JCC of Central New Jersey Men's Basketball

This week featured just two games, makeup matchups from the first snowstorm that wiped out part of Week 11. But with only a few games remaining before playoff seeding is locked in, these contests carried major weight. The standings are crowded, the margins are thin, and even a single result can shift the bracket. What looked like a light week on the schedule turned out to be anything but insignificant.

Shortland Blazers 76 - Money Ball 72 (OT): This matchup featured two teams heading in opposite directions. Money Ball entered on a 3-game winning streak, playing their best basketball of the season largely thanks to the return of Andi Hasaj. Shortland, meanwhile, had dropped three straight and was desperate for a win with their final three games all coming against top four seeds. A Money Ball victory would have kept them firmly in the hunt for a top-three seed; a loss would dash those hopes. Shortland, sitting precariously near the play-in line, needed breathing room. This game also showcased the league’s two most explosive scorers: Andi Hasaj (fresh off back-to-back 40+ point outings) and Jakub Zabek, the only other player to accomplish that feat this season. The first half was a tight battle. Money Ball twice built five-point leads, and twice Shortland answered. At the break, Shortland clung to a 31-30 edge. As noted in recent recaps, Andi has shifted into a relentlessly aggressive mode. Defenders are left choosing between conceding the three or bracing for him to power his way to the rim. He wasn’t feeling it from deep (1/9), but he punished defenders inside (8/13 from two) and lived at the line, attempting 11 free throws (more on that later). Andi finished with 26 points and a dominant 19 rebounds, including 7 offensive boards.

Offensive rebounding kept Money Ball afloat all night. They shot an uncharacteristically low percentage but owned a massive 24-8 edge on the offensive glass and outrebounded Shortland 56-37 overall. Andi was one of three Money Ball players to record a double-double. Justin Dank added 15 points and 14 rebounds, while Captain Adam Driansky chipped in 18 points and 10 boards. Herb Smith rounded out the scoring with 8 points, though on a tough 4/16 shooting night. Shortland may have lost the battle on the boards, but they were far more efficient from the field. And for now, we’ll officially roll with “Spin & Splash” as the nickname for the backcourt duo of Shamar Mason and Jakub Zabek. Spin & Splash had it going. Shamar filled the stat sheet with 19 points, 9 rebounds, 3  assists, 2 steals and 2 blocks (and was seemingly everywhere at once). His relentless attacks and signature spins kept the defense off balance all night. But this game ultimately belonged to Jakub. Apparently noticing he had slipped from the top of the scoring leaderboard, Jakub responded with a 45-point masterpiece (plus 9 rebounds). When he heats up from deep, containing him feels impossible, but he was equally lethal inside, going 9/15 from two. His mastery of angles, cuts, and finishes in traffic makes him one of the most difficult covers in the league (truly the JCC's version of Steph Curry).

Shortland was also thrilled to welcome back their top defender, Brian Schiller, after he missed the previous two games. His defensive intensity was immediately felt, and he contributed 4 points and 7 rebounds in a gritty return. The second half swung wildly. Money Ball built multiple nine-point leads and seemed in control. With 3:00 remaining, they led 64-57 after an 11-2 run. A tipped-out rebound found Drew Mandelbaum for a massive three that kept Shortland alive (he finished with 8 crucial points).

Still, Money Ball rebuilt a 67-60 lead with just two minutes left. Then chaos. A beautiful Jakub layup cut it to five.

With 1:12 remaining, Jakub came off a screen and contact with Justin Dank resulted in a controversial foul call sending Jakub to the line for three shots. A technical foul on Andi followed, giving Jakub five free throws and the ball. He hit 3 of 5 to cut it to two.

Moments later, after a Money Ball score made it 69-65, Money Ball employed an unusual strategy, leaving Jakub unguarded beyond the arc. He calmly buried the three.

