Wortman, Gelb and August take 2023-24 JHA Honors

Jakob Wortman of Ida Crown is the 2023-24 Jewish Hoops America Player of the Year, beating out five other players who got votes as the season’s best player.

The Coach of the Year is Maimonides’ Ed Gelb and Underclassman of the Year is sophomore Alex August of Berman Hebrew Academy.

While the top player did not come from Southern California for the first time since 2019, six of the top 15 honorees this year played for CIF Southern Section schools.

Wortman was one of JHA’s top scorers, averaging 23 points for the Aces while grabbing 7 rebounds and dishing out 6 assists per game, and became the school’s first ever national Player of the Year. He edged out YULA senior Yishai Rosenblatt and Shalhevet junior Aiden Bitran in the most wide open selection for top player. Joining them on the 1st Team All Jewish Hoops America were seniors Mark Sardar of Magen David and Ethan List of Valley Torah.

Rosenblatt, Bitran, Sardar, List and YULA junior Alex Gabbay also got votes for Player of the Year.

Gabbay joins seniors Moses Smeke of Magen David, Harry Kitey of Weber Atlanta and Netanel Jacobs of Fuchs Mizrachi and junior Brandon Klein of Milken on the 2nd Team All Jewish Hoops America.

The 3rd Team All Jewish Hoops America includes seniors Beni Keda of Flatbush, Michael Cohen of Beth Tfiloh, Kevin Levy of HAFTR, Yonah Light of Tarbut vTorah and Ben Lasry of Jewish Culture.

August beat out sophomores Sam Jacobson of Shalhevet and Jack Silberstein of San Diego Jewish Academy and freshman Simon Alloul of Hebrew Academy Montreal in a deep field of top underclassmen. He averaged 21 points per game and had a school-record 133 3-pointers in his second year as a varsity starter and first as the team’s top go-to player.

Others considered were sophomores Ethan Abeles of San Diego Jewish Academy; Solly Bielsky of Denver Jewish Day; Caleb Gdanski of H.A. Miami; Gabey Margulies of Berman H.A.; Ben Mahgerefteh of Valley Torah; Rafi Miller of Beren Houston; and Sam Weichbrodt and Evan Kaufthal of Northwest Yeshiva HS; and freshmen Moshe Jacobs of Fuchs Mizrachi and Yaacov Ohayon of H.A. Montreal.

Gelb led the 26-5 M-Cats to their best season ever and beat out Magen David’s Ike Dweck and Berman H.A.’s Yonah Singer for Coach of the Year. The M-Cats finished #12 in the JHA Top 25, reached Tier 1 in the Sarachek Tournament and had a 25-game win streak that ended with their only loss in Massachussetts in the Division 4 Round of 16 to the eventual champion, the furthest Maimo ever went in the state playoffs.

Other coaches considered were Jared Axon of Jewish Culture, Ari Braun of Beth Tfiloh, Ryan Coleman of Shalhevet, Marty Dello of Rochelle Zell, Dovey Forman of Ohr Yisroel, Ted Garber of Leffell, Mike Pollack of YULA and Kevin Poniatoski of San Diego Jewish Academy.

1st Team All-Jewish Hoops America

Jakob Wortman, Sr., Ida Crown/Skokie,IL
Yishai Rosenblatt, Sr., YULA/Los Angeles,CA
Aiden Bitran, Jr., Shalhevet/Los Angeles,CA
Mark Sardar, Sr., Magen David/Brooklyn,NY
Ethan List, Sr., Valley Torah/Valley Village,CA

2nd Team All-Jewish Hoops America

Alex Gabbay, Jr., YULA/Los Angeles,CA
Moses Smeke, Sr., Magen David/Brooklyn,NY
Harry Kitey, Sr., Weber School/Sandy Springs,GA
Brandon Klein, Jr., Milken/Los Angeles,CA
Netanel Jacobs, Sr., Fuchs Mizrachi/Beechwood,OH

