Tier III Finals Preview: #17 HANC Vs #19 Hillel Pittsburg

This one might be the “17th place game” on paper, but there’s a trophy on the line. HANC had to earn its way into this tournament the hard way through winning a play-in game with pressure from the tip off, but they responded and took down JEC. Next, they moved on and fell to Montreal in a tight game. Then, they handled business against SCY High. 

Hillel Pittsburgh is making their first-ever championship game appearance. They got knocked out of Tier II by Fuchs, but didn’t fold as they fought their way back, grinding out a tight, emotional win over Beren in Tier III to get here. They don’t play with flash, rather with toughness, effort, and belief.

HANC has quietly been one of the more impressive teams in this tier. They have structure, confidence, and a core group of juniors that’s starting to figure things out in real time. They don’t just rely on one guy, they play connected, move the ball, and when they get rolling, they can put pressure on you in waves.

And they play with a sense of purpose. This is a team that nearly shocked MDY earlier this season, proved people wrong just getting into Sarachek, and now has a chance to walk away with hardware. 

Hillel, though, brings a completely different identity. They do not overwhelm you with talent, but they make you earn everything. This team is built on defense, effort, and intensity. They don’t back down, they don’t quit on possessions, and they’re the kind of group that can drag a game into the mud for everyone involved because defense travels, and so does effort. When you’re the underdog, that edge becomes even sharper.

Can Hillel turn this into a grind?:

That’s their goal. They’re not trying to win a track meet, they want this game slowed down, physical, and uncomfortable. If they’re forcing HANC into late-clock possessions, contesting everything, and making every touch difficult, this becomes exactly the kind of game where they can hang around and steal it late.

How HANC handles that pressure without getting impatient:

Hillel is going to disrupt, scrap, and force you to earn everything. The question is whether HANC stays composed by moving the ball, trusting their offense, and not settling for rushed shots. If they stay disciplined, their talent and balance should show. If they get sped up mentally, that’s when this game tightens.

Who wins the effort possessions?:

Loose balls, offensive rebounds, second chances, and defensive rotations is where Hillel thrives. That’s how they beat Beren, and that’s how they stay in games. If HANC matches that energy and doesn’t give away extra possessions, they’ll be in control. If not, Hillel will make this a fight all the way to the end.