January 24 • 2019 29
jn
Hillel Students Join
Pistons on the Court
H
illel Day School students were
on the court for the national
anthem and played a scrim-
mage basketball game at halftime of
a Detroit Pistons game last month at
Little Caesars Arena.
It was the same day as a ticket deal
offered by the Pistons and the Michigan
Jewish Sports Foundation, with 10
percent of ticket sales donated to the
Michigan Jewish Sports Hall of Fame.
It also was “a total coincidence” that
Hillel and the foundation had promo-
tions on the same day, Dec. 9, accord-
ing to Hillel athletic director Nicole
Miller.
“We didn’
t know about the (founda-
tion’
s) ticket offer until we were at the
game,
” she said.
“The Pistons gave us three possible
dates in the fall to be involved in the
national anthem and play in the half-
time game, and we chose the Sunday
afternoon one because we
thought it would be best for
our students and their fam-
ilies. We’
re glad it worked
out that it was the same day
as the (foundation’
s) ticket
offer.
”
It was a great Sunday
afternoon for the Hillel
students even though the
Pistons lost 116-108 to the
New Orleans Pelicans in
front of a crowd of 14,705.
Twenty Hillel students
were on the Stars & Stripes
Squad. They stood on the
court with the Pistons and
Pelicans for the national
anthem and each received a T-shirt.
Fifteen members of Hillel basket-
ball teams played a six-minute run-
ning-time scrimmage game at halftime.
Hillel coaches Josh Cutler and Brad
Freitag were the coaches of the co-ed
halftime teams. The coaches’
most
important task was substituting players
in and out of the game — each team
had five players on the court at one
time — so everyone got as much play-
ing time as possible.
The Hillel players were introduced by
fabled Pistons public address announc-
er John Mason, who provided a run-
ning commentary during the game, and
the action was televised on the huge
overhead scoreboard.
Hillel eighth-grader Merrick
Michaelson created a memory he’
ll
never forget when he drained a 3-point-
er from just behind the arc that was
worthy of a replay on the scoreboard.
“I’
ve always wanted to
play on an NBA court and
make a three. It was excit-
ing,
” said the 13-year-old
Farmington Hills resident,
who gave credit to team-
mate Zach Elbinger for
making the pass that set up
his 3-pointer.
“I thought it was going in
when I shot it,
” Michaelson
said. “The ball hit the rim a
little, but it was a good shot.
That was my first shot of the
game. I missed my next two
shots. I was nervous playing
with all those people watch-
ing, but it was an amazing
experience.
”
Miller said there were about 75 peo-
ple including family members in the
Hillel entourage at the game. Being on
the Stars & Stripes Squad and playing
at halftime was part of a group ticket
package.
This was the first Hillel promotion
at a Pistons game at Little Caesars
Arena. The Farmington Hills school
was involved in a Jewish Heritage Night
event at the Palace of Auburn Hills
about five years ago, Miller said. ■
Send news to stevestein502004@yahoo.com.
sports
STEVE STEIN CONTRIBUTING WRITER
See a video of the
Hillel Day School
basketball teams’
halftime game at
thejewishnews.com.
Merrick Michaelson
Players on Hillel Day School basketball
teams hoop it up at halftime of a Detroit
Pistons game at Little Caesars Arena.
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