Valley Torah wins men’s tournament; Ramaz takes women’s title.
From the moment the doors opened at 8:30 a.m. for player check in, until the end of the women’s tournament more than 14 hours later, it was a day of intense competition and family fun at Our Place’s third annual Yeshiva League Legends basketball tournament.
Held on Sunday, March 31, at Basketball City on the Lower East Side’s Pier 36, the day featured 28 teams competing for high seeding in opening round-robin games and ultimately, culminating in NCAA-style playoff brackets and championship games. The event included separate full court men’s and women’s tournaments.
Schools from the tri-state area and beyond hit the hardwood in competitions that were fast and furious. In the full court men’s division, the Los Angeles-based, Valley Torah Wolfpack triumphed over the defending champions, MDY Warriors in a hard-fought, competitive finale, proving that top talent is not limited to the tri-state region. The TABC Storm won the Tier II tournament championship, with teams from DRS, Fasman Skokie Yeshiva (Chicago), Yeshiva of Flatbush, Frisch, HAFTR, HANC, Hillel (Miami), JEC, MTA, North Shore Hebrew Academy, Ramaz, Rambam and SAR also participating in heated match-ups throughout the day.
This year’s women’s tournament was renamed the Dannie Epstein Grajower a”h Memorial Tournament in memory of Dannie Grajower (nee Epstein) whose untimely passing earlier this year tragically shook many in the yeshiva league community and beyond. Grajower was a former yeshiva league MVP on the Ramaz Rams and a pre-tournament presentation was arranged by her close friends and family. It was particularly meaningful when Ramaz repeated as tournament champions this year, in a spirited rematch of last year’s championship game against HANC. The women’s tournament also fielded teams from Bruriah, Central, Yeshiva of Flatbush, HAFTR, Hillel, Magen David Yeshiva, Maimonides (Boston), Ramaz, SAR, SKA and Shalhevet. The SAR Stars won this year’s Tier II consolation bracket.
Referees named five athletes to the all-tournament team including MVP Ryan Turrell of Valley Torah (2018), Morris Dweck of Magen David Yeshiva (2013), Gabriel Leifer of DRS (2016), Jeremy Zborowski of North Shore (2012) and Abe Cohen of Yeshiva of Flatbush (2009). In the women’s division, the all-tournament team included MVP Lauren Levy of Ramaz (2009), Michael Alge of Maimonides (2014), Dahlia Fischer of SAR (2016), Simee Rosner of HAFTR (2013) and Cheri Kordavani of HANC (2000).
Billed as an opportunity to “relive old rivalries” and “create new memories,” the tournament also featured Yeshiva League Legends giveaways and a massive children’s carnival. Several hundred fans came to cheer on the more than 200 athletes in their custom made legends jerseys throughout the day and the plentiful edibles included an afternoon pizza lunch from Bravo’s and a pair of gourmet post-championship banquets featuring an extensive barbeque with smoked meats, tantalizing beef jerky from Graze and a never ending sushi bar from Eden Wok of New Rochelle.
The men’s event was co-chaired by Rachelle Rosenberg and Elliot Steinmetz of Rosenberg and Steinmetz PC, the event’s main event sponsor, with warm-up gear provided by Maurice Levy (Magen David player) of High Life LLC. David Brecher of FM Home Loans generously sponsored the player jerseys, with an FM Home Loans patch adorning all 200+ jerseys. Other top sponsors included the Orlo Fund who sponsored the duffle bags and Dwight Capital’s Josh Sasouness (Frisch player). Additional sponsors included Arbor, Gourmet Glatt, GFI Realty Services, Inc., Ellkay Healthcare Data Plumbers, Eden Wok of New Rochelle, Alan and Judy Eisenman, Hilltop Equities, the Five Towns Jewish Times and The Jewish Link of New Jersey.
More than just a highly anticipated event that drew participants from all over the greater New York City area and far beyond for a day of excitement and off the charts energy, the legends tournament raised much needed funds for Our Place which will be used to continue operating its judgment-free drop in centers for at risk Jewish youth who struggle with issues of addiction and abuse. Rabbi Aryeh Young, executive director of Our Place, explained that the Yeshiva League Legends tournament has truly become the premier basketball event in the Jewish community for the post high-school adult population. “The concept of ‘legends’ is now a household name. The unparalleled competition and nostalgic energy help create an unprecedented tournament that ensures players want to return year after year. It is the players’ continued commitment and dedication that allows Our Place to rely each year on the significant funds that the tournament brings in. We are particularly grateful to our event sponsors, as well as, the team captains who each play a vital role in the tournament’s success.” When asked about a possible fourth annual legends tournament, Rabbi Young simply responded, “Plans are already in the works.”
By JLNJ Staff�
