Frisch Varsity Preview – New Coach

With the departure of three-time championship Coach Avi Borenstein to Flatbush, the Frisch Cougar basketball program has new head coaches for 2013-14 at both the Varsity and Junior Varsity levels.

Joe Schwartz, a well-regarded and accomplished basketball coach who took the Ramaz JV to the semi-finals last year, assumes the mantle of Cougar Varsity head coach and head of the school’s basketball program. Eli Davidoff has stayed on as assistant Varsity coach, giving the returning Varsity players continuity as they absorb a new system. The Varsity lost four starters and a key sub to graduation, with only current senior Justin Hod returning with substantial Varsity starting experience. Other senior returnees from the Varsity are: Evan Cohen, Jacob Furer, Rami Laifer, Aaron Lauer, Jake Reichel, Eli Scharlat, Abba Szydlo and Solomon Weiner. Juniors elevated to Varsity from the Frisch JV team that last year went 13-0 and won the Yeshiva League championship are: Robbie Bernstein, Kevin Ebrahimoff, Michael Finkel, Sam Finkel, Tyler Hod, Andrew Levine and Benni Tuchman.

The Varsity opens the pre-season on Long Island against the Stars from North Shore Hebrew Academy on October 9, 2013.

Dovie Forman, a Bergen County basketball fixture and former JV assistant to Coach Borenstein, has moved up to head coach of the JV. He will be assisted by Gabe Davidoff, a current student at Yeshiva University and a former Frisch player. Returning players from the 2012-13 championship JV squad are: Gideon Benchabbat, Josh Chesner, Zach Cohen, Andrew Langer, Scott Levine, Mayer Scharlat, Noah Schechter, Jon Seidel and Isaac Weinstock. That core group of sophomores will be supported by an exciting group of freshmen, including: Zak Comet, Josh Dukas, RJ Fischer, Evan Fromen, Elie Kern, Isaac Laifer, Yisroel Solomon, Sammy Turner and JJ Zakheim.