Steinmetz, Joffe and Haghighat take top 2025 JHA Girls Awards

SKA senior Daphna Steinmetz is the 2025 Jewish Hoops America Player of the Year, with other top honors going to Coach of the Year Lee Joffe of SAR and North Shore High School sophomore Dillan Haghighat as Underclassman of the Year.

Steinmetz led the Sonics to a 17-6 record and #7 JHA Chai High ranking while averaging 21.5 points, 8 rebounds and 7 assists per game.

Joining Steinmetz and Haghighat on the 1st Team All-Jewish Hoops America are senior Kira Heumann of YULA and juniors Liv Solomon of SAR, Zoe Levy of Frisch and Eliana Wolfson of H.A. Miami..

The 2nd Team includes Ramaz senior Leila Sakhai, juniors Izzy Nadtrich of Frisch and Mikayla Trajtenberg of Barrack H.A. and sophomores Shylee Blavvise of Rochelle Zell and Shira Abramson of Shalhevet.

Named to the 3rd Team are seniors Daria Lennon of Ida Crown, Jamie Morris of CHAT and Lilly Yalovsky of Yavneh Dallas and juniors Nava Bousbib of SAR and Izzy Wilbur of Fuchs Mizrachi.

Joffe was named JHA Coach of the Year after leading the 26-2 Sting to the Yeshiva League championship and the #1 JHA ranking. It was the team’s fifth league title and first since 2019.

Other coaches considered were Batsheva Aaron of SKA, Joe Campodonico of H.A. Miami, Ryan Coleman of Shalhevet, Gil Dalva of YULA, Cheri Haghighat of North Shore H.A., Tali Zelenetz of Frisch and Aubrey Zimmerman of CHAT.

Haghighat won Underclassman of the Year after averaging 22 points per game, including a JHA single game record of 50 points. She also averaged 6 assists and 6 rebounds per game, topped 1,000 career points and was MVP of the Sam Gyenes and HAFTR tournaments.

Also considered were sophomores Shira Abramson of Shalhevet, Shylee Blavvise of Rochelle Zell, Shana Leibowitz of Beth Tfiloh and Danielle Shalom of Ilan and freshmen Ava Cohen of SAR and Lea Steinmetz of SKA.

1st Team All-Jewish Hoops America

Daphna Steinmetz, Sr., SKA/Lawrence,NY
Kira Heumann, Sr., YULA/Los Angeles,CA
Dillan Haghighat, So., North Shore H.A./Great Neck,NY
Zoe Levy, Jr., Frisch/Paramus,NJ
Liv Solomon, Jr., SAR/Bronx,NY
Eliana Wolfson, Jr., H.A. Miami/Miami Beach,FL

2nd Team All-Jewish Hoops America

Shira Abramson, So., Shalhevet/Los Angeles,CA
Shylee Blavvise, So., Rochelle Zell/Deerfield,IL
Izzy Nadtrich, Jr., Frisch/Paramus,NJ
Leila Sakhai, Sr., Ramaz/New York,NY
Mikayla Trajtenberg, Jr., Barrack H.A./Bryn Mawr,PA

3rd Team All-Jewish Hoops America

Nava Bousbib, Jr., SAR/Bronx,NY
Daria Lennon, Sr., Ida Crown/Skokie,IL
Jamie Morris, Sr., CHAT/Toronto,ON
Izzy Wilbur, Jr., Fuchs Mizrachi/Beachwood,OH
Lilly Yalovsky, Sr., Yavneh Dallas/Dallas,TX

Honorable Mention

Ava Cohen, Fr., SAR/Bronx,NY
Nitzahn Epstein, Jr., Berman H.A./Rockville,MD
Addison Floumanhaft, Sr., HANC/Uniondale,NY
Sarah Kahane, Sr., Margolin/Memphis,TN
Leah Kaplan, Sr., Maimonides/Brookline,MA
Shirel Kashimallek, Sr., North Shore H.A./Great Neck,NY
Shana Leibowitz, So., Beth Tfiloh/Baltimore,MD
Tali Loeffler, Sr., Jewish Day School/Rockville,MD
Sami Neff, Jr., Barrack H.A./Bryn Mawr,PA
Megan Sharf, Sr., HAFTR/Cedarhurst,NY
Danielle Shalom, So., Ilan/Deal,NJ
Leah Sicklick, Jr., SKA/Lawrence,NY
Shana Strohli, Jr., H.A. Miami/Miami Beach,FL
Inbar Vicus, Sr., CHAT/Toronto,ON

