For the first time ever, Fasman Yeshiva High School’s varsity basketball team participated in the Yeshiva University Red Sarachek basketball tournament which took place March 14-18 in New York City. Now in its 28th year, the tournament brings together 20 Jewish high school basketball teams from around the country for a five-day weekend filled with plenty of basketball, davening, learning, a shabbaton, and even a trivia tournament. During the trip, the team also had a chance to visit Touro/Lander College for Men in Queens and see its campus and learn more about college opportunities there as well.
Overall the Yeshiva boys represented themselves very well in the tournament. Led by head coach Jeremy Geller and senior co-captains Akiva Lafer and Dani Miretzky, the varsity team played four close games, defeating Valley Torah of Los Angeles and Katz High School of Boca Raton, while falling to Maimonides High School of Boston. They made it to the “Tier II” championship game but ultimately fell to the host school, YU’s own MTA High School for Boys. Not one to just leave it all on the court, the Fasman team also demonstrated its prowess in the classroom by bringing home the trophy for the Shabbat-afternoon NCAA Tournament-style trivia contest focusing on four subjects: Torah, maddah (general/world knowledge), sports, and pop culture, with team manager Zali Arnold leading the way.
Fasman’s first-time participation in the tournament brought out great interest among the school’s alumni in the NY/NJ area. More than 100 alumni, ranging from current students at YU to FYHS alumni from graduating classes spanning the 80’s, 90’s, and 2000’s, attended a special alumni gathering prior to the Sunday game vs. Valley Torah. The alumni were treated to pizza and drinks and had a chance to re-connect with HTC CEO Rabbi Shmuel Shuman, HTC Vice President Sid Singer, FYHS Principal Rabbi Dovid Kupchik, FYHS Assistant Principal Rabbi Mordechai Ginsparg, Admissions Director Rabbi Josh Zisook, Coach Geller and other HTC staff. The alumni then came out and raucously raised the roof of the Max Stern Athletic Center, spurring on the team to victory on Sunday night. Former FYHS graduate Moshe Zwebner (Class of 1987) then treated the team to dinner at the “Doghouse” restaurant in Teaneck, NJ, to celebrate the team’s win.
Overall the boys had an incredible experience at the tournament. For those who didn’t catch the games, YU has archived the games online and they can be found at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCn3R0AtYDBgGE4QjgcVcYVg/feed.