3rd Team All-Jewish Hoops America

Beni Keda, Sr., Flatbush/Brooklyn,NY
Michael Cohen, Sr., Beth Tfiloh/Baltimore,MD
Kevin Levy, Sr., HAFTR/Cedarhurst,NY
Yonah Light, Sr., Tarbut vTorah/Irvine,CA
Ben Lasry, Sr., Jewish Culture/North Miami,FL

Honorable Mention

Joe Aaron, Jr., DRS/Woodmere,NY
Simon Alloul, So.,H.A. Montreal/Montreal,QU
Alex August, So., Berman H.A./Rockville,MD
Daniel Benjamini, Sr., Kohelet/Merion Station,PA
Joe Benoliel, Jr., Northwest Yeshiva HS/Mercer Island,WA
Evan Berkowitz, Sr., Frisch/Paramus,NJ
Eli Braha, Jr., Hillel/Ocean,NJ
Aiden Buchbinder, Sr., DRS/Woodmere,NY
Joshua Chabbott, Jr., Magen David/Brooklyn,NY
Ben Edidin, Sr., Katz YHS/Boca Raton,FL
Liad Edry, Jr., deToledo/West Hills,CA
Ayden Gurin, Sr., TABC/Teaneck,NY
Sam Jacobson, So., Shalhevet/Los Angeles,CA
Eyal Kinderlehrer, Jr., TABC/Teaneck,NJ
Ittai Kohavi, Sr., Kehillah Jewish/Palo Alto,CA
Milan Kushner, Jr., Ramaz/New York,NY
Rafi Miller, So., Beren Academy/Houstin,TX
Matthew Mintz, Sr., Emery Weiner/Houstin,TX
Max Mogyoros, Sr., Mesivta/Bala Cynwyd,PA
Avi Okner, Jr., Ida Crown/Skokie,IL
Daniel Pollack, Sr., H.A. Miami/Miami Beach,FL
Gabriel R’Bibo, Sr., Valley Torah/Valley Village,CA
Judah Robin, Sr., YULA/Los Angeles,CA
Reuven Rozehzadeh, Sr., Ohr Yisroel/Tenafly,NJ
Jake Schloss, Sr., Beth Tfiloh/Baltimore,MD
Jesse Shapira, Sr., Rochelle Zell/Deerfield,IL
Jaden Shir, Sr., Posnack Jewish Day/Davie,FL
Jack Silberstein, So., San Diego Jewish Academy/San Diego,CA
Russell Wechsler, Jr., Leffell/Hartsdale,NY
Nate Weinstock,Sr., Maimonides/Brookline,MA
Keenan Winnerman, Sr., Denver Jewish Day/Denver,CO
Jordan Zarka, Sr., North Shore H.A./Great Neck,NY
Ophir Zetouni, Sr., Rochelle Zell/Deerfield,IL

Final JHA National Top 25

1.YULA/Los Angeles,CA ………………………26-13
2.Magen David/Brooklyn,NY …..………….38-3
3.Rochelle Zell/Deerfield,IL……………….….23-8
4.Flatbush/Brooklyn,NY…………………………26-7
5.North Shore H.A.………………………………..16-17
6.TABC/Teaneck,NJ … ….………..…….………..17-6
7.Shalhevet/Los Angeles,CA…………………26-13
8.Milken/Los Angeles,CA……………………….22-10
9.Ida Crown/Chicago,IL…………………….…….17-9
10.Valley Torah/Valley Village,CA……………24-8
11.Beth Tfiloh/Baltimore,MD…………………….27-10
12.Maimonides/Brookline,MA…………….……26-5
13.Posnack Jewish Day/Davie,FL……………16-6
14.Hebrew Academy/Miami Beach,FL……17-11
15.DRS/Woodmere,NY………………………………18-12
16.HAFTR/Cedarhurst,NY…………………………18-18
17.Berman H.A./Rockville,MD…………………..25-13
TieJewish Culture HS/Miami Beach,FL……17-9
19.Fuchs Mizrachi/Beachwood,OH…….…...17-12
TieRamaz/New York,NY……………………………23-17
21.deToledo/West Hills,CA…………………………14-11
22.Leffell/Hartsdale,NY……………………………..13-9
23.Denver JDS/Denver,CO………………………19-5
24.Katz YHS/Boca Raton,FL………………………17-9
25.Frisch/Paramus,NJ …………………….…….…..12-8
TieSAR/Bronx,NY………………………………………..9-13

Past Players of the Year

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

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

YULA Ends Season #1

Jewish Hoops America
Final National Top 25

On the strength of a dominant overtime in the Sarachek championship game against this year’s dominant team, the YULA Panthers leapfrogged to the top of the rankings and finish the 2023-24 season as the #1 team in Jewish Hoops America.

