This week marks the official beginning of Yeshiva Middle School Sports Association’s third year. The eighth grade division always showcases some terrific athletes and exciting games. 2015 -16 is sure to bring more of the same. For this season, the league tweaked the rules to allow three point shots. This minor alteration will help the boys develop their outside games and prepare them for high school where the “trey” is a big part of the game.

The favorite to three-peat as champions is once again Moriah. The team is led by point guard Rafi Lewis, six footer Gabi Katz and all-start forward Isaac Horowitz. This Moriah squad has defeated Noam in back-to-back championships, last season by a score of 48-35.

The Yeshivat Noam Knights are looking to avenge the past two championship losses and take their dominant regular season record all the way. The Knights are led by all-stars Yoni Mann and Billy Krause

Yavneh has the deepest back court in the league with Akiva Feit, Dani Weinberger, and Max Zakheim. The addition of Coach Ushie Selevan (long time TABC Coach) could be the final piece to take them past Moriah. Last season they came within two points of upsetting Moriah in the semifinals 48-46.

The most recent addition to the stacked Bergen County Division is the SAR Sting. This Sting squad has been a force the past two years, knocking out RYNJ in the first round both years. Last year’s eighth grade Sting team won it all to become the reigning YMSSA champions. This talented team, led by big man Caleb Segal, hopes to make it two in a row for SAR.

The RYNJ Jaguars are coming off two injury-plagued seasons. In 2013-14 swing man Yonatan Kaye and forward Shmulie Coates missed most of the season and last year point guard Ikey Gutlove missed half the season with a broken wrist. The Jaguars fans are hoping that a healthy team can get the last ever “green team” past their first round exits of the last two seasons.