Final 2024-25 Chai High JHA Top 18

1.SAR/Bronx,NY…………………………………………26-2
2.Frisch/Paramus,NJ…………………………………19-2
3.Shalhevet/Los Angeles,CA ………………….17-11
4.North Shore H.A./Great Neck,NY……….26-5
5.Tanenbaum CHAT/Toronto,ON ………….24-3
6.YULA/Los Angeles,CA………………………….21-13
7.SKA/Hewlett,NY………………………………………17-6
8.Hebrew Academy/Miami Beach,FL…….22-9
9.Barrack H.A./Bryn Mawr,PA…………………..10-8
10.Milken/Los Angeles,CA…………………………12-14
11.Ida Crown/Skokie,IL……………………………….17-10
12.Ramaz/New York,NY……………………………..10-10
13.Maimonides/Brookline,MA……………………12-9
14.Katz YHS/Boca Raton,FL………………………,,12-5
15.Ilan/Deal,NJ……………………………………………..12-9
16.Flatbush/Brooklyn,NY…………………………….13-14
17.Beth Tfiloh/Pikesville,MD……………………….13-12
18.Rochelle Zell/Deerfield,IL……………………...16-11

PAST PLAYERS OF THE YEAR

2024 - Yalee Schwartz, Shalhevet
2023 - Yalee Schwartz, Shalhevet
2022 - Yalee Schwartz, Shalhevet

PAST COACHES OF THE YEAR

2024 - Ryan Coleman, Shalhevet
2023 - Becky Silberman, Jewish Day School
2022 - Ryan Coleman, Shalhevet

Bitran, Singer and Stepner Win Top 2025 JHA Boys Awards

Shalhevet senior Aiden Bitran has been named the 2025 Jewish Hoops America Player of the Year.

The Coach of the Year is Yonah Singer of Berman Hebrew Academy and Frisch sophomore Isaac Stepner is Underclassman of the Year.

Bitran scored 20.5 points per game and led Shalhevet to the #4 JHA ranking.

Joining him and Stepner on the 1st Team All-Jewish Hoops America are seniors Joe Aaron of DRS, Joshua Chabbott of Magen David and Eyal Kinderlehrer of TABC and junior Alex August of Berman H.A.

The 2nd Team All Jewish Hoops America includes seniors Alex Gabbay and Jaden Azeroul of YULA, Eli Braha of Hillel, Gideon Greenberg of Posnack Jewish Day and Avi Okner of Ida Crown.

Making the 3rd Team All Jewish Hoops America are seniors Zac Agichtein of Atlanta Jewish Academy, Jake Coblentz-Brown of Tarbut vTorah, Zeke Levitt of Kohelet and Sam Weiss of SAR, junior Solly Bielsky of Denver Jewish Day and sophomore Simon Alloul of H.A. Montreal.

Singer helmed the 33-10 Cougars to their first conference title in 20 years, their best JHA ranking ever and their first trip to the Sarachek Tournament semifinals, where only a 1-point loss to Magen David kept them out of the championship game. He beat out TABC’s Oswald Cross and Morrie Levy of H.A. Montreal. Others considered were DRS’ Moshe Cohen, Magen David’s Ike Dweck, Mike Pollack of YULA and Zachary Pollack of Yavneh Dallas.

Stepner was the rare Yeshiva League sophomore to play on varsity let alone shine, as he led the Cougars with 18.5 points and 11.5 rebounds per game. Others considered for Underclassman of the Year were Alloul, sophomores Ezra Cutler of Gann, Meir Dan of Valley Torah, Moshe Jacobs of Fuchs Mizrachi and Ashton Javaheri of Milken and freshman Amiel Jotkowitz of Maimonides.

