APRIL 18 • 2024 | 65
J
N

quick hits
BY STEVE STEIN 

Ron Silberstein is commissioner 
of the baseball competition at 
this summer’s JCC 
Maccabi Games in 
Detroit. He needs at 
least three assistant 
commissioners and 
scorekeepers to 
keep things running 
smoothly.
Sixteen baseball 
teams are expected to 
compete in two age 
divisions: 12-14 and 
15-16.
Games will be played July 29 
through Aug. 1 at West Bloomfield 
High School, Bloomfield Hills 
High School, North Hills Middle 
School in Bloomfield Hills and 
perhaps Founders Sports Park 
in Farmington Hills. Ideally, an 
assistant commissioner will be 
stationed at each site.
Assistant commissioners must 
be age 21 or older. Scorekeepers 
need to be age 18 and older. 
Silberstein said he’s looking for 
responsible scorekeepers who 
will interact well with players and 
coaches.
Like Silberstein, who is 

a volunteer, the assistant 
commissioner and scorekeeper 
positions are volunteer.
Interested in being an 
assistant commissioner 
or scorekeeper? Send 
an email to Silberstein 
at ronsilberstein1@gmail.
com. 
Volunteers for other 
positions and host 
families are still needed 
for the Maccabi Games, 
which will be held from 
July 28 through Aug. 
2. Go to maccabidetroit.com for 
information.
Silberstein has been involved 
in the Maccabi Games for many 
years, but this is the first time 
he’s a sports commissioner. 
He previously was a Detroit 
softball team coach for six years 
(2002-08) and the venue director 
at North Farmington High School 
and Drake Sports Park in West 
Bloomfield, and an assistant 
venue director at Birmingham 
Groves High School when Detroit 
previously hosted the Maccabi 
Games.

Another Academic Honor for Western 
Michigan Distance Runner 
Brooke Soper

Western Michigan University distance runner 
Brooke Soper keeps racking up Academic 
All-Mid-American Conference Team honors. 
The latest, announced April 1, was for women’s 
indoor track and field.
To qualify for the designation, a student- 
athlete must have a cumulative 3.20 grade-
point average and must have participated in at 
least 50% of the competitions for his or her sport.
Soper, a senior from Okemos, is majoring in digital media and jour-
nalism and has a 3.79 GPA.
This was the third time she was named to the Academic All-MAC 
Team for women’s indoor track and field. She also was named to the 
Academic All-MAC Team for women’s cross country three times. She’s 
a two-time Academic All-MAC Team selection in women’s outdoor track 
and field.
When she’s not running or studying, Soper is involved with Hillel at 
Western Michigan.

Step Up to the Plate and Help 
Out with the JCC Maccabi Games 
Baseball Competition

RON SILBERSTEIN

Ron Silberstein

WESTERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY

Brooke Soper

The Detroit Jewish Basketball 
League is back for its fifth season. 
After three successful summer 
seasons and another one this past 
fall, the weekly league is in its first 
spring season and is bigger than 
ever.
More than 80 players are on 
12 teams that compete each 
Wednesday at the Beech Woods 
Recreation Center and Tyndall 
Center in Southfield. League 
competition began in mid-March 
and with a one-week break for 
Passover will continue through 
May 29.
Teams were placed in two divi-
sions for the spring season based 
on the skill levels of players.
Daniel Shamayev, 23, is the 
league’s founder and commission-
er. He said he plans to step down 
as commissioner after the upcom-
ing summer season, and he’s look-
ing for someone to replace him.
Shamayev will graduate in 

May from Yeshiva University in 
New York City with a degree in 
accounting and he’ll be studying 
this summer to pass the certified 
public accounting exam so he can 
become a licensed CPA.
Once he becomes a CPA, he 
plans to live and work in the NYC 
area.
Shamayev said he intends to 
form the league’s summer season 
teams through a draft. It will be 
the league’s first draft. To register 
for the league’s summer season, 
go to comeplaydetroit.leaguelab.
com and click on “Find a league.”

Detroit Jewish Basketball League 
Springs into a New Season

DETROIT JEWISH BASKETBALL LEAGUE

While the Final Four in the NCAA basketball tournament was grabbing the 
national headlines, the Final Four in the Brotherhood-Eddie Jacobson B’nai 
B’rith Bowling League’s playoffs was making news at Country Lanes in 
Farmington Hills.
Mark It Zero and Hey Gary earned spots in the 24-team weekly league’s 
Final Four by winning first-round playoff matches April 1. Mark It Zero domi-
nated BBB 20-4 and set up an April 8 semifinal match against Uncle Miltie. 
Hey Gary slipped past the Manute Bolers 14.5 to 9.5 to make it into the 
semifinals against league defending champion 600 Club.
The league championship match was held April 15.
Two league tournaments involving individuals were held simultaneously 
with the playoffs. One was for most over average over the three-week 
stretch (April 1-15) and the other was a bracket tournament similar to the 
NCAA tournament.
So who were the big stars on the lanes April 1? League secretary Gary 
Klinger had the high game (289) and high series (289-258-225—772). Bo 
Essick had the high game 
over average (266, plus 91) 
and high series over average 
(690, plus 165). Avi Knopf 
was right behind Klinger 
for the night’s high series 
with 245-246-231—722, his 
first ever 700 series. Rick 
Sherline bowled a sea-
son-high 244 game and his 
244-156-210—610 series was 
his first 600 series of the 
season.

Playoffs, Tournaments Take Center Stage 
as Brotherhood-Eddie Jacobson Bowling 
Season Rolls to a Conclusion

Meet the Mark It Zero bowling team: 
From left are David Gerges, Josh Alpert, 
Aaron Zimberg and Aaron Scheinfeld.

GARY KLINGER

