Shalhevet boys, girls sweep Glouberman titles

For the second straight year, the Shalhevet Firehawks boys and girls won the Steve Glouberman Z’L Basketball Tournament.

Double figure leads figured into both championship games - with the girls nearly squandering theirs against Frisch and the boys rallying for a late victory over Ramaz.

The Firehawks’ Yalee Schwartz and Arielle Grossman were named co-MVPs of the girls’ tourney following the 56-50 win over the Cougars in a rematch of the last year’s title game. It was the third straight tournament title for the girls. Grossman scored 21 points, including six 3-pointers and Schwartz had 16 points and 12 rebounds.

The girls’ All Tournament team included Dillan Haghighat of North Shore H.A., YULA’s Kira Heumann, Eliana Wolfson of H.A. Miami, Samantha Pruzansky of Frisch and Kira Kupferman of Shalhevet.

In the boys’ championship, Ramaz seemingly had things in control before the Firehawks started chipping away. The Rams missed four free throws in the final minute setting the stage for sophomore Yaakov Lieberman’s driving layup and one with :03.1 to play that tied and won the game.

Aiden Bitran scored 27 points and was named MVP of the boys’ tourney. Isaac Ohayon led the Rams with 18 points. Ohayon made the All-Tournament Team along with teammate Evan Glasberg, Shalhevet’s Zev Jacobson, Yishai Rosenblatt of YULA and Daniel Pollack of H.A. Miami.

Tournament Results

GIRLS

Preliminary Games

Shalhevet 61 SAR 27
YULA 55 Ramaz 43
H.A. Miami 49 North Shore H.A. 44
Frisch 54 H.A. Miami 48
Shalhevet 55 Flatbush 26
Ramaz 50 North Shore H.A. 48
Frisch 54 YULA 51
SAR 58 Flatbush 33

Quarterfinals

Ramaz 51 H.A. Miami 47
SAR 69 YULA 61
Shalhevet 66 North Shore H.A. 49
Frisch 42 Flatbush 16

Semifinals

Shalhevet 68 SAR 32
Frisch 74 Ramaz 40

Championship

Shalhevet 56 Frisch 50

Consolation

Flatbush 53 North Shore H.A. 46
YULA 47 H.A. Miami 42
Ramaz 40 SAR 26

BOYS

Preliminary Games

Shalhevet 57 SAR 56
YULA 66 Jewish Culture 33
Ramaz 59 H.A. Miami 58
Frisch 41 Jewish Culture 32
Shalhevet 50 Frisch 48
SAR 57 H.A. Miami 55
YULA 57 Ramaz 47

Quarterfinals

Shalhevet 65 Jewish Culture 45
Ramaz 57 SAR 47
H.A. Miami 53 Frisch 46

Semifinals

Shalhevet 44 H.A. Miami 35
Ramaz 55 YULA 46

Championship

Shalhevet 59 Ramaz 58

Consolation

Frisch 47 Jewish Culture 46
Jewish Culture 51 SAR 43

Flatbush wins Cooper Invitational in Memphis

The Flatbush Falcons avenged an early season loss to Brooklyn rival Magen David when they beat the Warriors Sunday in the championship game of the 14th Cooper Yeshiva Invitational Tournament in Memphis.

The tournament had not been played since 2019 but a deep field made for exciting action in both Tier 1 and Tier 2 of the 16-team event.

The Falcons led most of the way Sunday, turning back each Warrior rally en route to the 63-57 win. Beni Keda led Flatbush with 18 points and was the Tier 1 Most Outstanding Player.

In the Tier 2 First Place game, Maimonides rallied from a double-digit 3rd quarter deficit to beat Katz Yeshiva High 59-54 in overtime behind Nathan Weinstock’s 19 points, 13 from Jonathan Greenberg and 11 from Raanan Gewurz. Haim Elmakies led the Storm with 17 points, Ben Ededin added 11 and Jake Kaweblum had 10. The M-Cats’ Avi Schwartz was the Tier 2 Most Outstanding Player.

Magen David beat Flatbush last month in the final seconds of the championship game of its annual Elliot Torkieh A’H Magen David Preseason Tournament.

