VARSITY BASKETBALL LOSE AT HOMECOMING BUT BOUNCE BACK WITH BIG WIN AGAINST TABC

On December 17th, the SAR Varsity Sting faced the Frisch Cougars at their homecoming game in the Bronx. Before the game, both teams had won once against one another, so some pregame tension was clearly there. The game had begun. It was clear that right off the tip, their would be plenty of nerves. That being said, both teams missed shots early, yet SAR managed to come out with a 12-9 lead at the end of the 1st. Thankfully, the nerves subsided, and the game was now moving at a much more reasonable pace. After Ariel Smith hit a layup with 30 seconds left in the half, Scott Levine knocked down a momentum crushing 3 to cut SAR's lead down to only 1 point. The 3rd quarter proved to be the downfall for the Sting. Although Marcus and Friedman hit 2 three's early in the quarter, it seemed as though Frisch's Scott Levine answered every bucket with a 3 of his own. Frisch finished the quarter off strong leading SAR 36-30. At the beginning of the 4th, Marcus missed a 3, and Frisch turned the opportunity into a made basket, extending their lead to 8. From there, the Cougars controlled the rest of the game. While SAR managed to cut the lead back to 6, Frisch never grew worried, as they went on to beat the Sting 53-44. The Sting would look to bounce back against the TABC Storm. 

On Monday night December 21st, the SAR Varsity boys basketball team played against the TABC Storm. SAR was looking to bounce back from their loss against Frisch only a few nights before. The Sting started out strong, allowing them to go up 10-5 at the end of the first. The Sting tallied on another 7 points, and at the half, the score was 17-14. At the end of the 3rd, SAR had its largest lead, 31-23. The 4th quarter is where the action began. TABC put together a fantastic comeback. PG Tai Gerszberg was phenomenal in the 4th. As a result, TABC was almost able to tie the game. However, the Sting were able to pull out the win, with a final score of 45-42. The Sting were lead by Marcus' 19 and Smith's 11. 

3 GAME SUMMARY FOR VARSITY HOCKEY: REVENGE AGAINST FRISCH, A STEAL IN WOODMERE, BUT A CRUCIAL LOSS IN THE WEATHER CENTER

In the Bronx, Solomon Freilich had 2 power play goals in his return from injury, and SAR survived a frantic Frisch rally to move the varsity squad to 6-2. Jonah Halper scored his 1st goal of the season to give SAR a 2-1 1st period lead that they would not relinquish. SAR jumped out to a 6-3 3rd period lead with 3 minutes, but Frisch scored 2 goals in the next to cut it to 6-5. However, throughout the game, Jonah Amron made a few key saves to keep the game in SAR's grasp. Although he faltered late, SAR did not let the Cougars get a shot on goal after the lead was cut to 1. SAR won the game on special teams, scoring 3 power play goals to Frisch's none, with SAR penalty killers Josh Rosenberg, Joey Mogilner and Freilich holding the vaunted Frisch power play in check for over 7 minutes of power play time. The Sting will face undefeated TABC on Sunday in Teaneck.

In Woodmere, Solomon Freilich scored 2 goals, and Josh Rosenberg chipped in 1, and the Varsity Sting improved to 7-2, beating Drs 3-0. The game was scoreless toward the end of the second period, but a power play goal by Freilich gave the sting a 1-0 lead heading into the third. In the 3rd period, things got dicey for the Sting, as Drs had a 4-2 power play with 8 minutes remaining. But, Jason Burian and Azi Lavi did a fantastic job killing off the penalty, with the help of goaltender Jonah Amron. Amron stood on his head all night, and Rosenberg's 4th goal of the year gave SAR a 2-0 lead. Freilich added an empty net goal late, and SAR escaped the wildcats den with a win.

In Teaneck, Calev Minsky scored a power play goal with 5 minutes left to give TABC a 3-2 lead , and the storm avoided an upset at the hands of a red hot Sting team. SAR came out firing early, with Jason Burian scoring a power play goal to give the Sting a 1-0 lead. However, a failed line change led to TABC tying the game at 1 late in the first period, and they tacked on another one to give them a 2-1 lead. Late in the second period, the Sting were awarded a power play, to the dismay of the massive crowd on hand. The Sting would convert on the power play, and tie the game at 2. The game was tied until Minsky's late goal. Following the goal, the Sting were not able to convert a 4-2 power play. TABC's defense held, and the Sting fell to 7-3, losing a crucial game to the undefeated Storm.

By Joseph Mogilner

JV STING TOPS HAFTR IN OPENER OF RUBENSTEIN TOURNEY

Tuesday night, the SAR JV boys beat HAFTR 47-44 in the first game of the annual Rubenstein Memorial Basketball Tournament.The game was a thriller and the Sting came back from down 8 to start the fourth and outscored the Hawks 16-5 in the final quarter. Judah Oppenheimer led all Sting players with 14 points, including 10 in the fourth and the game winning bucket with under a minute to play.

