#8 Wolfpack Weather the Storm, Edge #9 Berman in Tier I qualifier Thriller

This was everything you thought it would be. Honestly, even more—and in the end, Valley Torah outlasted Berman 58–56 in overtime, advancing to face top-seeded DRS in Tier I quarterfinals. Meanwhile, Berman dropped to the Tier II bracket.

Berman came out sharp, confident, and completely in control from the start. They jumped on Valley Torah 16–8, dictated tempo, and played exactly the kind of game that lets a star like Alex August take over. And while August absolutely had his moments — finishing with 24 points — this wasn’t some one-person takeover. Berman was composed, opportunistic, and most importantly, ahead. Even at halftime, up 30–22, it felt like they were exactly where they wanted to be.

Yet here’s the thing about Valley Torah — they don’t panic. They don’t rush. And they don’t rely on one guy to save them. You could feel it creeping in during the third. The deficit wasn’t disappearing, but it wasn’t growing either. Emmit Victor was doing a little bit of everything (11 rebounds, 6 assists), Joey Victor started to find his scoring rhythm, and slowly, possession by possession, the game tightened. Still, every time the Wolfpack made a push, Berman had an answer. A big three. A tough bucket. A momentum stopper. Up 45–37 in the fourth, it still felt like Berman’s game to lose.

And then finally, Valley Torah’s depth showed. Joey Victor (17 points) ignited everything. A three here. A drive there. Suddenly it’s 52–50. Then came the moment: a left-handed circus finish through traffic to tie the game at 52 with just over a minute left. Berman had the last say in regulation. The ball found August, exactly who you want. Contested jumper. Front rim. Overtime.

In the extra session, August answered with a ridiculous spin move of his own to briefly put Berman ahead, because of course he did. However, Meir Dan, who had been relatively quiet all afternoon for the Wolfpack, picked the perfect time to arrive. A go-ahead three. Then later, the biggest play of the game — spinning through contact for an and-one to give Valley Torah a 58–56 lead with 26 seconds left. One final corner look from the Cougars rimmed out, and that was it. Valley Torah had proven to have more answers.

The #8 Valley Torah Wolfpack rallied past the #9 Berman Cougars 58-56 in overtime and are off to the Tier I Elite 8. (Photo Credit; MacsLive)

Depth doesn’t always show early — but it shows when it matters most:

For three quarters, you kept asking it: where is Valley Torah’s depth? Berman controlled the pace, protected their lead, and never let the game spiral out of control. Yet depth isn’t always about blowing teams out, but surviving long enough for cracks to form. By the fourth quarter, you saw it. Joey Victor took over stretches, Emmit Victor kept everything connected, and Dan saved his best for the biggest moments. Berman had the best player on the floor, yet the Wolfpack had the most answers when the game tightened.

Alex August gave Berman exactly what they needed, except the finish:

This wasn’t a case of your star disappearing. The 3,000-point scorer was outstanding, scoring 24 points, making several big shots, and maintaining control in isolation situations. He felt like the best player on the floor all afternoon. Yet late-game basketball is brutal. The final look in regulation was his, but it was a tough miss. In overtime, he still made plays, including smart passes, but Berman needed just one more bucket, one more stop, one more moment. He carried them to the brink, but couldn’t close it.

Meir Dan embodied Valley Torah’s identity:

Dan didn’t force himself into the game early, didn’t chase shots, didn’t try to match August possession-for-possession. He trusted the system, stayed composed, and waited. And when the game finally broke open in overtime, he delivered the two biggest plays on the floor, the go-ahead three and the and-one through contact. That’s the Wolfpack in a nutshell: they don’t need one guy all game, they need the right guy in the right moment.