1st Team All-Jewish Hoops America

Aiden Bitran, Sr., Shalhevet/Los Angeles,CA
Joe Aaron, Sr., DRS/Woodmere,NY
Alex August, Jr., Berman H.A./Rockville,MD
Joshua Chabbott, Sr., Magen David/Brooklyn,NY
Eyal Kinderlehrer, Sr., TABC/Teaneck,NJ
Isaac Stepner, So., Frisch/Paramus,NJ

2nd Team All-Jewish Hoops America

Jayden Azeroul, Sr., YULA/Los Angeles,CA
Eli Braha, Sr., Hillel/Ocean,NJ
Alex Gabbay, Sr., YULA/Los Angeles,CA
Gideon Greenberg, Sr., Posnack Jewish Day/Davie,FL
Avi Okner, Sr., Ida Crown/Skokie,IL

3rd Team All-Jewish Hoops America

Zac Agichtein, Sr., Atlanta Jewish Day/Atlanta,GA
Simon Alloul, So., Hebrew Academy/Montreal,QB
Solly Bielsky, Jr., Denver Jewish Day/Denver,CO
Jake Coblentz-Brown, Sr., Tarbut vTorah/Irvine,CA
Zeke Levitt, Sr., Kohelet/Merion Station,PA
Sam Weiss, Sr., SAR/Bronx,NY

Honorable Mention

Jake Abenaim, Sr., MTA/New York,NY
Adir Amster, Sr., Fasman Yeshiva/Skokie,IL
Eli Bokhour, Sr., North Shore H.A./Great Neck,NY
Joe Benoliel, Jr., Northwest Yeshiva HS/Mercer Island,WA
Akiva Borgen, Jr., TABC/Teaneck,NJ
Jordan Cohen-Mintz, Sr., Heschel/New York,NY
Ezra Cutler, So., Gann/Walthan,MA
Meir Dan, So., Valley Torah/Valley Village,CA
Liad Edry, Sr., deToledo/West Hills,CA
Pinch Greenwald, Sr., Toras Chaim/North Miami Beach,FL
Ricky Haddad, Sr., Flatbush/Brooklyn,NY
Ari Halpert, Jr., SAR/Bronx,NY
Jonny Hazan, Sr., Jewish Culture/Fort Lauderdale,FL
Moshe Jacobs, So., Fuchs Mizrachi/Beachwood,OH
Sam Jacobson, Jr., Shalhevet/Los Angeles,CA
Ashton Javeheri, So., Milken/Los Angeles,CA
Yonah Mandel, Sr., TABC/Teaneck,NY
Rafi Miller, Jr., Beren/Houston,TX
Ronen Ousley, Jr., Rochelle Zell/Deerfield,IL
Jonathan Rhein, Sr., Posnack Jewish Day/Davie,FL
Jack Silberstein, Jr., San Diego Jewish Academy/San Diego,CA
Ezra Stern, Sr., Ohr Yisroel/Tenafly,NJ
Nate Sugar, Sr., Ramaz/New York,NY
Tzvi Tsaidi, Sr., North Shore H.A./Great Neck,NY
Jacob Zackheim, Jr., CHAT/Toronto,ON