Magen David had been #1 since the second vote of the season, won the MYHSAL championship and set a JHA record with 38 wins. But YULA, who narrowly missed a CIF sectional title and advanced to their regional playoffs, snapped the Warriors’ 24-game win streak to claim their fourth national title in the 16 years of the JHA rankings. It is the fifth straight season an LA team ended the season #1.

The Warriors got one 1st place vote, as did Rochelle Zell, which allowed the Tigers to edge out Flatbush for the #3 spot.

North Shore, which narrowly lost to Flatbush in the league semifinals, moved into the Top 5 despite an overall losing record that was the result of key early season injuries.

The biggest move in the final poll was by the DRS Wildcats, who moved up five spots to #15. The Wildcats won Tier 2 at Sarachek after playing six straight days including a play-in win over Frisch to make the tournament.

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

1.YULA/Los Angeles,CA (8)……………………………26-13…….…248…..……..3
2.Magen David/Brooklyn,NY(1) …..………..………38-3….…….240……...…..1
3.Rochelle Zell/Deerfield,IL(1)……………….………..23-8….……221……..…….5
4.Flatbush/Brooklyn,NY………………………………….26-7………..220….……….2
5.North Shore H.A./Great Neck,NY………………16-17………….195…………..7
6.TABC/Teaneck,NJ … ….………..…….…………..,……17-6….……...193…...……..9
7.Shalhevet/Los Angeles,CA………………… ……..26-13…………191…………..4
8.Milken/Los Angeles,CA……………………………….22-10…………189………….6
9.Ida Crown/Chicago,IL…………………….….…….……17-9…….…….181……..…..10
10.Valley Torah/Valley Village,CA……………………24-8………...152………….7
11.Beth Tfiloh/Baltimore,MD…………………………….27-10…………..147………...14
12.Maimonides/Brookline,MA…………….……………26-5………….143………...10
13.Posnack Jewish Day/Davie,FL…………………….16-6…….…….142…………12
14.Hebrew Academy/Miami Beach,FL…………….17-11…..…..…...111………….13
15.DRS/Woodmere,NY………………………………………18-12…………..104…………20
16.HAFTR/Cedarhurst,NY………………………………….18-18…………..94………….15
17.Berman H.A./Rockville,MD…………………………..25-13…………..79.……..…..17
TieJewish Culture HS/Miami Beach,FL………….17-9……………..79…………..18
19.Fuchs Mizrachi/Beachwood,OH…….…...………17-12….……….68.…………19
TieRamaz/New York,NY…………………………………….23-17………..…68………….16
21.deToledo/West Hills,CA………………………………….14-11……………60…………20
22.Leffell/Hartsdale,NY……………………………………….13-9…………..36………….22
23.Denver JDS/Denver,CO…………………………………19-5………….24………….24
24.Katz YHS/Boca Raton,FL…………………………………17-9………….22………….23
25.Frisch/Paramus,NJ …………………….…….………….….12-8.…………..19…………..24
TieSAR/Bronx,NY…………………………………………………..9-13…………...19…………..24

Others receiving votes: Tarbut vTorah, 2; Kohelet, 2; Herzliah, 1.

