The #3 DRS Wildcats raced out to a huge 1st half lead but needed extra time Sunday to beat the #5 TABC Storm 66-63 to capture the school’s third MYHSAL varsity championship.
Joe Aaron scored 24 points and Tzvi Tsaidi added 21 as the Wildcats (29-3) won their 15th straight game and denied the Storm (19-5) in their first ever championship game. The Wildcats previously won the league title in 2013 and in 2016 when Gabe Leifer led them to an undefeated season.
Dovid Saks opened the scoring with a 3-pointer for the Storm but it wasn’t until the 2nd quarter that TABC would score again as DRS reeled off 18 straight points. The Wildcat lead twice reached 17 points in the quarter but the Storm scored the final five points to trail by only 30-18 at the half.
With the first seven points of the 3rd quarter, TABC got to within five and then another Saks triple made it 34-33. But two Aaron 3-point plays and a triple from Tsaidi in the closing minutes made the Wildcats cushion 43-35 heading to the 4th.
A Tsaidi bucket extended the DRS lead to nine at 46-37 but from there the Storm’s big man Eyal Kinderlehrer took over, scoring 15 points in the quarter including a rare trey. His final points were a pair of free throws to get TABC to within 53-52.
Michael Solomon hit two free throws for DRS to extend the Wildcat lead to 55-52, but Yonah Mandel hit a corner 3-pointer with :30 left to get TABC even for the first time since 3-3. DRS held for a last shot but turned the ball over in the final seconds and TABC’s half court shot missed to send the game to overtime.
DRS dominated early in the extra session, scoring the first eight points on single baskets by Solomon and Tsaidi and a pair by Yitz Bennett. Five free throws by TABC got them to within three but Aaron all but sealed it with a pair of free throws with :20 left.
Kinderlehrer finished with 24 points for TABC, Akiva Borgen added 14 and Mandel had 11, but none scored in overtime.
DRS heads to the Sarachek Tournament as the #3 seed with an opening round matchup against #14 Frisch. TABC will be seeded 4th and will play #13 Fasman Yeshiva.