Bitran, Singer and Stepner Win Top 2025 JHA Boys Awards

Shalhevet senior Aiden Bitran has been named the 2025 Jewish Hoops America Player of the Year.

The Coach of the Year is Yonah Singer of Berman Hebrew Academy and Frisch sophomore Isaac Stepner is Underclassman of the Year.

Bitran scored 20.5 points per game and led Shalhevet to the #4 JHA ranking.

Joining him and Stepner on the 1st Team All-Jewish Hoops America are seniors Joe Aaron of DRS, Joshua Chabbott of Magen David and Eyal Kinderlehrer of TABC and junior Alex August of Berman H.A.

The 2nd Team All Jewish Hoops America includes seniors Alex Gabbay and Jaden Azeroul of YULA, Eli Braha of Hillel, Gideon Greenberg of Posnack Jewish Day and Avi Okner of Ida Crown.

Making the 3rd Team All Jewish Hoops America are seniors Zac Agichtein of Atlanta Jewish Academy, Jake Coblentz-Brown of Tarbut vTorah, Zeke Levitt of Kohelet and Sam Weiss of SAR, junior Solly Bielsky of Denver Jewish Day and sophomore Simon Alloul of H.A. Montreal.

Singer helmed the 33-10 Cougars to their first conference title in 20 years, their best JHA ranking ever and their first trip to the Sarachek Tournament semifinals, where only a 1-point loss to Magen David kept them out of the championship game. He beat out TABC’s Oswald Cross and Morrie Levy of H.A. Montreal. Others considered were DRS’ Moshe Cohen, Magen David’s Ike Dweck, Mike Pollack of YULA and Zachary Pollack of Yavneh Dallas.

Stepner was the rare Yeshiva League sophomore to play on varsity let alone shine, as he led the Cougars with 18.5 points and 11.5 rebounds per game. Others considered for Underclassman of the Year were Alloul, sophomores Ezra Cutler of Gann, Meir Dan of Valley Torah, Moshe Jacobs of Fuchs Mizrachi and Ashton Javaheri of Milken and freshman Amiel Jotkowitz of Maimonides.

1st Team All-Jewish Hoops America

Aiden Bitran, Sr., Shalhevet/Los Angeles,CA
Joe Aaron, Sr., DRS/Woodmere,NY
Alex August, Jr., Berman H.A./Rockville,MD
Joshua Chabbott, Sr., Magen David/Brooklyn,NY
Eyal Kinderlehrer, Sr., TABC/Teaneck,NJ
Isaac Stepner, So., Frisch/Paramus,NJ

2nd Team All-Jewish Hoops America

Jayden Azeroul, Sr., YULA/Los Angeles,CA
Eli Braha, Sr., Hillel/Ocean,NJ
Alex Gabbay, Sr., YULA/Los Angeles,CA
Gideon Greenberg, Sr., Posnack Jewish Day/Davie,FL
Avi Okner, Sr., Ida Crown/Skokie,IL

3rd Team All-Jewish Hoops America

Zac Agichtein, Sr., Atlanta Jewish Day/Atlanta,GA
Simon Alloul, So., Hebrew Academy/Montreal,QB
Solly Bielsky, Jr., Denver Jewish Day/Denver,CO
Jake Coblentz-Brown, Sr., Tarbut vTorah/Irvine,CA
Zeke Levitt, Sr., Kohelet/Merion Station,PA
Sam Weiss, Sr., SAR/Bronx,NY

Honorable Mention

Jake Abenaim, Sr., MTA/New York,NY
Adir Amster, Sr., Fasman Yeshiva/Skokie,IL
Eli Bokhour, Sr., North Shore H.A./Great Neck,NY
Joe Benoliel, Jr., Northwest Yeshiva HS/Mercer Island,WA
Akiva Borgen, Jr., TABC/Teaneck,NJ
Jordan Cohen-Mintz, Sr., Heschel/New York,NY
Ezra Cutler, So., Gann/Walthan,MA
Meir Dan, So., Valley Torah/Valley Village,CA
Liad Edry, Sr., deToledo/West Hills,CA
Pinch Greenwald, Sr., Toras Chaim/North Miami Beach,FL
Ricky Haddad, Sr., Flatbush/Brooklyn,NY
Ari Halpert, Jr., SAR/Bronx,NY
Jonny Hazan, Sr., Jewish Culture/Fort Lauderdale,FL
Moshe Jacobs, So., Fuchs Mizrachi/Beachwood,OH
Sam Jacobson, Jr., Shalhevet/Los Angeles,CA
Ashton Javeheri, So., Milken/Los Angeles,CA
Yonah Mandel, Sr., TABC/Teaneck,NY
Rafi Miller, Jr., Beren/Houston,TX
Ronen Ousley, Jr., Rochelle Zell/Deerfield,IL
Jonathan Rhein, Sr., Posnack Jewish Day/Davie,FL
Jack Silberstein, Jr., San Diego Jewish Academy/San Diego,CA
Ezra Stern, Sr., Ohr Yisroel/Tenafly,NJ
Nate Sugar, Sr., Ramaz/New York,NY
Tzvi Tsaidi, Sr., North Shore H.A./Great Neck,NY
Jacob Zackheim, Jr., CHAT/Toronto,ON