SAR JV BOYS BALL FINISH OFF STRONG AGAINST JEC

SAR JV Boys Basketball beat JEC Dec. 5th, 62-39, to raise its record to 5-0. Led by Jake Schwalbe’s 16 points and Judah Oppenheimer’s 13, including three 3-pointers, SAR was in a close game in the first two and a half quarters before pulling away midway through the third. After being up 5 at the half, Schwalbe took over with 8 points in the third and the team played stifling defense, notably on JEC’s star player Rieser. Nat Waxman hit three 3-pointers off the bench. Noah Gurin had 9 and Sammy Sokol 8.

VARSITY HOCKEY PULL OFF BIG W AGAINST HAFTR

Looking to rebound from a rough stretch, coming off losses to TABC and Frisch, the varsity Sting, playing without leading scorer Solomon Freilich, hosted the Haftr Hawks in a battle in the Bronx. Sting players viewed the game as a must win, and they came out firing immediately. Senior forward Sam Soff placed a wraparound through the legs of Haftr goalie Ryan Gluck to give the Sting a 1-0 lead. That would hold until a Haftr power play in the 3rd period. A Hawks defenseman rifled a shot that went off the leg of offensman Sam shechter, passing SAR goalie Jonah Amron. Just a few minutes later, the Sting would give the Hawks a taste of their own medicine. Sophomore forward Shua Friedman brought the puck around the boards and fired a shot toward the net. The shot glanced off the leg of a bunch of players from both teams in front, and junior forward Joey Mogilner was officially credited with what proved to be the winning goal. SAR's 2-1 win improved them to 5-2, with a big game against Frisch coming next. 

By Joseph Mogilner

VARSITY BOYS BALL HOLD OFF HILLEL HEAT, LOSE IN A HEARTBREAKER TO JEC, AND ARE UPSET BY NSHA

On December 2nd, the Boys Varsity basketball team took on the Hillel Heat. SAR had been coming off a blowout win against Kushner, and looked to continue their groove against the Heat. Right from the tip, SAR captain Ariel Smith went on a role. At the end of the half, the Sting led 33-19, with 16 of those 33 points coming from Smith alone. However, the Heat were not done. With the crowd on their side, Hillel formulated a huge comeback. By the end of the 3rd, SAR only led by 7. Although the Heat were hoping for a huge comeback, the Sting stood strong. When the final buzzer sounded, SAR had won 67-61. The Sting were led by Smith's 25 and Marcus' 13. Next up, JEC!

3 days later, the Sting travelled to Elizabeth, NJ to play the JEC Thunder. SAR hoped to avenge their previous game against JEC, where they lost by only 4. The game was neck and neck. Nobody could really open up a lead. However, through three quarters, the Sting were up by 7. Yet, little did the Sting know, a comeback was in the making. The Thunder were eventually able to tie up the game late in the 4th, but Ariel Smith hit a clutch three, giving SAR some breathing room. Next possession, Raanan Kimmel was fouled. He then went to the line where he split his free-throws. However, the Thunder remained calm, and with a great move to the basket by guard Shemaryahu Shulman, they tied the game up again at 33. Panicking, SAR threw an ill-advised pass, forcing a turnover. JEC had all the momentum, As time was winding down, Shulman chucked up a three, which luckily for the Sting, missed. However, after a miscommunication on the court, forward Jacob Feiler ended up with the ball, and with 1.1 seconds left, hit a put back to take a two point lead. The Sting lost by a score of 35-33. Guard Eli Friedman led the Sting in scoring. 

After a heartbreaking loss against JEC, SAR looked to build off their defeat against the NSHA Stars. However, the Sting never got into what they wanted, and at the end of the half, SAR was down 15-12. The 2nd half was where the action began. Though NSHA built a 10 point, SAR continued to fight. With great defensive plays from guards Eli Friedman and Daniel Wisotsky, the Sting were able to cut the lead down to 6. Then, with about 15 seconds left, forward Dovie Marcus hit an and-1 three, and the lead was now only 2 points. After fouling NSHA's PG, a free-throw was hit, and SAR was now down 3. Following, the Sting drew up a play for a game tying 3, but came up short after Marcus missed the final attempt.  NSHA went on to beat the Sting 33-30. The Sting now look to end their losing streak against division rival Frisch on Thursday night. 

SAR CRUISES PAST KUSHNER COBRAS

On the final night of November, the SAR Varsity basketball teamed squared off with the Kushner Cobras in Livingston, NJ. SAR is coming off a 5th place finish in this years inaugural Steve Glouberman tournament and are now looking to feed off their subpar finish to build on what hopes to be a successful regular season. Although the Sting were without Guards Simon Kofman, Charles Thau, and forward Asaf Gadasi, forward Dovie Marcus hoped to help out with the lack of players, as he himself was coming off a knee injury which sidelined him for nearly 2 and a half months. Right from the get go, the Sting could not miss. With fantastic play from guards Ariel Smith and Daniel Wisotsky, SAR jumped out to an early double digit lead. Following, SAR entered what turned out to be, a never ending groove. At the end of the half, SAR led 45-16 with help from juniors Marcus and Wisotsky, who combined for 25 of SAR's 1st half points. The 2nd half proved to be the same, as SAR kept it's comfortable lead, ending the 3rd with a score of 56-33. The Cobras proved to be no problem, as the Sting went on to win 68-35. Led by Wisotsky's 13 and Marcus' 12, the Sting now look to Wednesday night where they will face fellow conference rivals, the Hillel Heat.