It’s a feat when a school has one team that makes it to a championship and something that deserves attention, when it has two that do in the same season! Bruriah Lightning reached the finals of both girls’ varsity basketball leagues this season. Two teams, two leagues, two identical regular-season records of 10-2, and the two same coaches, Susan Rifkin and Miri Korbman. Each team had an illustrious season in its own right and arrived at its respective finals after seasons of playing smart and moving as a team.
The Lightning A team, the league’s Western Division champions, was led by senior captains Nikki Bick (Edison) and Michal Hyman (Teaneck). Bick had been lighting up the league since she came on the yeshiva varsity scene as a freshman. Bick and Hyman are the lone remnants of Bruriah’s 2012 championship team and were looking for a repeat. Together they provided tremendous leadership both on and off the court. Under them the team opened the season with a 5-point win at Frisch. The Lightning lost a home-and-away vs. SAR, its only two regular-season losses. The first at home 64-59 in overtime and the second 39-25. In an ironic twist, Bruriah hosted SAR in the semi-finals and emerged with a 53-41 victory and a ticket to the big dance vs. Ramaz at TABC.
Victories against Hillel, Ramaz, HAFTR, Frisch, Maayanot, and Kushner followed. Dani Berlin, Ally Orgel (both junior, Edison) and Tovah Weiskopf (Bergenfield) completed the starting lineup. Together they set the tone on offense and defense to spark the Lightning’s 9-0 run into the playoffs. Chaya Levin (senior, Teaneck), Shira Allen (junior, Edison), Julia Landau (junior, Edison), Tali Becker (sophomore, Elizabeth), Nechama Maryles (sophomore, Staten Island), Mikayla Elk (freshman, East Brunswick), Shira Hagler (freshman, Teaneck), and Gabi Goldberg (freshman, Elizabeth) provided key minutes off the bench. In true Lightning fashion it was a team effort.
The Lightning also made it past North Shore in the playoffs to advance to the championship against Ramaz. Before a packed gym, including Bruriah’s entire senior class, family, friends, schoolmates, and new fans who had become mesmerized by Bruriah’s exciting brand of basketball, the Lightning’s magical season came to an end with a 46-21 loss.
The Lightning 1 team advanced to the finals of its league under the active leadership of senior captain Avigayil Wiener and junior captain Shayna Schwartz. The Lightning went 4-0 before its loss at SKA. At 4-1 the Lightning rattled off another four wins before it lost to SKA for a second time, then closed out the season with two more wins.
Elana Rutner (senior, West Orange), Ilana Markowitz (sophomore, Bergenfield) and Talya Markowitz (freshman, Bergenfield) round out this Lightning’s starting five. Shira Alter (junior, Teaneck), Rachel Eckstein (junior, Passaic), Elisheva Pfeiffer (junior, Teaneck), Orit Reiter (junior, Staten Island), Shayna Rosenzweig (junior, Elizabeth), Hindy Goldberg (sophomore, Monsey), Gila Alter (freshman, Teaneck), Rina Finkelstein (freshman, Teaneck), and Sarena Wiederkehr (freshman, Teaneck) also contributed to the teams wins from off the bench.
The Lightning beat Ilan in the semi-finals to advance to the big dance against SKA. The stage was set for a rematch of last year’s finals. Before a standing room only crowd of mascots dressed as lightning bolts and fans chanting BHS and Light it up!, the Lightning made it clear early on why it deserved to be in the finals. Its hallmark passing was flawless, its post presence was strong, and its penetration game effective.
The game lived up to the hype of what a championship game should be. It was a tight game with lead changes and ties. With the score 36-34, the call that wasn’t called would have given a final possession to the Lightning with 30 seconds left in the game—enough time to set up and execute a play. The Lightning came out of their best-played game of the season with a devastating 36-34 loss.
The outcomes reveal nothing about the backstories of the players, the cross-team comradery, and the admiration and genuine care each team shows for the other. Certainly the collective Lightning would have liked to bring home two more 1st place trophies; what will remain etched in the minds of all who played and all who cheered is the sportsmanship, unity, and the realization that preparedness plus working smart can lead you toward your goals.
With the end of their seasons, come the end of their storied high-school careers. Nikki Bick, Michal Hyman, Elana Rutner, and Avigayil Wiener have shown their teammates how to leave it all on the court. Their contributions on and off the court will never be quantifiable. They’ve raised the bar for their teams and for the leagues in which they play.
By Susan Rifkin