Final 2024-25 JHA Top 25

1.TABC/Teaneck,NJ … ….………..…….………………23-5
2.YULA/Los Angeles,CA……………………………..27-14
3.DRS/Woodmere,NY……………………………………31-5
4.Shalhevet/Los Angeles,CA………………………22-15
TieMagen David/Brooklyn,NY….…..………..…..24-11
6.Milken/Los Angeles,CA……………………………..12-8
7.Berman H.A./Rockville,MD………………………..33-10
8.SAR/Bronx,NY………………………………………………23-9
9.Posnack Jewish Day/Davie,FL………………….17-10
10.Hillel/Ocean,NJ…………………………………………..21-13
TieNorth Shore H.A./Great Neck,NY……………21-16
12.Frisch/Paramus,NJ …………………….…….…………12-11
13.Ida Crown/Chicago,IL…………………….….……….20-7
14.Hebrew Academy/Montreal,QB………………..18-6
15.Rochelle Zell/Deerfield,IL………………….…..……14-12
16.Ramaz/New York,NY………………………………..…..14-11
17.MTA/New York,NY…………………………………………21-8
18.Fasman Yeshiva/Skokie,IL……………………….….17-10
19.Jewish Culture HS/Ft. Lauderdale,FL……….26-11
20.Toras Chaim/North Miami Beach,FL…………..14-2
21.Donna Klein Jewish Acad./Boca Raton,FL…11-9
22.Tanenbaum CHAT/Toronto,ON………………….30-6
23.Katz YHS/Boca Raton,FL……………………………...17-16
24.Tarbut vTorah/Irvine,CA…………………………….….16-4
TieAkiba Yavneh/Dallas,TX……………………………….22-10
TieFlatbush/Brooklyn,NY……………………………………13-14

Past Players of the Year

2024 Jakob Wortman, Ida Crown
2023 Johny Dan, Valley Torah
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

2024 Ed Gelb, Maimonides
2023 Shalom Babayev, North Shore H.A.
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

Sarachek Generations: Aaron and Nathan Neufeld

Aaron Neufeld played in the Sarachek Tournament for Hebrew Academy of Miami in 1999 and 2000. His son, Nathan, was a junior for Frisch this year and hit one of the biggest shots in tournament history, a 3-pointer at the buzzer to beat Yeshiva League champion DRS in the opening round.

Playing in the Sarachek tournament was one of the highlights of my high school basketball career. The energy, the competition, and the sense of community made it an unforgettable experience. I still remember stepping onto that court at Yeshiva University, representing Hebrew Academy from Miami on the biggest Yeshiva League stage, and embracing the challenge of going up against the best Jewish teams from across the country. With only one other Jewish school in our league back then, Sarachek was more than just a tournament, it was a celebration of pride, unity, and moments we’d never forget. It’s impressive to see how much the tournament has evolved, and yet still holds the same passion and significance. 

I was fortunate enough to play in the tournament twice. In 1999, we were happy just to be here, we dropped our opening game, but quickly regrouped and won the Tier 3 Championship. In 2000, we returned with a sharper focus and made a strong run before falling to the eventual champions, YULA, in the semifinals.

25 years later, sitting court-side, and watching my son, Nathan Neufeld, play for Frisch in the same tournament felt surreal. Seeing him hit the game-winning shot at the buzzer against DRS, was euphoric. It was a moment that our family will forever embrace. It proved to everyone that hard work and determination goes a long way. As a father, there’s no greater joy than watching your child succeed and experience something that meant so much to you at their age. I’m beyond proud of him, not just for his unforgettable shot, but for the way he carries himself on and off the court. 

Nathan and the Frisch Cougars will be back next year, hungry for that Tier 1 Championship.

Sarachek Generations: Amnon and Shlomo Wenger

Amnon Wenger played for JEC in the 1995 Sarachek Tournament. His son, Shlomo, was a junior for Sarachek champs TABC in this year’s tournament.

