from last year’s panel focused on what could be for an August/Margulies duo. However, similar to last year, this will remain a what-if scenario that we will never know the answer to. Regardless, August, who hit 3,000 career points and is one of the top players in this tournament, will do a lot of damage for this Cougar team. Valley Torah is out for vengeance after not having a Tier I opportunity last year. Even with Valley Torah having a well-rounded team, I don’t see Berman losing in the first round.
Berman 49 Valley Torah 46
OG: Valley Torah are going to come in fired up, feeling they deserve to be a much higher seed. After losing to JDS in PVAC, Berman will be determined to prove this is still a team capable of winning Sarachek. I think after last year’s Sarachek, people were excited about the possibilities with this Berman team- bringing back Alex August who I feel is the best player in this tournament. With every good team comes a Batman and Joker. Unfortunately, August’s joker Gabey Margulies is out for the season. Valley returns their whole team from last year’s Tier 3 winning team- all eyes should be on Meir Dan. I think Berman takes home the win and sets up a quarterfinal date with DRS.
Berman 51 Valley Torah 42
YS: Flatbush had a great year, winning the Magen and Glouberman Tournaments. An 11-3 finish earned them the 2 seed, but they fell on home floor to SAR in the quarterfinals. Ida Crown is coming off a great season, highlighted by the second regional championship in school history. They’re a team that plays together and plays tough. Flatbush will show up with a mission to prove one loss shouldn’t define their season, and will move on to Tier I.
Flatbush 55, Ida Crown 43.
AS: Flatbush is motivated after a disappointing loss in the Yeshiva League quarterfinals and they’ll be ready to go in this one. Ida Crown has some great players like Judah Well, but it won’t be enough to pull off the upset.
Flatbush 50 Ida Crown 39
MA: I think Ida Crown keeps it close for most of the contest, but eventually, Flatbush’s scoring and depth create just enough separation late.
Final: Flatbush 61, Ida Crown 55
ZS: Judah Well has been phenomenal this year for the Aces, and he has a strong chance to make an all-Sarachek team. Some might say Ida Crown got the short straw here, having to play Flatbush. They were the number 2 in the Yeshiva League East, splitting the season series with champions, DRS. They got upset in the quarterfinals, and that will provide a spark in this team. Even with that motivation, I am still riding the upset. Ida Crown 54 Flatbush 47
OG: Ida Crown had one of their best seasons in recent years and they’re out to prove the skeptics this year that they are a legitimate Tier 1 contender. The issue is they play Flatbush, a team I feel is a lot better than their seeding and only took a hit because of their shocking quarterfinal blowout loss at the hands of SAR. Flatbush has still been one of the most consistent teams all year and as much as I’m looking forward to watching Judah Well, I think the Falcons move on. Flatbush 61 Ida Crown 46
YS: This should be a good one. SAR are looking to avenge a Yeshiva League finals loss, while Katz is trying to avenge a disappointing Sarachek from last year. Katz can really score the basketball and will cause problems for opposing defenses. We saw how much Evan Goldberg’s absence affected SAR in their championship loss to DRS. I’m going to assume Goldberg plays and pick SAR, but if he doesn’t play it’s anyone’s game. SAR 61, Katz 54
AS: I think the Yeshiva League championship loss hangover will hit SAR and they’ll have a slow start to this game. Katz has some good offensive talent led by Ovaknin and they are capable of jumping out to an early lead. I expect SAR to settle in and get back into it in the second half but Katz will prevail.
Katz 56 SAR 51
MA: Katz is going to score. That’s a given. With Ovaknin downhill, Attias creating, and shooters like Kaweblum spacing the floor, they’re going to put pressure on SAR’s defense right away. I wouldn’t be surprised if they come out hot and even control the early part of this game.
Yet SAR has come too far to go out like this. They’ve been through too much this year, injuries, ups and downs, and still found their way to the Yeshiva League Finals. That resilience shows up here. Ari Halpert is going to dictate tempo, create turnovers, and turn defense into offense. And if Goldberg is even close to healthy, that gives them a huge interior advantage. The key is pace. If this stays fast and high-scoring, Katz can storm away with the upset. If SAR slows it down even a little and starts getting stops, they’ll take control. I think Katz makes this interesting for a while, but SAR’s defense and composure win out late and the Sting fly into tier I.
Final: SAR 71, Katz YHS 63
ZS: Ovaknin will be a force in Sarachek, both in transition and in Katz’s half-court offense. They run a fast-paced game, which will give the Sting trouble if they don’t hustle back. The Sting had a great run in the Yeshiva League this year, making a surprising run to the championship before losing to DRS. Halpert will do whatever he can to help the Sting have a shot at the Tier I title and with their momentum from the Yeshiva League, SAR will give Katz too much to handle. SAR 65 Katz 52
OG: SAR will be upset with their seed after a magical run to the Yeshiva League finals. Katz had a great year in Florida and last year they gave quite a scare to Shalhevet. I think they’ll give SAR a test, but the Sting will be fine in Round 1. Hopefully Evan Goldberg is ready to go. SAR 49 Katz 39
YS: A familiar matchup, we get to see the team that typically comes out of the gate hot in MTA, against a team that usually takes a half to get going in Shalhevet. MTA has some nice pieces, but Shalhevet has been exceptional over the past few weeks. MTA starts off strong, but it’s not enough to take down a real Tier I contender. Shalhevet 55, MTA 44.
AS: MTA pulls off the upset here. Gavi Engel will steal the show and the Shalhevet Firehawks will be eliminated in the first round. This game will be a low scoring defensive battle with the Lions coming out on top.