In Sunday’s title game, Flatbush led most of the way but Magen David (10-1) kept chipping away. The Warriors scored the first six points of the fourth quarter after trailing by seven but could not take the lead again as Flatbush soon pushed the lead back up to six and maintained it the rest of the way.

Solly Gadeh added 12 points for the Falcons and Isaac Cooper had 10. For the Warriors, Moses Smeke led the way with 18 points, Jakey Arakanchi had 15 points and 14 rebounds and Joshua Chabbott scored 12 points.

Cooper, Smeke and Chabbott made the All Tournament Team, along with Valley Torah’s Ethan List, Kevin Levy of HAFTR and Eli Braha of Hillel.

TOURNAMENT RESULTS

Opening Round

#1 North Shore H.A. 47 #16 Atlanta Jewish Academy 24
#2 Valley Torah 92 #15 MTA 47
#3 Magen David 75 #14 Cooper Memphis 36
#4 Rochelle Zell 45 #13 Hillel-NJ 30
#5 Flatbush 73 #12 Fasman Yeshiva 31
#11 Milken 48 #6 Posnack Jewish Day 46
#7 TABC 68 #10 Maimonides 64
#9 HAFTR 73 #8 Katz YHS 66

Tier 1 Quarterfinals

#9 HAFTR 50 #1 North Shore H.A. 30
#2 Valley Torah 60 #7 TABC 56
#3 Magen David 50 #11 Milken 39
#5 Flatbush 60 #4 Rochelle Zell 38

Tier 2 Quarterfinals

Maimonides 66 Atlanta Jewish Academy 29
Posnack JDS 61 MTA 44
Katz YHS 70 Cooper Memphis 48
Hillel-NJ 70 Fasman Yeshiva 53

Tier 1 Semifinals

Flatbush 57 HAFTR 35
Magen David 64 Valley Torah 36

Tier 1 Consolation

Rochelle Zell 40 North Shore H.A. 33
Milken 46 TABC 44

Tier 2 Semifinals

Maimonides 79 Hillel 70
Katz YHS 76 Posnack JDS 61

Tier 2 Consolation

Cooper Memphis 61 MTA 44
Fasman Yeshiva 63 Atlanta Jewish Academy 43

Tier 1

Championship: Flatbush 63 Magen David 57
3rd Place: Valley Torah 71 HAFTR 66
5th Place: Milken 39 Rochelle Zell 35
7th Place: TABC 63 North Shore H.A. 38

Tier 2

1st Place: Maimonides 59 Katz YHS 54
3rd Place: Posnack JDS 70 Hillel-NJ 37
5th Place: Fasman Yeshiva 47 Cooper Memphis 37
7th Place: MTA 55 Atlanta Jewish 39

Top Scorers

Ethan List, Valley Torah, 23.0 ppg
Eli Braha, Hillel, 19.3 ppg
Brandon Klein, Milken, 18.5 ppg
Moses Smeke, Magen David, 17.3 ppg
Gabriel R’bibo, Valley Torah, 16.5 ppg

Top Scoring Games

38, Eli Braha, Hillel vs Maimonides
32, Ethan List, Valley Torah vs TABC
30, Ethan List, Valley Torah vs MTA
27, Ayden Gurin, TABC vs North Shore H.A.
27, Brandon Klein, Milken vs TABC
26, Eli Braha, Hillel vs Fasman Yeshiva
26, Avi Schwartz, Maimonides vs Hillel
26, Joshua Chabbott, Magen David vs Valley Torah

S-Sweep! Schwartz, Silberman and Steinmetz win JHA awards

Shalhevet’s Yalee Schwartz is the 2022-23 Jewish Hoops America Player of the Year after leading the Firehawks to a California state title.

The Coach of the Year is Becky Silberman of Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School and sophomore Daphna Steinmetz of SKA is the Underclassman of the Year.

Schwartz, a junior, also won top player last year when JHA began the girls’ awards. She led the Firehawks with 20 points per game as they became the first Jewish team ever in the United States to win a girls’ state title.

Joining Schwartz and Steinmetz on the 1st Team All-Jewish Hoops America are seniors Jenny Kagan of Berman Hebrew Academy and Eden Singer of Barrack Hebrew Academy and junior Shani Schwartz of Jewish Day School.

