WEST HARTFORD, CT - Taking the court for the first time in the 2026-27 season, the Yeshiva Men's Basketball Team fell to the University of Saint Joseph, losing to the Blue Jays by a score of 83-70 on Sunday, Nov. 8th.
On top of being the season opener, the game marked an important milestone for six new Maccabees, with
Matanel Goodman,
Kai Rapaport,
Simcha Klein,
Yoad Hallaby,
Josh Ness, and
Ilay Faran all donning the blue and white for the first time.
Offensively, the Maccabees saw four players score in double digits. Senior captain
Yoav Oselka led the way with 21 points on 7-14 shooting, while Ness, Goodman, and Rapaport put up 15, 12, and 10 respectively.
On top of his shooting prowess, Oselka excelled on the defensive side of the ball, pulling down eight rebounds and snagging four steals. He was joined in his efforts by Klein, who tallied six rebounds and three steals in his debut.
With the result, the Maccabees are now 0-1 on the year.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Playing with four brand new starters in Goodman, Rapaport, Klein, and Hallaby, one might expect a slow start, and while the Maccabees fell behind early, their offensive troubles did not last. Rebounding efficiently from a 6-0 deficit through the first three minutes of play, Yeshiva drew within one at 12-11, before taking their first lead at 14-12 off a deep Ness three with 12:32 left on the clock.
- While Saint Joseph was able to briefly reign in YU's white-hot offense over the next three minutes, managing to tie the game at 17-all, the Macs quickly reestablished their hold on the contest, growing their edge to seven points at 30-23 with 3:46 remaining. Playing like seasoned veterans, Yeshiva's rookie squad efficiently closed out the half, with a pair of foul shots from Klein giving the Macs a 36-28 advantage headed into the break.
- Yeshiva's attack continued to produce at an effective rate through the first five minutes of the second half, with points from Oselka, Goodman, and Ness keeping the men in blue and white ahead of their out-of-state rival. Despite this success however, the Blue Jays slowly closed the gap, eventually tying the game at 45-all, before taking the lead at 47-45 with 14:01 left on the clock. Three Hallaby free throws over the next two minutes managed to briefly swing the pendulum back in Yeshiva's favor, with the Macs up by one at 48-47, but this success would not last. A Saint Joseph three just 15 seconds later put the Blue Jays up 50-48, a lead change that would prove the last of the contest.
- The Maccabees continued to fight, keeping the Blue Jays within striking distance for the majority of the final 12 minutes. Despite their best efforts though, YU could not close that gap, with the Macs ultimately falling by a score of 83-70 in their season opener.
MAC LEADERS
- Points: Oselka (21), Ness (15), Goodman (12), Rapaport (10)
- Assists: Oselka (7), Rapaport (3), Hallaby (3)
- Rebounds: Oselka (8), Klein (6), Goodman (5)
- Steals: Oselka (4), Klein (3), Rapaport (1), Ness (1), Schanzer (1)
UP NEXT
Staying on the road, the Maccabees will travel out west, competing in Illinois Wesleyan University's Sikma Hall of Fame Invitational from Saturday, Nov. 14th - Sunday, Nov. 15th. YU will face off against the Titans in the first game of the tournament on Saturday, Nov. 14th at 8:00 PM.
