Only One Pride Survives: JCHS Lions Roar Past CESJDS Lions 72–46

Two prides, one den, and only one could leave with its roar intact. The #2 JCHS Lions shook off a slow start, exploded for 29 points in the second quarter and rolled past the #15 CESJDS Lions, 72–46, in Thursday’s Tier I First Round on Court 1.

Charles E. Smith, fresh off a 70–51 play-in win over MGP earlier in the day, gave the second seed everything it could handle at the start. Dylan Shank scored five points in the opening quarter and CESJDS took a 7–6 lead into the second, the kind of first quarter that makes a high seed nervous.

It didn’t last. JCHS took over in the second quarter, winning it 29–10. Micael Hazan scored seven points in the period, Jordan Kogan added seven of his own, including a three, and Idan Ovadia chipped in five and Luca Green four as the JCHS Lions turned a one-point deficit into a 35–17 halftime lead. The CESJDS Lions, in their second game of the day, had no answer.

CESJDS kept fighting. Shia Messler scored four points in each of the second and third quarters, and the visitors played JCHS nearly even after the break, losing the third quarter just 14–13 to trail 49–30. But the fourth belonged to JCHS. A 12–0 burst pushed the lead to 66–34, with threes from Green, Ovadia and Mordechai Rudd in the final quarter, and Gershon Schwartz added three baskets as JCHS closed it out.

Ovadia led JCHS with 14 points, Green had 13 and Noah Seplowitz 10, with all eight JCHS players who scored adding at least five. Shank led CESJDS with a game-high 15 points and Messler added 10, capping a two-game day that the Lions from Rockville can be proud of.

Up next: JCHS advances to Friday’s Super 8 to face #7 Magen David.

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