Making the 2nd Team are seniors Megan Horowitz of SAR, Samara Glazer of CHAT and Ilana Schwartz of Ida Crown and juniors Samantha Pruzansky of Frisch and Arielle Grossman of Shalhevet.

The 3rd Team is senior Naomi Sigman of SKA, junior Ayelet Ostrin of Ma’ayanot, sophomores Kira Heumann of YULA and Lily Yalovsky of Yavneh Dallas and freshman Eliana Wolfson of H.A. Miami.

Steinmetz averaged 20 points per game and led the Sonics to an undefeated season, the Yeshiva League championship and the #2 JHA ranking. Others considered for Underclassman of the Year were Heumann, Yalovsky, and Wolfson and sophomores Leah Kaplan and Eden Taieb of Maimonides and Alana Rubensohn of HANC and freshmen Dina Lavian of HANC and Tali Loeffler of Jewish Day School.

Silberman paced the JDS Lions to the championship of the Potomac Valley Athletic Conference and a #7 ranking in the JHA Top 18. Other coaches considered were Ryan Coleman of Shalhevet, Batsheva Aaron of SKA, Sean Rochester of Barrack H.A. and Brittany Peters of Ida Crown.

1ST TEAM ALL-JEWISH HOOPS AMERICA

Yalee Schwartz, Jr., Shalhevet/Los Angeles,CA
Jenny Kagan, Sr., Berman H.A./Rockville,MD
Eden Singer, Sr., Barrack H.A./Bryn Mawr,PA
Shani Schwartz, Jr., Jewish Day School/Rockville,MD
Daphna Steinmetz, So., SKA/Cedarhurst,NY

2ND TEAM ALL-JEWISH HOOPS AMERICA

Megan Horowitz, Sr., SAR/Bronx,NY
Ilana Schwartz, Jr., Ida Crown/Skokie,IL
Samara Glazer, Sr., CHAT/Toronto,ON
Samantha Pruzansky, Jr., Frisch/Paramus,NJ
Arielle Grossman, Jr., Shalhevet/Los Angeles,CA

3RD TEAM ALL-JEWISH HOOPS AMERICA

Naomi Sigman, Sr., SKA/Cedarhurst,NY
Ayelet Ostrin, Jr., Ma’ayanot/Teaneck,NJ
Kira Heumann, So., YULA/Los Angeles,CA
Lily Yalovsky, So., Yavneh/Dallas,TX
Eliana Wolfson, Fr., H.A. Miami/Miami Beach,FL

HONORABLE MENTION

Simone Amkraut, Sr., Flatbush
Carmel Baratz, Jr., CHAT
Simona Goldberg, Sr., SKA
Alexa Heumann, Sr., YULA
Leah Kaplan, So., Maimonides
Merle Kassab, Jr., Flatbush
Dahlia Leibowitz, Sr., Beth Tfiloh
Coral Levy, Sr., HANC
Natalie Neusner, Sr., Maimonides
Rachel Sedaghat, Jr., Schechter-L.I.
Talia Sporkin, Sr., Jewish Day School
Talia Tibi, Sr., Shalhevet
Mikayla Trajtenberg, Fr., Barrack H.A.
Jenna Ufberg, Sr., Barrack H.A.
Ma’ayan Zakheim, Sr., Berman H.A.

FINAL JHA TOP 18

1.Shalhevet/Los Angeles,CA…………………31-2……………..1
2.SKA/Hewlett,NY……………………………………15-0…………….2
3.Tanenbaum CHAT/Toronto,ON………….21-1……………..3
4.Barrack H.A./Bryn Mawr,PA…………………19-8……………5
5.Frisch/Paramus,NJ………………………………..17-3…………….4
6.Ida Crown/Skokie,IL……………………………..20-5…………..7
7.Berman H.A./Rockville,MD…………………..26-5…………..6
8.Jewish Day School/Rockville,MD……….21-6……………8
9.Ma’ayanot/Teaneck,NJ…………………………11-8…………….9
10.YULA/Los Angeles,CA…………………………19-16………….10
11.Flatbush/Brooklyn,NY…………………………..13-6…………….11
12.HAFTR/Cedarhurst,NY………………………..17-10…………...13
13.Milken/Los Angeles,CA……………………….9-13……………12
14.Yavneh/Dallas,TX…………………………………21-8…………….14
15.Hebrew Academy/Miami Beach,FL….12-10………….…15
16.SAR/Bronx,NY………………………………………10-7……………...16
17.Ramaz/New York,NY……………………………10-13…………….17
18.Fuchs Mizrachi/Beachwood,OH………13-12…………....18

