By Judah Rhine
On Sunday, April 17, MVP Basketball hosted its 8th annual girls’ All-Star Day at SAR High School in Riverdale. The daylong program featured over 100 players from yeshivas from all leagues throughout the New York/New Jersey Metro area as selected by their coaches.
There were four All-Star games on this fun-filled day—6th grade; 7th and 8th grades; high-school junior varsity; and high-school varsity. Each of the all-stars received MVP All-Star Day 2016 T‑shirts featuring the gold and royal-blue colors of the defending NBA champions Golden State Warriors.
The teams comprised players from the following yeshivas: Yeshiva Har Torah, HALB, Magen David, HAFTR, HANC, North Shore, Yeshiva of Flatbush, Silverstein, Barkai, RYNJ, ASHAR, Moriah, Ramaz, RPRY, Yavneh, Heschel, Frisch, Kushner, SAR, Ma’ayanot, Bruriah, Westchester High School, Central, and Hillel.
Coached by coaches from all the yeshiva leagues, the games were extremely competitive. The blend of all of the different uniforms from players of so many teams was a colorful sight. The camaraderie and interaction with friends amongst players, family, and friends was truly memorable. In bringing together all-star players from the East and the West divisions, the event showed a great achdus amongst all those that attended and all were able to share experiences both on and off the court. The sense of team chemistry was also apparent as evidenced by the high level of play and unselfish teamwork all day throughout all of the games.
SAR High School was the perfect venue for MVP All-Star Day as it is also convenient to Carlos and Gabby’s, a kosher pizza store, and a kosher Dunkin’ Donuts, as well as a kosher supermarket—all right across the street.
At halftime of each game, the MVP 3-Point Shootout (6th-grade foul shooting) took place, which featured “specialists” as selected by their respective coaches. Each champion received an MVP trophy. Some of the contests came down to the last shot. This is one of the most exciting competitions that take place in MVP Basketball Camp. In addition, two MVPs from each All-Star game (one from each team) were awarded MVP trophies as well.
Congratulations to the 3-Point Champions—6th grade Kira Solomon, Moriah; 7th/8th grade: Emily Siri, HAFTR; high-school junior varsity: Julia Morreale, Kushner; high-school varsity: Julia Reichel, Frisch.
Congratulations to the MVPs of each of the All-Star games—6th grade: Yonina Felson, Yavneh; Sasha Horowitz, NSHA; 7th/8th grade: Lillian Leventhal-Silverstein, Sarah Oppenheim, HANC; high-school junior varsity: Sarah Lieberman, Frisch; Leora Itzkowitz, Central; high-school varsity: Adina Rosenberg, Ma’ayanot; Sarah Horowitz, Yeshivah of Flatbush.
Special thanks to the coaches of the MVP All-Star teams—6th grade: Sandy Wasser, North Shore; and Jen Sanders, Yavneh; 7th/8th grade: Neil Weiner, HAFTR; and Sandy Wasser, North Shore; high-school junior varsity: Rebecca Furer, Frisch; and Jon Gabriel, Yeshivah of Flatbush; high-school varsity: Atara Pinsky, Ma’ayanot; and Ilona Diamond, Shalhevet.
The games were attended by hundreds of spectators including family, friends, and teammates. There was a competitive yet friendly and warm atmosphere. Several attendees even expressed the sentiment that it was so enjoyable that they are already looking forward to next year’s MVP All-Star Day. Special thanks to SAR and its athletic director, Marty Berlin, and to all the parents, families, friends, players, refs, and coaches for helping make this year’s MVP All-Star Day the best one yet.
This event is the kickoff for MVP Girls’ Basketball Camp 2016. Now entering its 8th successful year, MVP Girls Basketball Camp is the premier Orthodox Jewish basketball camp, taking place in the magnificent setting of Camp Seneca Lake, August 28–31. For more information and to be part of MVP, please contact me (Judah Rhine, 516-707-2638, mvp4girls@gmail.com) or Irv Bader (718-261-2267, info@senecalake.com), or visit www.senecalake.com and click on the MVP link.
MVP Basketball—All Ball, All the Time. Where every player can be an MVP.
Yeshivah Alumni Basketball Association Annual Dinner, May 18
Now that the Yeshivah High School Basketball League season and Yeshiva University’s 2016 Sarachek Tournament are over, we can reflect on what a great season it was for yeshivah high-school basketball and the Metropolitan Yeshivah High School Athletic League. We thank Commissioner Richie Hagler and his staff for their continuing outstanding job of making the boys’ and girls’ basketball seasons memorable ones.
We now turn our attention to the Yeshivah Alumni Basketball Association (YABA) annual dinner and event which will take place on May 18 at Congregation Keter Torah, 600 Roemer Avenue in Teaneck at 7:00 p.m. Irv Bader, Andy Weitzen, Pete Kessel, and Jeff Krantz are chairmen for the 2016 dinner.
The dinner hosts a mixed bag of alumni from long ago, old-time players, coaches, managers, referees, cheerleaders from the Metropolitan Jewish High School League, as well as current players, coaches, managers, and referees from the Metropolitan Yeshivah High School Athletic League.
The honorees are chosen by a YABA committee and consists of those who’ve played from the inception of the Metropolitan Jewish High School League which morphed into the Metropolitan Yeshivah High School League and is now the Metropolitan Yeshivah High School Athletic League. The committee’s selection to this year’s Ring of Honor will display Flatbush High School star power at the 2016 YABA Dinner. This year’s honorees include:
Norman Palefski, a’h, MTA class of 1954
Joseph Schwartz, YHSQ class of 1972
Saul Goldberg, Flatbush class of 1974
Fred Levine, Flatbush class of 1980
Ikey Dweck, Sephardic class of 1981
Sara Purow, Flatbush class of 2000
Zack Rosenberg, Ramaz class of 2006
Morris Dweck, coach, Magen David Yeshivah High School
All are invited to attend the dinner. The dinner is not limited to those who participated or those currently participating in the league. Proceeds from the dinner will be used to assist in promoting various Jewish basketball projects around the globe. Those interested in attending can access the event link at the YABA website: www.yabausa.org. YABA is a not-for-profit charitable 501(c)(3) organization.
NY NCSY’s 10th Annual Basketball Tournament, May 15
The event of the year is scheduled for Sunday, May 15 at gyms in the Five Towns (with all afternoon events at Lawrence High School.) Sign up at www.ncsybasketball.com. Price per player: $85 (all proceeds go to charity). New this year: NBA hall of famer Nate “Tiny” Archibald will run drills for children and will sign autographs (beginning at 12:30 p.m.) Sponsorships are welcome. For additional information, contact tournament director Judah Rhine at nybasketball@ncsy.org. v
Judah Rhine, who has been coaching youth basketball for more than 35 years, is co-director of MVP Boys Basketball Camp and MVP Girls Basketball Camp and co‑commissioner of the National Council of Young Israel basketball league. He can be reached at mvp4boys@gmail.com or mvp4girls@gmail.com.