Excitement was in the air on Monday evening as the long-awaited opening game night for the Yeshivat He’Atid Hurricanes kicked off. The evening marked a significant milestone for the school. After years of hard work and dedication, the construction of the brand-new gym was officially complete. The school was thrilled to invite the entire middle school to experience its first ever home game in their state-of-the-art facility. The Hurricanes proudly unveiled their new regulation-sized basketball court, complete with ample bleacher seating designed for fans to cheer in comfort and style.
No opening event would be complete without a visit from Harry the Hurricane! The beloved mascot made a grand entrance as the games began, energizing the crowd with his infectious enthusiasm and unmistakable school spirit.
Opening game night was one for the books, highlighted by a thrilling doubleheader between the Hurricanes and SAR Sting. The girls’ team tipped off the evening with an exciting match, setting the tone for what would become an unforgettable night.
The girls started the evening quickly taking control of the game, shutting down the SAR offense. They finished the half with a comfortable lead. They continued to move the ball around and had many contributions from most players on the bench. The girls ended the game with a 33-14 win. Notable stats of the evening included: Atara Cooper, eight points, six rebounds, one steal and one block. Nicole Pruzansky seven points, two rebounds, three assists, five steals and one block. Rachel Bitton four points, seven rebounds. Amira Fleischman four points, four rebounds, one assist and two steals; Kylie Neufeld two points, one rebound, one assist and two steals; and Liana Moses contributed six points, one rebound, one assist, and a tenacious six steals.
The boys continued to showcase their skills in the second game of the evening. The boys had a slower start but soon picked up momentum and went into the half with a 23-15 lead against the Sting. The Sting battled to the end with SAR player Marmar sinking back to back 3-pointers in the fourth quarter. The Hurricanes were able to hold onto their lead and ended the game with a 43-34 win. Ezra Barzideh reached two milestones in this game; not only did Ezra have a remarkable double-double scoring 29 points, a staggering 26 rebounds, one assist, two steals and three blocks. Ezra also scored his 300th career point as a Hurricane! Other notable stats of the evening included: Emet Seliger one point, five rebounds, one steal and two blocks; Natan Dorfman six points, five rebounds, two assists, one steal, one block; David Portnoy six rebounds and one steal; and Natan Kalina four points, 10 rebounds, two assists and one block.
Halftime brought an extra layer of excitement with a spirited performance by the He’Atid cheerleading club. Their dazzling, coordinated routines kept the energy high and celebrated the night’s theme of school pride and community. Girls and boys Head Coach Aaron Neufeld stated, “Tonight was truly special. The energy from the fans was incredible. I’ve never heard a gym this loud before. We’ve been dreaming about this moment since the gym was just an idea, and now that it’s here, it truly feels like home. Winning our first two games in this new gym is just the beginning of something great for the Hurricanes.”