PAST PLAYERS OF THE YEAR

2022 - Yalee Schwartz, Shalhevet

PAST COACHES OF THE YEAR

2022 - Ryan Coleman, Shalhevet

Dan, Babayev, Gabbay and Okner take JHA annual awards

Johny Dan of Valley Torah High School is the 2022-23 Jewish Hoops America Player of the Year, winning the award for the second straight season after leading the Wolfpack to consecutive #1 rankings in the JHA Top 25.

The Coach of the Year is Shalom Babayev of North Shore Hebrew Academy and sophomores Alex Gabbay of YULA and Avi Okner of Ida Crown share Underclassman of the Year. 

Dan became the third repeat winner of the JHA Player of the Year award, beating out Frisch's Alex Zakheim and Wolfpack teammate Noam Mayouhas. He averaged more than 22 points and 8 rebounds per game, was named 2nd Team All State and 1st Team All-Sectional and led the Wolfpack to a 35-6 record that included their second straight Sarachek Tournament championship.

Joining Dan, Zakheim and Mayouhas on the 1st-Team All-Jewish Hoops America are seniors Avi Halpert of Shalhevet, Gavin Foonberg of Denver Jewish Day School and Akiva Schanzer of SAR.

The 2nd Team, also all seniors, is Ephraim Blau of Fuchs Mizrachi, Asher Falk of Berman Hebrew Academy, Asher Melamed of Magen David, David Orbach of North Shore Hebrew Academy and Mikel Biton of Posnack Jewish Day.

Voted to the 3rd Team were seniors Elliot Braha of Hillel, Ben Farkas of Hebrew Academy Miami and Nathan Sellam of Shalhevet and juniors Harry Kitey of Weber School and Jakob Wortman of Ida Crown.

Other finalists were seniors Netanel Benloulou of TABC; Jordan Dekelbaum of Yavneh Dallas; Erez Epstein of Berman Hebrew Academy; Michael Galeck of deToledo; Yuval Ovaknin of Katz Yeshiva HS; and Eli Wallace of Kohelet; and juniors Netanel Jacobs of Fuchs Mizrachi; Milan Kushner of Ramaz, Max Mogyoros of Mesivta Philadelphia; and Yishai Rosenblatt of YULA.

Babayev, in his first year at North Shore, led the Lions to the #2 JHA ranking and a 28-6 record, including an undefeated Yeshiva League season capped off by a title-game win over Frisch. He beat out Michael Foonberg of Denver Jewish Day, last year's Coach of the Year Lior Schwartzberg of Valley Torah and Yonah Singer of Berman Hebrew Academy. Other coaches considered were Ari Braun of Beth Tfiloh, Brian Jensen of Frisch, Zac Katz of Fuchs Mizrachi, Motti Meisels of YULA and Jim Nole of Gann.

Gabbay and Okner were the top vote getters for Underclassman of the Year, edging out freshman Alex August of Berman Hebrew Academy. 

Gabbay took over the helm of YULA's offense midway through the season and was a key to the Panthers' 3rd place finish at Sarachek, where he was named to the All-Tournament team. Okner averaged nearly 15 points and more than 8 rebounds per game for Ida Crown. 

Others considered were sophomores Aiden Bitran of Shalhevet; Yoni Hollender of YULA; Joshua Matheson and Joey Siemens of Donna Klein Jewish Academy; and Jonas Singer of Farber Hebrew Day; and freshmen Jason Lewin of Donna Klein Jewish Academy and Jack Silberstein of San Diego Jewish Academy.  

