Hawks’ Wings Clipped as Rams Lock in Tier 2 Finals Spot!

The last game Saturday night (really Sunday morning!) was for a chance to be in the Tier 2 Championship game. It was between the #1 Posnack Rams and the #5 HAFTR Hawks. Both teams came out ready to give it their all. The game began with a closely contested first quarter, as Posnack came out strong behind Jonathan Rhein’s early dominance. Rhein scored 9 of Posnack’s first 11 points, giving his team an edge. HAFTR, however, refused to let the game slip away, relying on tough, contested layups to keep the score close. At the end of the first quarter, Posnack held a narrow 12-10 lead.

In the second quarter, HAFTR’s Asher Freundlich hit a three-pointer to briefly give his team their first lead of the game. However, Rhein responded with four more points, bringing his halftime total to 13 and reclaiming momentum for Posnack. The teams traded baskets for much of the quarter until Posnack closed the half with an impressive 8-0 run, giving them a 29-22 lead heading into the locker room.

The third quarter saw HAFTR mount a determined comeback effort. Both teams initially struggled to find their rhythm on offense, but Nate Meyer’s three-pointer helped HAFTR regain some traction. With strong defense forcing turnovers, HAFTR tied the game midway through the quarter. Ness Salem was a key contributor for the Hawks, scoring 7 points in the quarter. Despite their efforts, Posnack’s Gideon Greenberg was a force to be reckoned with, ending the quarter with a double-double of 14 points and 11 rebounds. Posnack held a slim 45-40 advantage heading into the final quarter.

The fourth quarter was where Posnack truly asserted their dominance. HAFTR started strong with a three-pointer to cut the lead to 2 points, but Greenberg responded with back-to-back threes of his own, extending Posnack’s lead and pushing his point total to 20. Over the next few minutes, the Rams widened the gap further with consistent scoring and lockdown defense. With six minutes left, the game had swung decisively in Posnack’s favor. By the final whistle, Posnack had secured a commanding 73-52 victory.

Jonathan Rhein and Gideon Greenberg were the stars of the game for Posnack. Rhein led the way with 26 points and 5 rebounds, while Greenberg delivered an outstanding performance with 27 points and 14 rebounds. For HAFTR, Ness Salem stood out with 15 points and 6 rebounds.

With this win, Posnack moves on to the Tier 2 Championship, ready to face MTA in tomorrow’s much anticipated match up.