Previous JHA #1

2007 - YULA Panthers
2008 - Ida Crown Aces
2009 - HANC Hurricanes
2010 - Tarbut vTorah Lions
2011 - Flatbush Falcons
2012 - YULA Panthers
2013 - Shalhevet Firehawks
2014 - YULA Panthers
2015 - Frisch Cougars
2016 - DRS Wildcats
2017 - Frisch Cougars
2018 - Shalhevet Firehawks
2019 - Shalhevet Firehawks
2022 - Valley Torah Wolfpack
2023 - Valley Torah Wolfpack

Sarachek Tournament 2024: Final Day

Tier 1

Championship

YULA 69 Magen David 59 OT

After the #1 Warriors’ Moses Smeke hit a jumper just before the buzzer to send the game to overtime, Alex Gabbay scored the first 10 points of the extra frame to lead the #2 Panthers to their 9th Sarachek title.

The loss snapped a 24-game win streak for the Yeshiva League champions and marks the fifth straight Sarachek championship for a California team (Shalhevet, 2018, 2019 and Valley Torah, 2022, 2023).

Gabbay led YULA (26-13) with 22 points - including 18 in the 4th quarter and overtime - and was named Tournament MVP. Yoni Holender added 20 points and Yishai Rosenblatt scored 13. Smeke had 24 points for Magen David (38-3) and Joshua Chabbott added 11.

3rd Place -TABC 67 Flatbush 66
5th Place - Ida Crown 63 Shalhevet 53
7th Place - Beth Tfiloh 71 Maimonides 59

Tier 2

1st Place

DRS 69 HAFTR 54

The Wildcats (18-12) jumped out to an 18-point lead in the opening quarter and were never threatened in winning their fifth game in six days, including the play-in against Frisch to get into the tournament. Tier 2 MVP Joe Aaron scored 22 points and Aiden Buchbinder added 18 points. Kevin Levy paced the Hawks (18-18) with 29 points.

3rd Place - Valley Torah 66 Fuchs Mizrachi 65
5th Place - Berman H.A. 72 Ramaz 57
7th Place - H.A. Montreal 66 MTA 49

Tier 3

1st Place

Kohelet 60 Cooper Memphis 45

Tier 3 MVP Asher Kahlon scored all 17 of his points in the 1st half, Izzy Weiner scored 18 points and Chezky Levitt added 13 to lead the Kings (20-11). For the Macs, Benny Freiden had 15 points on five treys, Yosef Vanderwalde added 14 points and Jack Kampf added 13, including three straight 3-pointers to start the 2nd quarter after Cooper had fallen behind 13-2.

3rd Place - Ohr HaTorah 43 Kushner 37

Sarachek 2024: Order of Finish, Player Awards, Top Scorers

Order of Finish

1.YULA
2.Magen David
3.TABC
4.Flatbush
5.Ida Crown
6.Shalhevet
7.Beth Tfiloh
8.Maimonides
9.DRS - Tier 2 winners
10.HAFTR
11.Valley Torah
12.Fuchs Mizrachi
13.Berman H.A.
14.Ramaz
15.H.A. Montreal
16.MTA
17.Kohelet - Tier 3 winners
18.Cooper Memphis
19.Ohr HaTorah
20.Kushner

ALL STARS

Simon Alloul, H.A. Montreal
Alex August, Berman H.A.
Daniel Benjamini, Kohelet
Aiden Buchbinder, DRS
Josh Chabbott, Magen David
Yishai Cohen, Ohr HaTorah
Ayden Gurin, TABC
Jack Haber, Magen David
Yoni Hollender, YULA
Moshe Jacobs, Fuchs Mizrachi
Beni Keda, Flatbush
Eyal Kinderlehrer, TABC
Milan Kushner, Ramaz
Avi Okner, Ida Crown
James Orbach, Kushner
Judah Robin, YULA
Sam Siri, HAFTR
Josh Treuhaft, MTA
Yosef Vanderwalde, Cooper Memphis
Nate Weinstock, Maimonides

Tier 3 MVP - Asher Kahlom, Kohelet

Tier 2 MVP - Joe Aaron, DRS

2nd Team All Tournament

Joe Aaron, DRS
Michael Cohen, Beth Tfiloh
Nate Jacobs, Fuchs Mizrachi
Kevin, Levy, HAFTR
Gabriel R'bibo, Valley Torah

