The girls varsity basketball team (8-3) defeated the Melvin J. Berman Hebrew Academy Cougars 41-27 for the second time this season. 

The Lions started out strong, ending the first quarter leading 5-3. The Cougars continued, though, as they scored numerous times to tie the game at 15 before halftime. In the third quarter, the Lions pulled ahead once again and defended their lead for the rest of the game. 

Despite missing captain, starter and junior Sophia Miller due to an ACL and meniscus tear last week, the Lions played a great game. Scoring fewer points than they usually average, the Lions still came away with the win due to their strong defense.

“I think they got comfortable relying on Sophia, and yes Sophia scored a lot of points [this season] but you don’t need a lot of points to win,” Athletic Director and girls varsity basketball coach Becky Silberman said. “We scored fewer points without her, but more people stepped up [sic].” 

Without the aid of Miller, many team members stepped up and executed rebounds and good defense. Eighth-grader Shani Schwartz scored a season-high of 14 points, and captain and junior Abby Alter scored 12, which lead the team offensively. Silberman also said junior Sally Rogal was great defensively, which was something that Silberman had stressed as being key to the game. She also noted how Alter and sophomore Avital Friedman were able to control the ball throughout the game. 

“It’s the little things we need to do,” Silberman said. “We need to score more points but we don’t need to score an insane amount of points. You need to get rebounds, you need to go after loose balls, and I saw more of my girls hitting the floor after different plays, and they went after every loose ball.” 

Whenever the Lions and Cougars face-off, students, teachers and parents from both schools come out in large numbers, resulting in loud and crowded games.

“[At a Berman game] the intensity is a lot higher and the pressure is on because there is a much bigger crowd,” sophomore Zoe Fischman said. 

At this game, the cheering was taken further as the JDS student section sang songs throughout the game, especially when the Cougars were shooting foul shots.

“At first it [the singing] was funny but a little distracting, but now I’m used to it, so it’s funny,” Fischman said. “It lightens the mood and the stress on the court which is great. It makes us all laugh and smile.”

Going into the game after winning their previous one against the Cougars, the Lions were confident in their abilities and determined to secure the win. 

“We had the feeling we were going to win, we knew we were going to win, we just needed to work hard and we did it,” Alter said.