NEW YORK, NY - Taking the court for the first time in the 2025-26 season, the Yeshiva Men's Basketball Team fell to Chapman University, losing to the Panthers by a score of 81-77 on Wednesday, Nov. 12th.
 
On top of being the season opener, the game served as an important milestone for four new Maccabees, with Yair Dovrat, Nate Jacobs, Alex Kirievsky, and Joe Schanzer donning the blue and white for the first time.
 
Offensively, the Maccabees saw three players score in the double digits. Reigning Skyline Player of the Year Zevi Samet led the way with 34, while Yoav Oselka tallied 14 and Dovrat put up 13.
 
On top of his attacking prowess, Oselka had a big night defensively for the Macs, completing his double-double with 10 rebounds, while also racking up three steals and three blocks.
 
With the result, the Macs are now 0-1 on the year.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Maccabees started the first half strong, jumping out to a 9-2 lead through the first five minutes of play off of buckets from Dovrat, Samet, and Or Sundjyvsky. While Chapman would find their offensive groove, drawing within three at 12-9, Yeshiva staved off the Panther surge, leading by six at 19-13 with ten minutes remaining in the period.
   
• Despite continuing to produce on the offensive side of the ball, YU's advantage would be tested, with Chapman going up 30-23 with 4:16 remaining. However, over the next two minutes, the Macs recaptured their edge, as buckets from Oselka, Kirievsky, Jacobs, and Samet put the Maccabees back up, 33-30. This lead would grow to five with 1:20 left, but would be erased over the final 40 seconds, as two made free throws and a buzzer-beating Chapman three knotted the game at 35-all headed into the break.
   
• The deadlock would persist through the first 10 minutes of the second half, with the score tied four different times at 40-all, 46-all, 49-all, and 55-all. Chapman managed to secure some breathing room, going up by nine at 72-63 with 5:12 left in regulation, but the Macs fought back, closing the gap between the squads to three at 74-71 with just over two minutes remaining.
   
• Unfortunately for the Maccabees, that would be the closest they would come to tracking down the Panthers. Chapman held firm over the final 120 seconds of play, with the men in blue and white opening their season with an 81-77 loss.

 
MAC LEADERS

• Points: Samet (34), Oselka (14), Dovrat (13)
• Assists: Oselka (5), Bardichev (3), Dovrat (1), Sundjyvsky (1), Kirievsky (1), Itcovichi (1)
• Rebounds: Oselka (10), Bardichev (6), Sundjyvsky (5), Samet (5), Jacobs (5)
• Steals: Oselka (3), Samet (3), Dovrat (3),
• Blocks: Oselka (3), Bardichev (1), Kirievsky (1)

 
UP NEXT
Traveling down to Virginia, the Maccabees will face off against #2 Randolph-Macon College on Saturday, Nov. 15th at 8:15 PM.