1st Team All Tournament

Aiden Bitran, Shalhevet
Yishai Rosenblatt, YULA
Moses Smeke, Magen David
Mark Sardar, Magen David
Jakob Wortman, Ida Crown

Tournament MVP - Alex Gabbay, YULA

High Games

37, Eyal Kinderlehrer, TABC vs Berman
34, Moshe Jacobs, Fuchs Mizrachi vs Ohr HaTorah
29, Kevin Levy, HAFTR vs DRS
27, Gabriel R'bibo, Valley Torah vs Fuchs
27, Nate Jacobs, Fuchs Mizrachi vs Ramaz
27, Shmuley Levieddin, Berman H.A. vs Ramaz
26, Yishai Rosenblatt, YULA vs Flatbush
26, Jakob Wortman, Ida Crown vs YULA
26, Gabriel R'bibo, Valley Torah vs Beth Tfiloh
25, Nate Jacobs, Fuchs Mizrachi vs Valley Torah

Top Scoring Averages

Player…………………..Team……………………..Pts…………Avg.

Nate Jacobs………..Fuchs Mizrachi…….110………..22.0
Gabriel R'bibo……..Valley Torah……….. .85….…….21.3
Michael Cohen……Beth Tfiloh…………….84………..21.0
Jakob Wortman…..Ida Crown…………. …81……..…20.3
Moshe Jacobs…….Fuchs Mizrachi……. 96………..19.2
Kevin Levy…………..HAFTR…………………….76………..19.0
Simon Alloul………..H.A. Montreal…………73………..18.3
Moses Smeke…….Magen David………….72………..18.0

Sarachek Tournament 2024: Day 4

Tier 1

Semifinals

Magen David 56 TABC 44

Joshua Chabbott scored 20 points and Moses Smeke and Mark Sardar added 15 each as the Warriors (38-2) won their 24th straight contest to reach the championship game for the third time. Charlie Simmons led the Storm (17-6) with 11 points and Ayden Gurin added 10.

YULA 68 Flatbush 57

The Falcons cut a 17-point 1st quarter deficit to 7 at the half but could get no closer, ending any Brooklyn hopes of a 6th meeting with Magen David this season. Yishai Rosenblatt led the Panthers with 26 points, Judah Robin added 17 and Alex Gabbay had 14. Solly Gadeh led Flatbush with 19 points.

Consolation

Shalhevet 48 Maimonides 41

Aiden Bitran led the Firehawks (26-12) with 17 points. Avi Schwartz scored 16 for the M-Cats (26-4) andNate Weinstock added 13.

Ida Crown 60 Beth Tfiloh 46

Jakob Wortman led the Aces with 23 points. Michael Cohen had 24 points for the Warriors.

Tier 2

Semifinals

DRS 53 Valley Torah 49

Aiden Buchbinder scored 12 points for the Wildcats (17-12), who pulled it out after squandering a 16-point 2nd half lead. Gabriel R’bibo had 16 points for the Wolfpack (23-8).

HAFTR 57 Fuchs Mizrachi 42

Kevin Levy led the Hawks (18-17) with 20 points and Peter Drukker and Sam Siri added 10 each. Nate Jacobs scored 16 points for the Mayhem (17-11) and Moshe Jacobs had 11.

Consolation

Berman H.A. 59 MTA 48

Ramaz 65 H.A. Montreal 50

The Rams (23-16) trailed by four at the half but an 11-0 start to the 3rd quarter put them in control.

Tier 3

Semifinals

Cooper Memphis 57 Kushner 55

Benny Freiden hit a corner trey at the buzzer to cap arguably the greatest comeback in Sarachek history as the Macs had started the 4th quarter down by 18 points. Yosef Vanderwalde led Cooper with 22 points and played a key role in the winning basket as he snagged an errant pass and fed Freiden, who finished with 19 points, including 16 in the 4th quarter and the last 9 for the Macs.

Kohelet 68 Ohr HaTorah 40

The Kings relied on balanced scoring with four players in double figures led by Asher Kahlon’s 19 points. Chezky Levitt added 18 points, Daniel Benjamini had 15 and Izzy Weiner scored 13.