Stepner Time: Frisch Outlasts Shalhevet to Reach the Final

This wasn’t just a semifinal — it was a fight for tempo control, and by the end of it, #3 Frisch walked away with a 51–42 win over #2 Shalhevet and a trip to the Tier I Sarachek Final.

Right out of the gate, the Cougars punched first with an 8–0 run, and it wasn’t just one guy — it was the supporting cast announcing themselves. Judah Ness knocked down a couple of threes, Noam Grossman did exactly what he always does — get left and finish — and suddenly it was 12–5 Frisch after one. You could already feel the game tilting toward their style. Shalhevet adjusted the only way they know how — by going downhill, attacking, and bringing physicality right back. Slowly chipping away until it was a 15–14 game, and just like that, we had ourselves a battle. The Cougars punched back. Nathan Neufeld banged from the corner. Isaac Stepner calmly knocked down free throws. Then a tough, contested midrange from Stepner in transition pushed the score to 22–14. Even when Shalhevet made plays — like a strong take from Benny Portney — Frisch responded immediately—Grossman with a hoop-and-harm. Extra possessions. Tough finishes. By halftime, it was 24–16 Cougars, and more importantly, it felt like the game was being played exactly how Frisch wanted.

Then came the push. The Firehawks opened the second half with urgency. Ben Jacobson in isolation. Portney in transition. Before, a three-pointer on a play out of the Jacobson brothers' playbook pulled them within 26-25. And for a stretch in that third quarter, it felt like Shalhevet might flip the whole thing. Frisch got a little loose with the ball, a little careless, and Shalhevet capitalized. Yet when all looked lost for the Cougars, Superman Stepner responded from the top of the key. Then Reinhart nailed a three-pointer of his own and got the crowd going.

A turnover, a floating pass that hung in the air just long enough — Jacob Gervis read it, picked it, and went the other way for an and-one, as Frisch capped off the penultimate stanza on an 11-5 surge for a 37-30 lead. 

Then came the fourth. And this is where Frisch truly won the game. They went to that aggressive zone, and Shalhevet stalled. The ball stuck up top—no downhill pressure. Exactly what Frisch wanted, meanwhile, the Cougars were attacking, getting to the line, and stretching it to 41–31 with just over six minutes left. But Shalhevet had one last run. Yaakov Lieberman nailed a triple.

Ben Dweck answered with one from the corner. Then a scoop and score from Dweck made this a 43–42 with 3:21 left.

Yet if Frisch was supposed to collapse, nobody told Stepner that. A perfect feed to Gervis for 45–42. Then maybe the biggest play of the game — denying Sam Jacobson inside with under 1:30 left. Gervis knocked down two free throws before Stepner slowed everything down, called a timeout, managed the clock like a true floor general, then hit four more free throws and blocked and rejected another Jacobson three to end it. 

Frisch Controlled Tempo:

The Cougars thoroughly controlled the game's style. From the opening quarter, Frisch made this physical, slowed it down, and forced Shalhevet into a half-court battle. Even when Shalhevet made their runs, it never felt like the game fully opened up. The aggressive zone in the fourth was the clearest example — Shalhevet got stagnant, stuck up top, and couldn’t generate the same downhill pressure that fueled their comeback.

The Cougars' Supporting Cast Stepped Up:

Everyone will remember Stepner the closer, but this game doesn’t tilt without the first punch from guys like Judah Ness, Nathan Neufeld, and Noam Grossman. The early threes, the physical finishes, the energy plays — that’s what gave Frisch control in the first place. And then later, players like Jacob Gervis made massive winning plays, from the and-one in transition to clutch free throws.

Isaac Stepner Owned the Moment:

The assist to Gervis to stop the late run. The defensive stand denied Jacobson inside, outdueling his star counterpart, slowing the game down, calling a timeout, hitting free throws, and controlling the clock. And finally, the block to end it. That’s what separates great players in games like this — not just what they do, but when they do it. When everything tightened, he was the calmest and most in control person in the MSAC — and that’s why Frisch is playing for a championship on Monday.