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