Final 2024-25 JHA Top 25

1.TABC/Teaneck,NJ … ….………..…….………………23-5
2.YULA/Los Angeles,CA……………………………..27-14
3.DRS/Woodmere,NY……………………………………31-5
4.Shalhevet/Los Angeles,CA………………………22-15
TieMagen David/Brooklyn,NY….…..………..…..24-11
6.Milken/Los Angeles,CA……………………………..12-8
7.Berman H.A./Rockville,MD………………………..33-10
8.SAR/Bronx,NY………………………………………………23-9
9.Posnack Jewish Day/Davie,FL………………….17-10
10.Hillel/Ocean,NJ…………………………………………..21-13
TieNorth Shore H.A./Great Neck,NY……………21-16
12.Frisch/Paramus,NJ …………………….…….…………12-11
13.Ida Crown/Chicago,IL…………………….….……….20-7
14.Hebrew Academy/Montreal,QB………………..18-6
15.Rochelle Zell/Deerfield,IL………………….…..……14-12
16.Ramaz/New York,NY………………………………..…..14-11
17.MTA/New York,NY…………………………………………21-8
18.Fasman Yeshiva/Skokie,IL……………………….….17-10
19.Jewish Culture HS/Ft. Lauderdale,FL……….26-11
20.Toras Chaim/North Miami Beach,FL…………..14-2
21.Donna Klein Jewish Acad./Boca Raton,FL…11-9
22.Tanenbaum CHAT/Toronto,ON………………….30-6
23.Katz YHS/Boca Raton,FL……………………………...17-16
24.Tarbut vTorah/Irvine,CA…………………………….….16-4
TieAkiba Yavneh/Dallas,TX……………………………….22-10
TieFlatbush/Brooklyn,NY……………………………………13-14

Past Players of the Year

2024 Jakob Wortman, Ida Crown
2023 Johny Dan, Valley Torah
2022 Johny Dan, Valley Torah
2020/2021 Albert Fallas, YULA/Zev Remer, Shalhevet
2019 Judah Oppenheimer, SAR
2018 Ryan Turell, Valley Torah
2017 Bryan Knapp, Jewish Day School
2016 Gabriel Leifer, DRS
2015 Josh Newlander, Chicagoland Jewish (Rochelle Zell)
2014 Josh Newlander, Chicagoland Jewish
2013 Zach Yoshor, Beren Houston
2012 Jack Gindi, YULA
2011 Yisroel Feld, MTA/Jack Gindi, YULA
2010 Eric Avdee, Tarbut vTorah
2009 Eitan Chemerinski, Jewish Day School
2008 Jordan Marcus, Schechter NJ (now Golda Och)
2007 Solomon Schoonover, Hillel Miami

Past Coaches of the Year

2024 Ed Gelb, Maimonides
2023 Shalom Babayev, North Shore H.A.
2022 Lior Schwartzberg, Valley Torah
2020/2021 David Zimmerman, Yavneh Dallas
2019 Evan Pickman, Heschel
2018 Ryan Coleman, Shalhevet
2017 Mike Whiting, Milken
2016 Avrum Stein, DRS
2015 Joe Schwartz, Frisch
2014 Dwight Hollins, Fuchs Mizrachi
2013 Marty Dello, Chicagoland Jewish (Rochelle Zell)
2012 Richard Lewis, Cooper Memphis
2011 Rafi Halpert, SAR
2010 Patrick Roberts, Tarbut vTorah
2009 Elliot Steinmetz, HANC
2008 Howard Braun, Ida Crown
2007 Howard Braun, Ida Crown

Sarachek Generations: Aaron and Nathan Neufeld

Aaron Neufeld played in the Sarachek Tournament for Hebrew Academy of Miami in 1999 and 2000. His son, Nathan, was a junior for Frisch this year and hit one of the biggest shots in tournament history, a 3-pointer at the buzzer to beat Yeshiva League champion DRS in the opening round.

Playing in the Sarachek tournament was one of the highlights of my high school basketball career. The energy, the competition, and the sense of community made it an unforgettable experience. I still remember stepping onto that court at Yeshiva University, representing Hebrew Academy from Miami on the biggest Yeshiva League stage, and embracing the challenge of going up against the best Jewish teams from across the country. With only one other Jewish school in our league back then, Sarachek was more than just a tournament, it was a celebration of pride, unity, and moments we’d never forget. It’s impressive to see how much the tournament has evolved, and yet still holds the same passion and significance. 

I was fortunate enough to play in the tournament twice. In 1999, we were happy just to be here, we dropped our opening game, but quickly regrouped and won the Tier 3 Championship. In 2000, we returned with a sharper focus and made a strong run before falling to the eventual champions, YULA, in the semifinals.