1st Team All-Jewish Hoops America

Johny Dan, Sr.,Valley Torah/Valley Village,CA
Alex Zakheim, Sr., Frisch/Paramus,NJ
Noam Mayouhas, Sr., Valley Torah/Valley Village,CA
Avi Halpert, Sr., Shalhevet/Los Angeles,CA
Gavin Foonberg, Sr., Denver Jewish Day/Denver,CO
Akiva Schanzer, Sr., SAR/Bronx,NY

2nd Team All-Jewish Hoops America

Ephraim Blau, Sr., Fuchs Mizrachi/Beachwood,OH
Asher Falk, Sr., Berman H.A./Rockville,MD
Asher Melamed, Sr., Magen David/Brooklyn,NY
David Orbach, Sr., North Shore H.A./Great Neck,NY
Mikel Biton, Sr., Posnack Jewish Day/Davie,FL

3rd Team All-Jewish Hoops America

Harry Kitey, Jr., Weber School/Sandy Springs,GA
Elliot Braha, Sr., Hillel/Ocean,NJ
Nathan Sellam, Sr., Shalhevet/Los Angeles,CA
Jakob Wortman, Jr., Ida Crown/Skokie,IL
Ben Farkas, Sr., H.A. Miami/Miami Beach,FL

Honorable Mention

Ben Abizadeh, Jr., North Shore H.A./Great Neck,NY
Netanel Benloulou, Sr., TABC/Teaneck,NJ
Gabe Bodokh, Sr., Hebrew Academy/Montreal, CA
Jonah Carmili, Jr., North Shore H.A./Great Neck,NY
Michael Cohen, Jr., Beth Tfiloh/Baltimore,MD
Jordan Dekelbaum, Sr., Yavneh Academy/Dallas,TX
Erez Epstein, Sr., Berman H.A./Rockville,MD
David Fritz, Sr., Jewish Day School/Rockville,MD
Michael Galeck, Sr., deToledo/West Hills,CA
Netanel Jacobs, Jr., Fuchs Mizrachi/Beachwood,OH
Eddie Kassin, Sr., Hillel/Ocean,NJ
Beni Keda, Jr., Flatbush/Brooklyn,NY
Milan Kushner, Jr., Ramaz/New York,NY
Yonah Light, Jr., Tarbut vTorah/Irvine,CA
Ethan List, Jr., Valley Torah/Valley Village,CA
Max Mogyoros, Jr., Mesivta/Bala Cynwyd,PA
Yishai Rosenblatt, Jr., YULA/Los Angeles,CA
Joe Schanzer, Sr., Leffell/Hartsdale,NY
Isaac Schiffman, Sr., Frisch/Paramus,NJ
Ephraim Shmidman, Sr., Mesivta/Bala Cynwyd,PA
Ben Spira, Sr., Gann/Waltham,MA
Eli Wallace, Sr., Kohelet/Merion Station,PA

2022-23 FINAL JHA Top 25

1.Valley Torah/Valley Village,CA(10) ………. .35-6……………250……………2
2.North Shore H.A./Great Neck,NY…………28-6…….….….228……….…..3
TieSAR/Bronx,NY………………………..………………26-6……………228….….….…5
4.Shalhevet/Los Angeles,CA ……….…………..30-9…….……..221………….….1
5.YULA/Los Angeles,CA…………………………….23-12…….…….212……..….….7
6.Frisch/Paramus,NJ …………………….…….………21-9.………..….202……………4
7.Posnack Jewish Day/Davie,FL………………..12-4……………..196……………6
8.Katz YHS/Boca Raton,FL……….…………………17-8……………...177….………..9
9.Magen David/Brooklyn,NY …..………..………21-8……….……..175..……...….8
10.Denver Jewish Day/Denver,CO…….……...22-3………..…..147……….…..14
11.Fuchs Mizrachi/Beachwood,OH…….……….18-8….…….……139…….…….21
12.DRS/Woodmere,NY ……………….……………….27-9…………..…127…………….12
13.Berman H.A./Rockville,MD…………………….29-15…………….112……………..17
14.Ida Crown/Chicago,IL…………………….….……21-7…….………...110……..……...10
15.Rochelle Zell/Deerfield,IL……………….………13-7……….………103……..……..13
16.Jewish Day School/Rockville,MD………….21-7……………….95…….………18
17.Flatbush/Brooklyn,NY……………………………….11-7……….……….94..…...…..…15
TieTABC/Teaneck,NJ … ….………..…….…………..14-11….……………94…...……….16
19.deToledo/West Hills,CA…………………………..21-6……….……...80…………….18
20.Maimonides/Brookline,MA…………….……..18-8……………….56………..…...11
21.Mekor Chaim/Baltimore,MD…………..……..21-13………………41……………..20
TieYavneh Academy/Dallas,TX…………….…..25-6…….………..41……….…….22
23.Gann/Waltham,MA………………………………….12-5……………….24…………….23
24.Hebrew Academy/Miami Beach,FL…….13-14……………….22……………..-
25.Beth Tfiloh/Baltimore,MD…………………….25-10………………21…………….24

