Court
Action

Akiva hosts
first annual
invitational
basketball
tournament.

Jamie Rashty
Teen2Teen Staff Writer

T

he first Annual
Detroit Yeshiva
Basketball
Invitational Tournament and
Shabbaton was hosted Jan. 5
by Akiva Hebrew Day School
in Southfield. More than 150
athletes from cities all over
the Midwest participated.
Competing basketball
teams from Fuchs Mizrachi
Top: On-court action during the Akiva-sponsored
High School of Cleveland,
basketball tournament.
Hillel Academy of Pittsburgh
Bottom: Akiva students senior liana Goldmeier,
and Columbus Torah
junior Elana Greenbaum, seniors Madison Spalter
Academy of Columbus
and Elizabeth Kirshner, and junior Jamie Rashty.
arrived in Detroit enthusi-
astic and eager to begin the
competition. The energy and
excitement was palpable as the Tenth
phies were awarded for teams to take
of Tevet fast came to an end and the
back to their home cities.
tournament began.
The Mizrachi Mayhem from
The tournament and weekend were
Cleveland took the first-place trophy
planned and run entirely by Akiva stu- after being undefeated throughout the
dents with the help of Akiva parents,
entire tournament. The Akiva Pioneers
Ariella Nadel and Jill Greenbaum.
held their second-place trophy high
Over Shabbat, the program-
after a strenuous effort in the champi-
ming took place at Young Israel of
onship game.
Southfield, where the meals were
"All the hard work definitely paid off
hosted and the participants had the
once the tournament began:' says Yoni
privilege of hearing from different
Nadel, a junior at Akiva, co-captain
speakers throughout the course of the
of the Akiva basketball team and the
weekend.
main coordinator of the tournament.
In an inspirational address, "How to "I can honestly say I had one of the
Make That Foul Shot," Rabbi Elimelech best weekends of my life."
Goldberg spoke about his foundation,
With new friendships created, life-
Kids Kicking Cancer, an incredible
long memories made and new experi-
organization helping thousands of
ences, the tournament was far more
children take on the pain of cancer
than a simple game of basketball. "I
treatment through the techniques of
had the best time at the tournament.
breath control used in the martial arts. Not only did I get to play basketball,
These same techniques can be used to but I got to do it with my friends
hit that foul shot.
from all over:' says David Brystowski,
After a day filled with fun, laughter
a junior at Akiva and co-captain of
and lifelong memories, the tourna-
the Akiva basketball
ment games continued Saturday night
team. ❑
at Akiva. All of the games throughout
the tournament were live-streamed
online for families and friends of
Jamie Rashty of West
the players to watch. On Sunday, the
Bloomfield Is a Junior
championship game took place; the
at Akiva Hebrew Day
tournament came to an end with an
School In Southfield.
award ceremony during which tro-

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February 16 • 2012

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