Chicagoland’s Jewish Senior High School Hoopsters Shine in Showcase

May 5, 2024 (Skokie, Ill) – 14 Jewish high school senior basketball players from all over the area came together at Ida Crown Jewish Academy for the first ever 2024 Chicagoland Jewish Basketball Showcase. The game saw players from both public and private schools, ranging from 1A to 4A, divided into two squads where they displayed their basketball abilities in a high-scoring, fast-paced affair in front of their peers and the community. Team Jerusalem held off Team Tel Aviv 85-83 to win the inaugural event.

The showcase combined players from Glenbrook North, Stevenson, Wheeling, Deerfield, New Trier, and Lake Zurich high schools with players from the three local Jewish high schools: Rochelle Zell, Ida Crown, and Fasman Yeshiva.

Team Jerusalem, coached by York Assistant Coach JJ Pearl, jumped out to 21-15 1st quarter lead behind shooting from Fasman Yeshiva’s Yoni Silberstein and driving baskets by Stevenson forward Jayden Daube. Team Tel Aviv kept it close in the 2nd quarter as Rochelle Zell’s Jake Miller connected on two deep 3-pointers and Wheeling’s Jason Glassberg added 5 points.

Despite being down by 14-points midway into the 4th quarter, Team Tel Aviv, directed by Palatine Head Coach Eric Millstone, rallied with a furious comeback behind the play of Rochelle Zell center Ophir Zetouni (16 points) and Ida Crown guard Moshe Wiesenberg (13 points). Glenbrook North’s Sam Lappin, who led Team Tel Aviv with a team high 20 points, had a 3-pointer rim out with :04 left from the left wing that would’ve won it for Team Tel Aviv. Team Jerusalem got a game-high 26 points apiece from Deerfield’s Charlie Robin and Ida Crown’s Jakob Wortman, as they combined to connect on nine 3-pointers on the afternoon.

Thanks to the support of presenting sponsor Camp Kawaga, an overnight camp for boys ages 8-16 in Minocqua, WI, and those who attended the game, the 2024 Chicagoland Jewish Basketball Showcase raised nearly $500 for Hadassah and the Hadassah Medical Organization in Israel.

Players who participated in the game were: Sam Lappin (Glenbrook North); Eli Garber (New Trier); Jason Glassberg (Wheeling); Ophir Zetouni, Jesse Shapira, Jake Miller (Rochelle Zell); Eli Vladimirskiy, Yoni Silberstein (Fasman Yeshiva); Jayden Daube (Stevenson); Charlie Robin (Deerfield); Jakob Wortman, Adam Katz, Moshe Wiesenberg (Ida Crown); and Jared Kamin (Lake Zurich). The coaches were Eric Millstone (Palatine) and JJ Pearl (York).