Past Players of the Year

2022 Johny Dan, Valley Torah
2020/2021 Albert Fallas, YULA/Zev Remer, Shalhevet
2019 Judah Oppenheimer, SAR
2018 Ryan Turell, Valley Torah
2017 Bryan Knapp, Jewish Day School
2016 Gabriel Leifer, DRS
2015 Josh Newlander, Chicagoland Jewish (Rochelle Zell)
2014 Josh Newlander, Chicagoland Jewish
2013 Zach Yoshor, Beren Houston
2012 Jack Gindi, YULA
2011 Yisroel Feld, MTA/Jack Gindi, YULA
2010 Eric Avdee, Tarbut vTorah
2009 Eitan Chemerinski, Jewish Day School
2008 Jordan Marcus, Schechter NJ (now Golda Och)
2007 Solomon Schoonover, Hillel Miami

Past Coaches of the Year

2022 Lior Schwartzberg, Valley Torah
2020/2021 David Zimmerman, Yavneh Dallas
2019 Evan Pickman, Heschel
2018 Ryan Coleman, Shalhevet
2017 Mike Whiting, Milken
2016 Avrum Stein, DRS
2015 Joe Schwartz, Frisch
2014 Dwight Hollins, Fuchs Mizrachi
2013 Marty Dello, Chicagoland Jewish (Rochelle Zell)
2012 Richard Lewis, Cooper Memphis
2011 Rafi Halpert, SAR
2010 Patrick Roberts, Tarbut vTorah
2009 Elliot Steinmetz, HANC
2008 Howard Braun, Ida Crown
2007 Howard Braun, Ida Crown

Final National JHA Top 18

After becoming the first girls team to win a state championship, the Shalhevet Firehawks completed the 2022-23 season as the #1 team in the Jewish Hoops America Chai High ranking of the top 18 teams in the U.S. and Canada.

Shalhevet edged out the undefeated SKA Sonics, the Yeshiva League champs.

Team………………………………………………………Record……….Prev

1.Shalhevet/Los Angeles,CA…………………31-2……………..1
2.SKA/Hewlett,NY……………………………………15-0…………….2
3.Tanenbaum CHAT/Toronto,ON………….21-1……………..3
4.Barrack H.A./Bryn Mawr,PA…………………19-8……………5
5.Frisch/Paramus,NJ………………………………..17-3…………….4
6.Ida Crown/Skokie,IL……………………………..20-5…………..7
7.Berman H.A./Rockville,MD…………………..26-5…………..6
8.Jewish Day School/Rockville,MD……….21-6……………8
9.Ma’ayanot/Teaneck,NJ…………………………11-8…………….9
10.YULA/Los Angeles,CA…………………………19-16………….10
11.Flatbush/Brooklyn,NY…………………………..13-6…………….11
12.HAFTR/Cedarhurst,NY………………………..17-10…………...13
13.Milken/Los Angeles,CA……………………….9-13……………12
14.Yavneh/Dallas,TX…………………………………21-8…………….14
15.Hebrew Academy/Miami Beach,FL….12-10………….…15
16.SAR/Bronx,NY………………………………………10-7……………...16
17.Ramaz/New York,NY……………………………10-13…………….17
18.Fuchs Mizrachi/Beachwood,OH………13-12…………....18