32 | APRIL 16 • 2020
sports HIGHlights
NMLS#2289
brought to you in partnership with
BY STEVE STEIN
quick hits
This was the 59th season for the
Brotherhood-Eddie Jacobson
B’
nai B’
rith bowling league. It
was the 45th season for the B’
nai
B’
rith basketball league.
Each league experienced a
first last month when its season
ended earlier than planned. Blame
the COVID-19 public health scare
and resulting social-distancing
measures.
The last weekly Brotherhood-Eddie Jacobson bowling night was March
9. Five weeks of regular-season competition and three weeks of playoffs
at 300 Bowl in Waterford remained for the 18 teams.
The four B’
nai B’
rith basketball teams had one week of regular-season
play and one week of playoffs to go at the Jewish Community Center of
Metropolitan Detroit in West Bloomfield. The teams last played March 8.
Starting dates for the weekly B’
nai B’
rith golf league at the Links
of Novi and the weekly Inter-Congregational Men’
s Club Summer
Softball League at diamonds in West Bloomfield are up in the air.
Each league is scheduled to begin competition in May.
Over and Out ...
FJA Seniors Lament
Loss of Final Season
Spring sports shut down because of
COVID-19 pandemic.
STEVE STEIN CONTRIBUTING WRITER
E
lisha Cooper really
wanted to play soccer
this spring for Frankel
Jewish Academy.
The spread of COVID-19,
which has caused a public
health crisis around the world
and the cancellation of high
school spring sports in the
state by the Michigan High
School Athletic Association,
closed the curtain on that
chapter of Cooper’
s life.
This was going to be
Cooper’
s fourth year as a
starting defender on the FJA
girls soccer team.
“That was the plan,” the
senior said.
After missing about half
of the FJA girls basketball
season this winter because
of a concussion, Cooper was
cleared to play the final few
basketball games and in the
soccer season.
JOSH BIRNBERG
GREY FAMILY
BLACKMAN FAMILY
COOPER FAMILY
CLOCKWISE, FROM TOP LEFT: Mitch Blackman, Elisha Cooper, Josh
Birnberg, Eli Grey.
Success wasn’
t measured on the
scoreboard this season for the Frankel
Jewish Academy boys basketball team.
First-year coach Nehemiah
Crowder said he wanted to change the
team’
s culture, and he felt he did that
even though FJA finished 6-14.
The culture change was giving
everyone on the team a chance to play,
Crowder said, so the Jaguars won’
t find
themselves again in the predicament
they were in going into this season.
Only one player — Ethan Maustyn
— entered this season with substantial
varsity basketball experience.
“A lot of our guys went straight into
the fire. Our learning curve was steep,”
Crowder said. “All our guys gave it all
they had, even those who never envi-
sioned themselves playing at the varsity
level.”
Crowder said freshman point guard
Merrick Michaelson was a bright
spot.
“Merrick wants to get better and
learn the game. He soaks up coaching
like a sponge,” Crowder said.
Two players who were struggling
academically got themselves back on
track in the classroom and were able to
play in part of the season.
They also were success stories,
Crowder said.
“Playing basketball gave them some-
thing to work for,” he said. “They knew
if they met our standards, we’
d have
their back.”
Crowder also praised his players’
parents, “who always put their kids
first.”
Maustyn (11.6 points per game) and
Michaelson (8.1 points per game) were
the Jaguars’
leading scorers.
FRANKEL JEWISH ACADEMY
FJA boys
basketball team