Flatbush Prevails: Louie Franco’s Overtime Heroics Lead Falcons to JV Championship Glory over Ramaz

By Marvin Azrak

The JV Basketball Finals this past Sunday (3/23/25) at Yeshiva University’s Max Stern Athletic Center had all the makings of a classic. There were the top seeds from each conference, a packed crowd, and a championship on the line. Ramaz, under first-year head coach Akiva Poppers, had navigated a grueling playoff path, crushing Magen David 59-35 before surviving a 62-61 double-overtime marathon against DRS. Flatbush, meanwhile, flexed their offensive muscles in a 64-56 barnburner quarterfinal win over Hillel and then edged out Frisch 47-44 in the semis. The Falcons entered the final at 9-1, aiming to push the pace and keep the game in the 60s, while Ramaz (8-2) preferred a slower, grind-it-out approach in the 40’s. The contrast of styles resulted in an overtime thriller, with the Falcons emerging triumphantly as champions 51-47.

Flatbush’s aggressive man-to-man defense and full-court press imposed their will from the tip. Ramaz was rattled, struggling even to get a shot up. The Rams went scoreless for the first 2:30, while the Falcons built a 4-0 lead before David Kamagi converted a three-point play to make it 6-2. Even Ramaz superstar Emanuel Kushner seemed to have the finals jitters, fumbling clean passes and failing to establish a rhythm.

The nerves eventually settled, and both teams found their footing. Flatbush’s Louie Franco was on fire early, while Ramaz’s Jared Miller answered with a three to pull within 11-9 before a “Settle-Down” timeout from Coach Poppers. However, Flatbush dominated the glass and capitalized on second-chance opportunities, with Elie Mouhadeb controlling the paint. Another timeout from Poppers couldn’t stop the Falcons’ momentum, as they ended the first quarter up 16-11, suffocating Ramaz with relentless defensive pressure.

Flatbush’s depth and conditioning—honed under the summer guidance of YU Macs assistant coach and MDY coaching legend Abie Rosow— and continued by the renowned Danny Nagro began to wear Ramaz down in the second quarter. Michael Souleiman buried a corner three, and Mouhadeb sliced through the defense for a 24-15 cushion with 3:50 left in the half. Ramaz tried to pack the paint and force Flatbush into outside shots, but the Falcons kept finding openings. Another Souleiman triple stretched the lead to 27-17, and with Ramaz’s continued struggles at the free-throw line (14-for-32 in the semifinal and more misses here), Flatbush entered halftime in complete control, 28-17.

 

The Flatbush Falcons celebrate after their 5—47 overtime triumph over the Ramaz Rams in the JV Championship game on Sunday at Yeshiva University. (ilanakr_videography)Whatever Coach Poppers and assistant Ari Schopf said in the locker room lit a fire under Ramaz. They showed why they belonged and were kings of the Western Conference. Ed Ash came out attacking, scoring back-to-back buckets as the Rams clawed within 29-24. Ramaz played more urgently, pushing the transition pace and forcing Flatbush onto their heels. Noah Hiltzik attacked downhill to make it 31-29, and Ash weaved his way through defenders for another tough bucket, cutting it to 33-31. Yet, Franco responded with a clutch jumper to keep Flatbush ahead 35-31 entering the fourth.

The final frame belonged to Ash, who refused to let Ramaz down quietly. After Franco extended the Flatbush lead to 39-32, Ash took over, finishing a tough and-one to make it 41-39 with three minutes left. Then, after grabbing a rebound and pushing the ball up the floor, Ash finished inside again to tie the game at 41 with 1:59 left. Flatbush tightened defensively, and Poppers burned through timeouts to calm his team. Ramaz held for the final shot, working the ball inside, but Hiltzik missed a strong side left-handed layup at the buzzer, forcing overtime.

Hiltzik quickly redeemed himself, drilling a go-ahead three two minutes into the extra frame. However, Mouhadeb answered with a crafty scoop layup to make it 44-43. The Rams’ free-throw woes continued as Jared Muller stepped over the line on his second attempt, costing them a crucial point that would haunt them later. With 57 seconds left, Franco buried a deep three to put Flatbush back on top, 46-45, sending Falcons Nation into a frenzy.

Kamagi’s putback layup extended the lead to 48-45 with 25 seconds left. Ramaz had one last push, but Ash missed a contested layup, forcing them to foul. With two seconds remaining, Franco iced the game at the free-throw line, and now down two possessions, the Rams were powerless as the final buzzer sounded; Flatbush stormed the court, relishing their successful run to the top of the JV basketball mountain.

 

For Franco, the moment was more prominent than basketball. After breaking his leg in the summer while attempting a dunk in an AAU game, he missed seven months, lost his starting spot, and then suffered the unimaginable loss of his father just nine days before the finals. Yet, he came off the bench, dropped 19 points, hit the game-winner, and was named Finals MVP—a true warrior.

 

Finals MVP and Flatbush superstar  Louie Franco poses with his mother after his 19 points and late free-throws clinched the 2025 JV Basketball championship. (YOF Athletics)
“It was always every practice, every game, everyone put in the work, and it shows,” Franco said postgame. “Every single person on this team. It’s a job. Everyone wanted me to say this: My life is consistent, boys.”

Ramaz coach Akiva Poppers reflected on the loss with pride: “Our guys have developed tremendously throughout the season both on and off the court, which is a significant goal of ours given that we are at the JV level. They also showed tremendous fight on Sunday to not give in when down 11 at halftime. I am very proud of each of them, 1 through 14.”

 

Flatbush coach Nagro, who had come out of retirement for this season, praised his Brooklynite’s resolve: “I told my guys we’ve struggled in the third quarter tremendously. We can never figure it out, and it happens again. We honestly just tried to survive that one. I told them they had Poppers, so adjustments were coming, and I thought we panicked a little about the traps, especially in the corner. We gave the ball up a little too quickly. We tend to fall in love with the jump shots. We tell them to play up with the mismatch. We fell in love with the three a little too much.” “Overtime was a matter of winning loose balls, rebounding, and keeping Ash in front of him. The goal was to keep Kushner away from the basket and then guard Hiltzik.” “I love these guys. They brought me out of retirement. This championship isn’t about me, what I’ve done or not done. It’s about the commitment from day one that these guys put in. I love these guys—tremendous win. Be proud of yourself. Be proud of Flatbush.”

Nagro, known for his fiery coaching style, acknowledged the season’s grind: “It’s a grind at every level. They earned it throughout the playoffs against three tremendous teams—Hillel, Frisch, and Ramaz. The basketball is top quality. The coaches in this league are tremendous. This is a tremendous win.” Flatbush survived a rollercoaster of a game and, thanks to Louie Franco’s heroics, are the 2025 JV Basketball Champions.