As the 2024-25 Yeshiva League Girls Basketball season comes to a close, I would like to share a few reflections on the Frisch varsity season this year. Although it did not culminate in the way we had hoped, there were still many strong points in the season that are valuable. Coming off of a very successful 23-24 season, in which there were 17 players on the team, this year’s 12 players really stepped up to the plate, with everyone contributing in their own way. Since it was such a small team, the team was able to gel together quickly. Despite only having one game before the Glouberman Tournament, in which we defeated Kushner, we headed to L.A. locked in and ready to win it all. The season before, we experienced a devastating loss to Shalhevet by 6 points in the championship. This year, we were able to take down Shalhevet (also by 6!) in the semi-finals. We then went onto the Championship against SAR, in an East Coast final, winning 46-36. This was a huge victory for Frisch, as the Cougars had come up short in the Glouberman Championships for the previous two years.
Coming back on a high note from Glouberman, we faced off against old top-notch rivals, like Ma’ayanot and SKA. We defeated Ma’ayanot 46-31 and SKA 58-48. Our troubles started when we again went against SAR in a regular season game on December 10. Although we had beaten them at Glouberman, the Sting put on a tough fight and an extremely good showing, which led to our first defeat of the season. On January 29, a long winter break got the best of us, and we unfortunately lost to them again. These two games only gave us more determination though, and we headed into the playoffs with a newfound confidence. We defeated Ramaz and then eked out a win on the road against a very tough opponent in North Shore.
That set the stage for the championship showdown against SAR in the Yeshiva League final. The gym was filled with passionate fans, each school’s supporters cheering loudly for their teams. Before the game, the teams came together at center court, linking arms—one Frisch player and one SAR player—and sang the national anthem and “Hatikvah.” It was a beautiful moment of unity amidst fierce rivalry, reminding us all of what truly matters.
The game itself was a hard-fought battle. The first quarter was tight, with both teams playing solid defense, and Frisch led 6-5 at the end of the period. The second quarter saw Frisch begin to pull ahead, thanks to quick fast breaks from Izzy Nadritch, a powerful offensive put-back, and a well-executed layup by Zoey Levy, sending us into halftime with a 17-9 lead.
Towards the end of the third quarter though, SAR began to catch up after Frisch got into some foul trouble and Nava Bousbib of SAR scored 3 threes. SAR was able to pull away as the Frisch shooting went cold and SAR started making plays. They held the lead and ultimately won the game.
While the outcome wasn’t what we had hoped for, the season was filled with tremendous achievements. From the unforgettable moments in practice to our travels together, the bond we shared as a team was undeniable. Congratulations to SAR on their well-earned championship victory. To the juniors, I will miss you all so much next year! Thank you for making the past three years unforgettable. I have no doubt you’ll continue to shine next season!
