SAR basketball team beats the Hillel Heat

Getting strong play from point guard Samuel Hyman and tough team defense, the Salanter Akiba Riverdale (SAR) Sting routed the Hillel Heat 54-33 at home on Sunday.

The Sting, led by Hyman’s 17 points, never trailed their Monmouth County, N.J. opponents in the game.

SAR improved to 4-1. Hillel fell to 2-4. Both teams compete in the Metro Yeshiva High School Athletic League.

The Sting opened strong and chilled the Heat as 6-foot-5-inch SAR center Samuel Marcus dominated inside early on offense and defense, scoring from the low post, blocking a shot and making a steal. 

The closest the Heat drew to the Sting the entire game was within four points, when SAR led 15-11 in the first quarter.  

With Hyman, senior forward Zach Wohlberg and senior shooting guard Josh Deutch scoring on open looks and breakaway opportunities, SAR led 31-16 at the half.

With the Heat playing a zone defense and sagging in on Marcus, Wohlberg played a strong all-around game defending, rebounding and hitting the open man all evening.

Still, SAR coach Rafi Halpert pulled his entire starting five to send them a message that he was not satisfied with their play at the 3:53 mark of the third quarter with the score 36-21.

“I told them not to leave number 10 [Nathan Bibi, the Heat’s best player and only double-digit scorer of the game] unguarded,” Halpert said. “They didn’t execute.”

As a result, Halpert emptied his bench and the reserves held their own. 

Halpert said senior guard Moshe Schwartz impressively defended Bibi despite giving away at least six inches to the bigger and more athletic Hillel player.

“We got great guard play and we made our free throws, I’m happy with the win,” Halpert said.

The Sting finished the game much the way they started it.

Hyman went the length of the floor to put SAR ahead 45-29 with six minutes to go in the game.

Marcus found Deutch open for a jumper and SAR went up 49-29 with less than five minutes to play.

With the lead in hand, Halpert gave his reserves another opportunity to gain valuable game experience. 

Deutch finished with nine points, including a three-point basket. Marcus, a Riverdale resident, scored eight points and Wohlberg netted six.