MTA 47 Shalhevet 42
MA: This has upset written all over it. Not because Shalhevet isn’t good, because they clearly are. They’ve been playing some of their best basketball lately, and with Jacobson anchoring everything, they have an interior advantage. Over the course of most games, that usually means victory. However, MTA is at home and is a solid group unlike years past, despite being crunched 72-41 by Hillel in the Yeshiva League playoffs. They start fast. They defend. And most importantly, they can turn this into a grind. That 3–2 zone, the physicality, and the pace all point toward a lower-scoring game. That’s not where a #2 seed wants to live in round one. And then there’s Gavi Engel. He’s going to control the glass, hit that midrange, and be involved in everything. If he sets the tone early and MTA gets confidence, this game can flip quickly. Shalhevet will make a run as they always do. Jacobson will get his cookies. Yet if the Firehawks spend too much of the game trying to climb back or in a close contest, they’ll feel the pressure. In a game that’s going to be ugly, physical, and tight, I’m taking the dramatic upset. Why not?
Final: MTA 50, Shalhevet 46
ZS: After a first-round exit in the Yeshiva League playoffs, Engel and Co. are looking to make their mark in this tournament. Shalhevet, with a new head coach and an upset loss in the quarterfinals last year, will be looking for hardware this tournament. Jacobson shone last year in Sarachek, and look for him to repeat that dominance this year. Engel vs. Jacobson will be a matchup to watch, but the Firehawks will come out on top. Shalhevet 46 MTA 39
OG: We saw MTA-Shalhevet a few years ago in a 1/16 matchup. Now we get to see them in a 2/15 matchup. MTA had such a dreadful end to their Yeshiva League season while Shalhevet had a magical run in their LA league. I’m closely watching Sam Jacobson in this one, probably the best big in this tournament. And for MTA, Gavi Engel who is known as the midrange mamba. This will be a solid game. I think MTA can be competitive for three quarters. Firehawks still win Shalhevet 51 MTA 39
YS: Both of these squads are pretty new to Sarachek. Ramaz missed out last year, while YULA graduated 12/15 guys. These teams played at Glouberman where Ramaz came out ahead. YULA was missing Liam Braun in that game, and while it will help them later on in the tournament, I don’t think it will be enough in this one. Ramaz has been playing some of their best ball of late, highlighted by their stifling defense. Ramaz 44, YULA 35
AS: Ramaz has been playing their best basketball in the last few weeks of the season which culminated in a close loss in the Yeshiva League semifinals against DRS. Ramaz will control this game through dominant defensive play.
Ramaz 54 YULA 37
MA: YULA is going to try to speed this up with their pressure, fast-pace, quick shots, and creativity through chaos. If they’re able to disrupt Ramaz early and turn this into a more open game, they can absolutely hang around.
Yet Ramaz has been too steady, especially late in the season. They defend. They rebound. They play through their bigs. And most importantly, they don’t get rattled. With Kushner and Sidi inside and Hiltzik spacing the floor, they have a clear identity, and they stick to it. Add in the coaching boost with Max “Red Rocket” Zakheim, Akiva Poppers alongside Scott Ferguson, and this feels like a group that understands how to win these types of games even if they allow more than 40.
Final: Ramaz 56 YULA 48
ZS: YULA only has three members of last year’s #1 seed team returning. This led to a development year for them; however, they are still a good team and not a walkover. Ramaz added Akiva Poppers to their coaching staff, which is a major addition. They had a strong year with a core that made the JV championship the previous season. When they hold teams under 40 points, they haven’t lost all year. I think they will do just that against YULA. Ramaz 47 YULA 38
OG: Ramaz are back in the tournament and they exceeded expectations throughout the year. Scott Ferguson’s coaching and adding Poppers to his staff has had a tremendous impact on the team. Kushner and Hiltzik are junior all stars. Sidi is another terrific big to compliment Kushner and they almost took down DRS at the Greenhouse. This was a rebuild year for YULA after being top seeds the last few years. While this game is in Ramaz’s neighborhood, expect the crowd to feel like a YULA home game. Maybe the crowd advantage helps in me picking at least one upset in Round 1. YULA 43 Ramaz 39
YS: This matchup features a Sarachek blue blood in TABC, against a newcomer in Jewish Culture. The defending champs went through a lot of rebuilding this year, after most of last year’s rotation graduated. I think TABC starts the game strong, comfortable with the environment and powered by the home crowd. However, Jewish Culture is a really talented squad that will claw their way back as the game progresses. Give me the Lions in one of the better games of the day. Jewish Culture 54 TABC 50
AS: The reigning Sarachek champions come into this matchup as heavy underdogs against Jewish Culture. Jewish Culture will look to play fast and put lots of points on the board. For TABC, they will need to slow this game down and keep the game in the 50s or lower. I don’t see that happening and Jewish Culture will jump out to an early lead and hold on to eliminate the reigning champs.
Jewish Culture 65 TABC 52
MA: TABC starts strong, feeds off the crowd, and makes the game their own. But over 32 minutes, Jewish Culture’s pace, balance, and offensive firepower wear them down. The newcomers pass a real test. And the defending champs, despite the fight, just don’t have quite enough to recreate last year’s magic.
Final: JCHS 64 TABC 56
ZS: The reigning champs, TABC, had some major pieces graduate after last Sarachek’s magical run. Borgen and Faber are both strong offensive weapons who can take over games and put them out of reach early. The Jewish Culture Lions are making their first-ever Sarachek appearance. They made several appearances in Yeshiva League tournaments this year, so TABC has seen them play. The Lions will be a tough matchup for TABC, and I think the reigning champs won’t have a chance to repeat this year. Jewish Culture 57 TABC 53
OG: Cannot make a prediction.
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