One-point game. With 19.2 seconds left, Andi, who had entered shooting 93% from the line and had started 7/7 in this game, stepped up for two free throws. Shockingly, he missed both and Shortland had been given new life. Shamar was fouled on a baseline attempt and split a pairof FTs to tie the game with three seconds left. After a timeout, Andi was fouled again with just 1.6 seconds remaining giving him a chance for redemption, and likely the win. He again missed both FTs and the game went to overtime. Overtime belonged to Shortland as every time they needed a bucket, Jakub or Shamar delivered. Captain Jason Narod, coming off a 26-point outburst last week, wasn’t needed for scoring (0 points) but added 7 rebounds and steady leadership. Shortland’s defensive energy tightened, their stars closed, and the comeback was complete. Sometimes even the best players endure nights like this at the line. There’s little doubt Andi will respond in a big way. The win lifts Shortland back to .500 at 6-6 and gives them a crucial cushion away from the play-in. The loss drops Money Ball to 7-6 and turns their once-promising push for a top-three seed into an impossibility.

Shortland Blazers vs Money Ball Highlights

Billy Hoyle 70 - Big Ballers 59: Shorthanded on both sides, this one started as a grind. Billy Hoyle was without Dan Lantz and Dave Steinbruck (with John Potamousis stepping in), while Big Ballers were again missing top pick Dave Moreno. The first half was a true back-and-forth affair, with Big Ballers controlling most of it and taking a 29–26 lead into the break. James Floyd continued his recent tear, playing like one of the hottest players in the league. He poured in a game-high 25 points on 9/17 shooting and added 9 rebounds, drilling contested shots all night. Sometimes great defense is there and great offense just wins anyway. Andrew Merel was sharp as well, finishing with an efficient 13 points and 4 assists, setting the tone early. The second half opened much the same way, as Big Ballers stretched the lead to 41–36 with 17:00 remaining. Then the switch flipped. Billy Hoyle ripped off a 15–5 run, turning a five-point deficit into a five-point advantage at 51–46. From that moment on, they controlled the tempo and the scoreboard. That was as close as Big Ballers would get the rest of the way. As usual, Billy Hoyle rode their star duo. Siri Carpien flirted with a triple-double, stuffing the stat sheet with 24 points, 10 rebounds, and 8 assists and was the engine behind the decisive run. Pat O’Donnell once again showed there’s little he can’t do on a basketball court, finishing with 20 points, 14 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals, and 2 blocks in a do-it-all performance. But like last week’s win over We Got Game, Billy Hoyle is at their best when the supporting cast makes noise. Welcome back, Eddie Ford. Eddie returned with 10 points and 7 rebounds, but his biggest impact came on the defensive end, where he constantly hounded Floyd. His energy was contagious and lifted teammates like Zach Sicherman, who followed up last week’s double-double with another strong outing (10 points, 5 rebounds, and tough defense). Zach continues to live at that foul-line area, a true mid-range machine. When the ball finds him there, it’s usually automatic. Eric Lai also re-emerged from witness protection to post his best game of the season, scoring 6 points and contributing across the board. For Big Ballers, Lorne Bergstein chipped in 9 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 blocks, while captain Bryan Minasian continued his work on the glass with 14 rebounds. The loss drops Big Ballers to 1–11, while Billy Hoyle improves to 5–7, now just one game away from climbing out of the play-in spot. With the way their stars are producing and the supporting cast rounding into form, they’re peaking at the right time.

Billy Hoyle vs Big Ballers Highlights

Leaders:

Points:

Jakub Zabek - 29.5 ppg

Andi Hasaj - 28.2 ppg

Jorge Mangui - 27.1 ppg

Rebounds:

Dan Amsellem - 17.6 rps

Colin Neff - 13.1 rpg

Pat O'Donnell - 12.5 rpg

Assists:

Mike Huberman - 5.5 apg

Ben Carr - 5.1 apg

Andrew Merel - 5.0 apg

Steals:

Jorge Mangui - 3.9 spg

Mike Huberman - 3.5 spg

Pat O'Donnell - 2.3 spg

Blocks (total):

Pat O'Donnell - 19

Eric Sass - 18

Dave Kobi - 16

Three-pointers made:

Jakub Zabek - 55 (30.4%)

James Floyd - 44 (36.0 %)

TJ Farrell - 34 (25.6%)