SEPTEMBER 19 • 2024 | 35 AVA ASHMANN Now that the Maccabi Games age limit has been increased from 16 to 17, all of our kids want to run it back in 2025. ” The Detroit 16U basketball team won just two of the seven games it played at The J, Bloomfield Hills High School and West Bloomfield High School — it lost to Israel by 13 points in its opener at Bloomfield Hills — but there were extenuating circumstances. “By the fifth game, we were down two starters because of injuries. By the sixth game, we were down three starters because of injuries, ” Glenn said. “Jack Soble suffered a torn ACL. Hudson Rosner had a deep bone bruise on his foot, and he was recovering from ligament damage. Lance Kukes had a deep thigh contusion. “Without those injuries, we would have done better in the tournament. It was tragic. ” It sure was. Soble was Detroit’s best inside player. Rosner was the team’s best shooter. Kukes was the best defender and all-around player. He scored nearly 40 points in Detroit’s win over Los Angeles. Also on the team were Brady Klein, Riley Agrest, Noam Goel, Zach Kraft, Alex Siminovich, David Devaney and Jake Pitler. Injuries aside, it was a memorable week in late July-early August and the runup to the Maccabi Games for the Detroit 16U basketball team. “I think we gave the kids great practices if they’re aspiring to play varsity basketball at their school, ” Glenn said. “It was a pleasure to coach them. And I’m sure they had a wonderful Maccabi Games experience. You don’t realize how great the event is until you get into it. ” Send sports news to stevestein502004@ yahoo.com. Riley Agrest looks to pass to a teammate during Detroit’s game vs. Israel. Michigan Jewish Sports Hall of Fame Doors Open The lineup of honorees at the annual Michigan Jewish Sports Hall of Fame induction banquet has been announced by the Michigan Jewish Sports Foundation. The Hall of Fame Class of 2024 includes Nathan Edmunds, Nicole Meisner, Eric Weberman, Eric Fishman and Jake Friedman. The Pillars of Excellence award winners are Gary Gerson, Mort Plotnick, Steve Matz, Michael Fishman and Jim Berk. Aaron and Ryan Rose and Cami Katzen are the Jewish News High School Athletes of the Year. Blaine Cohen and Adam Nothstine are the Dr. Steve and Evelyn Rosen Stars of Tomorrow Scholarship recipients. Jalen Rose will receive the Alvin and Shirley Foon Inspiration Award. The banquet will be held Oct. 29 at The J in West Bloomfield. For ticket and sponsorship information, go to michiganjewishsports.org or contact Foundation Executive Director Don Rudick at (248) 390-5981 or zeedon1@gmail.com. Birmingham Groves High School senior football star Avery Gach has received a ton of media attention during his high school career, both for his play on the field and his college recruiting process among national powers, which eventually saw the 6-foot- 5, 290-pound offensive lineman commit to Michigan over near- ly 40 scholarship offers from schools like Alabama, Ohio State and Georgia. One of the latest stories written about Gach is on the Michigan High School Athletic Association website. The story, written by Keith Dunlap, details how the Groves football pro- gram has never seen and per- haps never will see a player like Gach again. “He’s a unicorn,” longtime Groves coach Brendan Flaherty says in the story. “I haven’t had anybody like him in 24 years. We’ve had Big Ten players before, but Avery obviously took it to another level being a national guy. It’s well-deserved, and he’s done a great job han- dling it.” Gach will graduate from Groves this winter so he can enroll at U-M early and practice with the football team. The Michigan Jewish Sports Foundation is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. After hosting another success- ful Hank Greenberg Golf and Tennis Invitational in June, the foundation’s Michigan Jewish Sports Hall of Fame banquet is just around the corner. It will be held Oct. 29 at The J in West Bloomfield. More than 50 people attend- ed an anniversary celebration for the foundation earlier this year, including Seymour Brode, the lone living foundation found- er. Brode received a plaque honoring him for his 40 years of supporting the foundation. His son Rick Brode and grandson Harrison Brode also represent- ed his family at the celebration. The other foundation found- ers were Alvin Foon, Billy Jacobs, Myron Milgrom, Mickey Fishman and Robert Sternberg. Each had family members at the celebration. Hall of Fame induct- ees and Pillars of Excellence award winners also were in attendance. The foundation has raised more than $1.5 million through the years for cancer research and treatment and support- ed many other initiatives and programs, including the JCC Maccabi Games that were held this summer in Detroit. Happy 40th Anniversary to the Michigan Jewish Sports Foundation Birmingham Groves Football Coach Calls Avery Gach One of a Kind SUBMITTED PHOTO SUBMITTED PHOTO Stuart Raider, president of the Michigan Jewish Sports Foundation, presents a plaque to Seymour Brode, a founder of the organization. Avery Gach and former University of Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh Riley Agrest looks to pass to a teammate during Detroit’s game vs. Israel.