25 years later, sitting court-side, and watching my son, Nathan Neufeld, play for Frisch in the same tournament felt surreal. Seeing him hit the game-winning shot at the buzzer against DRS, was euphoric. It was a moment that our family will forever embrace. It proved to everyone that hard work and determination goes a long way. As a father, there’s no greater joy than watching your child succeed and experience something that meant so much to you at their age. I’m beyond proud of him, not just for his unforgettable shot, but for the way he carries himself on and off the court. 

Nathan and the Frisch Cougars will be back next year, hungry for that Tier 1 Championship.

Sarachek Generations: Amnon and Shlomo Wenger

Amnon Wenger played for JEC in the 1995 Sarachek Tournament. His son, Shlomo, was a junior for Sarachek champs TABC in this year’s tournament.

My biggest memory from the tournament was actually not the championship game against MTA but rather our game against HAFTR. They had been our biggest rival all season beating us in the preseason, the regular season, and twice in the HAFTR tournament (including in the championship when our last second three was ruled a 2 because our shooter’s foot was on the line). We faced them in the Yeshiva League semi-finals and blew them out, but that game we all viewed as having an asterisk because their star point guard had a heart flutter in the locker room before the game and had to be rushed to the hospital. Luckily their point guard was ok and cleared to play in Sarachek and both teams viewed that rematch as the true playoff game to decide which team was really the best. We handily beat them again before getting upset in the finals against MTA- a team we had defeated multiple times that year- but it was that rematch against HAFTR that forever stands out in my mind. 

Having the chance to watch my son play in the tournament, 30 years after I did, will be surreal and I hope he has the opportunity to similarly build memories to last a lifetime. 

National Top 25

Jewish Hoops America
Final National Top 25
April 2, 2025
Games through March 31, 2025

1.TABC/Teaneck,NJ (10)… ….………..…….…………23-5….……….274...…………5
2.YULA/Los Angeles,CA (1)………………………….27-14…….……265..…………..1
3.DRS/Woodmere,NY……………………………………31-5..………….244…………….3
4.Shalhevet/Los Angeles,CA………………………22-15………….234…………….2
TieMagen David/Brooklyn,NY….…..………..…..24-11….……….234…...……….9
6.Milken/Los Angeles,CA……………………………..12-8…………..222…………….4
7.Berman H.A./Rockville,MD………………………..33-10………….219.……..…….6
8.SAR/Bronx,NY………………………………………………23-9……..……182…………….7
9.Posnack Jewish Day/Davie,FL………………….17-10…….…….180……………9
10.Hillel/Ocean,NJ…………………………………………..21-13……….…159……………11
TieNorth Shore H.A./Great Neck,NY……………21-16…………159……………13
12.Frisch/Paramus,NJ …………………….…….…………12-11.…………154…………...19
13.Ida Crown/Chicago,IL…………………….….……..…20-7…….……143……………8
14.Hebrew Academy/Montreal,QB………………..18-6……………134……………12
15.Rochelle Zell/Deerfield,IL………………….…..……14-12….………117……..……..15
16.Ramaz/New York,NY………………………………..…..14-11…………..114……………17
17.MTA/New York,NY…………………………………………21-8…………..104…………..16
18.Fasman Yeshiva/Skokie,IL……………………….….17-10………….79…………….14
19.Jewish Culture HS/Ft. Lauderdale,FL…………26-11…………76…………….18
20.Toras Chaim/North Miami Beach,FL…………..14-2………….50……………21
21.Donna Klein Jewish Acad./Boca Raton,FL…11-9………….40…………….19
22.Tanenbaum CHAT/Toronto,ON………………….30-6…………37…………….23
23.Katz YHS/Boca Raton,FL……………………………...17-16…………33…………..22
24.Tarbut vTorah/Irvine,CA…………………………….….16-4…………..19……………25
TieAkiba Yavneh/Dallas,TX……………………………….22-10…………19…………..25
TieFlatbush/Brooklyn,NY……………………………………13-14………….19…………….-

Others Receiving Votes: Leffell, 18; Gann, 10; Jewish Day School, 4; Yeshiva Greater Washington, 1.