My biggest memory from the tournament was actually not the championship game against MTA but rather our game against HAFTR. They had been our biggest rival all season beating us in the preseason, the regular season, and twice in the HAFTR tournament (including in the championship when our last second three was ruled a 2 because our shooter’s foot was on the line). We faced them in the Yeshiva League semi-finals and blew them out, but that game we all viewed as having an asterisk because their star point guard had a heart flutter in the locker room before the game and had to be rushed to the hospital. Luckily their point guard was ok and cleared to play in Sarachek and both teams viewed that rematch as the true playoff game to decide which team was really the best. We handily beat them again before getting upset in the finals against MTA- a team we had defeated multiple times that year- but it was that rematch against HAFTR that forever stands out in my mind. 

Having the chance to watch my son play in the tournament, 30 years after I did, will be surreal and I hope he has the opportunity to similarly build memories to last a lifetime. 

National Top 25

Jewish Hoops America
Final National Top 25
April 2, 2025
Games through March 31, 2025

1.TABC/Teaneck,NJ (10)… ….………..…….…………23-5….……….274...…………5
2.YULA/Los Angeles,CA (1)………………………….27-14…….……265..…………..1
3.DRS/Woodmere,NY……………………………………31-5..………….244…………….3
4.Shalhevet/Los Angeles,CA………………………22-15………….234…………….2
TieMagen David/Brooklyn,NY….…..………..…..24-11….……….234…...……….9
6.Milken/Los Angeles,CA……………………………..12-8…………..222…………….4
7.Berman H.A./Rockville,MD………………………..33-10………….219.……..…….6
8.SAR/Bronx,NY………………………………………………23-9……..……182…………….7
9.Posnack Jewish Day/Davie,FL………………….17-10…….…….180……………9
10.Hillel/Ocean,NJ…………………………………………..21-13……….…159……………11
TieNorth Shore H.A./Great Neck,NY……………21-16…………159……………13
12.Frisch/Paramus,NJ …………………….…….…………12-11.…………154…………...19
13.Ida Crown/Chicago,IL…………………….….……..…20-7…….……143……………8
14.Hebrew Academy/Montreal,QB………………..18-6……………134……………12
15.Rochelle Zell/Deerfield,IL………………….…..……14-12….………117……..……..15
16.Ramaz/New York,NY………………………………..…..14-11…………..114……………17
17.MTA/New York,NY…………………………………………21-8…………..104…………..16
18.Fasman Yeshiva/Skokie,IL……………………….….17-10………….79…………….14
19.Jewish Culture HS/Ft. Lauderdale,FL…………26-11…………76…………….18
20.Toras Chaim/North Miami Beach,FL…………..14-2………….50……………21
21.Donna Klein Jewish Acad./Boca Raton,FL…11-9………….40…………….19
22.Tanenbaum CHAT/Toronto,ON………………….30-6…………37…………….23
23.Katz YHS/Boca Raton,FL……………………………...17-16…………33…………..22
24.Tarbut vTorah/Irvine,CA…………………………….….16-4…………..19……………25
TieAkiba Yavneh/Dallas,TX……………………………….22-10…………19…………..25
TieFlatbush/Brooklyn,NY……………………………………13-14………….19…………….-

Others Receiving Votes: Leffell, 18; Gann, 10; Jewish Day School, 4; Yeshiva Greater Washington, 1.

JHA Girls Champions 2025

These teams won local, regional or state playoffs in 2024-25, with the winners of Jewish high school tournaments down below:

Private School Athletic League (California): KEHILLAH JEWISH

District 1A-15 (Florida): H.A. MIAMI

Chicago Prep Conference (Illinois): IDA CROWN

Potomac Valley Athletic Conference (Maryland) : JEWISH DAY SCHOOL

Greater Montreal Athletic Association Division 4.2: BIALIK

Greater Vancouver Independent Schools Athletic Association: KING DAVID HS

Metropolitan Yeshiva High School Athletic League A: SAR

Metropolitan Yeshiva High School Athletic League B: SHULAMITH

TOURNAMENT TITLES:

Glouberman (Shalhevet): FRISCH
Weiner (Beth Tfiloh): TANENBAUM CHAT
Sam Gyenes (Ramaz): NORTH SHORE H.A.
Faye Comet/Harriet Stark (Fuchs Mizrachi): FUCHS MIZRACHI
Israel Becker (CHAT): TANENBAUM CHAT
HAFTR: NORTH SHORE H.A.
Hyman Galbut (H.A. Miami): SHALHEVET
Berman: SAR