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| Bob Quillman, in green, and Ryan Scott, in gray, pose with Yeshiva fans after the team's showdown with Illinois Wesleyan on Thursday night in New York City. Twitter photo |
By Ryan Scott
D3hoops.com
WASHINGTON HEIGHTS, N.Y. – The counter was mobbed, but the workers were entirely unfazed.
I’m sure it’s a typical occurrence and Burgers and Grill – a kosher dive on the campus of Yeshiva University and the go-to postgame hot spot for all things Maccabees – but the number of credit cards getting pushed forward and heated arguments over who would get the bill was both fun and flattering.
It was all part of an exhilarating night here in Upper Manhattan that emphasized the hospitality of the home community and the best of Division III basketball. Illinois Wesleyan put on an absolute clinic, coming out of the gate with championship level intensity. They pressured Yeshiva incessantly, making even the most basic passes difficult and denying All-Americans Ryan Turell and Gabe Leifer access to the ball early on.
The threes were falling for the Titans, hitting 9-for-14 in the first half to Yeshiva’s 0-for-9. It’s the reverse of what you’d expect going into the game, but Yeshiva’s defense wasn’t moving quick enough, with head coach, Elliot Steinmetz noting after the game, “We just didn’t move the way we’re supposed to move. We let them beat us to spots.”
Turell quickly switched to guarding IWU All-American Matt Leritz and effectively kept him at bay on offense, but Leritz quietly racked up a school record 25 rebounds, outdoing the entire Yeshiva team. The Maccabees might’ve been able to overcome the shooting disparity or the rebounding disadvantage, but definitely not both – and when you factor in the defensive pressure, it was too big a hill to climb.
Pete Lambesis hounded Turell all night, and while he did rack up 22 points, Yeshiva had to work very hard to even get the ball into his hands in a position to attack. Cody Mitchell spent his 26 court minutes similarly frustrating Leifer, often the hinge of Yeshiva’s offense, but who couldn’t get his hands on the ball against IWU.
Both teams came out tired in the second half and, from there, it was a battle of attrition. Yeshiva was able to match the Titan intensity, but there wasn’t enough left in the tank to really make the run they’re used to making in the second half.
Illinois Wesleyan is used to playing in big games against top level opponents and they came out amped like it was a national championship game. I can’t remember a team as ready to play as were the Titans in this one. Yeshiva found out what it takes to compete on this level and they know what they’ll have to do differently if they see IWU again in March.
The Maccabees really did hold their own in the second half – the defense was better, the shooting showed up, but you can’t spot a Top Ten team 20 points and expect to win.
Illinois Wesleyan, ranked No. 4 in the D3hoops.com men's basketball Top 25, defeated No. 1 Yeshiva 73-59, ending Yeshiva's 50-game winning streak.
As great as the game was, it was perhaps overshadowed by atmosphere – hundreds of YU fans waiting in line on the cold sidewalk three hours before tip, hoping to get one of the coveted spots on the bleachers. The game started with a thousand voice chorus for the Israeli national anthem and continued like a party through most of the game.
Players from both teams helped each other up off the floor and they met again after the game for pictures and conversation outside the locker rooms. Leifer connected Lambesis (an accounting major) with the recruiter at the accounting firm where he works. Turell was genuinely excited to congratulate Leritz on his rebounding record and seemed both appropriately disappointed in the result and energized by the high level of competition, which has been few and far between for Yeshiva.
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| Peter Lambesis had 13 points in the win at Yeshiva. Illinois Wesleyan men's basketball photo |
The home crowd expected something different and on another night, the Maccabees might’ve delivered, but even being on the big stage was something the Yeshiva community relished and does not take for granted. After the game, we got swept up with the Turell family – thanks to the magic of remote work, Ryan’s parents have been able to relocate to NYC for the season.
In the two blocks between the Max Stern Athletic Center and Burgers and Grill (where you can order just about anything, so long as it’s not a cheeseburger), Turell was stopped by a) a gaggle of girls who couldn’t stop talking about how awesome the night was, b) a bearded man in the traditional Jewish black hat and suit who already knew all the details from the game, c) a few classmates who offered to share lab notes he’d missed, or d) all of the above.
Even super-Titan Bob Quillman was feted as a hero, despite his team’s sound defeat of the home crowd – the Macs fans chanted his name on the way into the building and stopped to take pictures with him afterwards. The Titans lost the opportunity for a second New York game to COVID earlier in the week, but were able to see Time Square, the 9/11 Memorial, the Statue of Liberty, and many other very typical New York sites along the way.
They’re also geared up to host Yeshiva in November – a return trip that will surely bring more camaraderie in the Division III way. Thousands of people watched the live stream of the game – more than YouTube could keep up with on the counter – and tweets came in from fans, coaches, and players across the country excited for this celebration of the game we love.
Division III basketball is unique in that while every team is trying to win every game, the most important goal is developing and equipping women and men capable of making a real impact on the world. I’ve not talked to a coach or player who doesn’t root for the best performance from their opponents as a challenge to help themselves rise to the occasion.
As we entered the restaurant, we greeted Ofek Reef and his family leaving. As we sat with Ryan Turell, talking about family and the future and not too much basketball, Gabe Leifer banged on the window and made funny faces as he and his wife walked home with their takeout.
This is high level basketball, but it’s not the all-business professionalism of Division I – it’s still about having fun and going to school and doing your best on the court, before remembering there’s an awful lot to life off it, as well.
Illinois Wesleyan won tonight. They played great basketball. The Maccabees are already chomping at the bit for a rematch in March, but whether that happens or not, they’re all going to remember this night and this experience far more than the final score.
