Growing club celebrates 2022 achievements

AFTER a long three years of not being able to host an in-person annual awards event, an excellent turnout attended Maccabi NSW Basketball Club’s 2022 junior awards presentation on December 11 at Bondi Pavilion. President Brad Rosen said the club finished another great year with membership growing at a “fantastic rate”. “I’m pleased to report that as of today, we have over 400 members – this is a big increase from the 277 members from last year, and 150 in 2019.” In juniors, the club fielded 24 Sunday teams and six Saturday teams, and it had five teams in seniors, while an additional 102 members participate in training sessions only. The growth in girls basketball at the club has risen particularly rapidly since 2019, moving up from just 12 to 93.

Rosen said this is “testament to not only the great coaches we’ve managed to recruit and develop, but the volunteers that have put their hands up to help drive this club forward, including committee members and team managers”. “Our volunteers are key to helping us deliver a great service for all our members, and I’d like to thank them for that.” The former Sydney Kings point guard also reserved special thanks for Nikki Lloyd, “who makes herself available for the club, day or night”. No player in any team left the awards night empty-handed, and high achievers in each team received awards for Most Valuable Player (MVP), best defence, and most improved.

MVP award winners in each team were: (U8) Nuggets’ Bowie Berger, Wolves’ Oscar Shipper; (U10) Bucks’ Joel Green, Bulls’ Dov Schapiro, Hawks’ Asher Saidman, Jets’ Jonah Einfeld, Clippers’ Noah Weinstock, 76ers’ Ryan Miller, Pistons’ Aron Isserow; (U12) Bullets’ Jacob Saveskul, OKCs’ Joshua Greengarten, Nets’ Max Stern, Raptors’ Noah Saidman, Lakers’ Dean Danieli, Heat’s Zac Finkel, Sun’s Aiden Filler, Lynxes’ Aimee Danieli, Aces’ Ella Miller, Jazz’s Mila Perlman, Sky’s Lexi Max; (U14) Celtics’ Will Holland, Spurs’ Benjamin Goldberg, Thunder’s Bayley Kassel, Warriors’ Cooper Rosen, Sparks’ Romy Alster, Storm’s Mia Hill; (U16) Kings’ Matan Kadar, Rockets’ Hayden Rosen, Cavaliers’ Jacob Raphaely, Hornets’ Xander Keller. To top off a great day, among the East Basketball League’s term 4 grand final winners were the U10 Bucks, who won by 31-12, and the U10 Pistons, who won a thriller by 18-17.

Credit AJN