Have you enjoyed the week? Great—because it’s about to get even better.
If you want to understand what this week has been like on campus, let me take you to a moment from Marvelous Monday, the day after Sunday, March 2, in what YU President Rabbi Dr. Ari Berman called “The greatest day in Jewish sports history,” on social media.
YU’s roller hockey and basketball teams both won their conference championships—oh, and YU ice hockey added a victory later that night, just for good measure.
On Monday afternoon inside Heights Lounge, Effy Frendulich, the defensive bulldog whose game-sealing steal clinched the 81-78 Skyline Finals triumph over Farmingdale State, ran into hockey blueliner Gabe Rosenblatt, who had soccer-cleared away Rhode Island’s desperate push down 2-1, to lock up their title. The exchange went as follows:
Gabe: “Mazal tov.” Effy: Mazal tov back.”
Then, they went about their day. A couple of hours later, at dinner, there were even murmurs about the late-night ice hockey win. That was the kind of Monday it was. That’s been the kind of week it’s been. We all know what it’s been leading up to—Friday.
At 1:15 PM, when the Yeshiva Maccabees tips off against the Tufts Jumbos in Boston in the NCAA D3 Round of 64, they won’t just be playing another basketball game. They’ll be stepping onto the national stage in the lone tilt, with the entire D3 nation watching. It’s only the fifth NCAA Tournament game in YU’s 69-year history. They’re 2-2, and both wins came in the magical 2020 season, which was suspended due to the pandemic. These moments don’t come around often. So whether it’s one game, two games, or beyond—enjoy it while it lasts.
Win or lose, this is a moment to savor. Cheer your hearts out. If you’re in Boston, be loud, proud, and respectful. Represent Macs Nation with class.
The Skyline championed Macs enter Boston for the first round of the NCAA D3 tournament in a familiar position, road underdogs. (Photo Credit: YU Athletics)
If you’re looking for a reason to believe in an upset, I’ve got plenty. For me, first-round Friday has been three years in the making, and I’m happy there’s one more after this so I can be seniors with these guys.
My first year at YU was the same; this nucleus arrived as freshmen. I still remember having lunch with Zevi Samet in my first week on campus. I’ve been waiting—just like the rest of you—to see this group reach their potential. We saw that happen Sunday in the sweetest way possible, snapping a 1,187-day drought against the Rams—on their Farm, to win the Skyline title.
However, my love for writing about Macs' hoops started long before I stepped on campus. I vividly remember breaking down all 50 wins of the historic win streak for a local Jewish newspaper. The next night was the legendary Illinois Wesleyan game in December 2021, that drew a record 41,000 YouTube viewers on MacsLive.
Ironically, I came down with a stomach bug, and slept through the game. Later, I arose to messages from my neighborhood friends buzzing about the game. The next day, I was invited as a VIP for the upcoming matchup—only for it to be canceled due to another pandemic outbreak.
That same group of “casual” YU fans have been lighting up my phone all week and more have joined the party. No, this team doesn’t have the pure talent of the Ryan Turell-Gabe Leifer-Ofek Reef era. Still, they’ve captured hearts in a different way.
As coach Elliot Steinmetz recently said on the Q-Cast, “They’re small, but they’re scrappy. They’re fighters.” I’m a short guy myself, and people love to joke about sometimes. My response is always the same. “Big things come in small packages.” That’s why I believe our blue and white heroes can shock the world on Friday.
Yeshiva are heavy underdogs, but why should that stop us? We’ve already seen what can happen when you have emunah, bitachon and put forth hishtadlut.
There’s the massive comeback against Farmingdale, where Samet’s go-ahead swish created a “Where were you when” moment and elicited a championship road celebration not seen since 2018. “With that shot and our win, I felt Hashem patting me on the back, and giving me a kiss”, the Skyline MVP said on the Behind the Bima podcast.
We saw the dominant quarterfinal win over Purchase before a raucous Max Stern Athletic Center and the gutsy semifinal revenge victory against Sarah Lawrence. We’ve seen them battle D3 giants like NYU, Trinity, and now Tufts, a team as big as their moniker suggests. These boys have been humbled, and it’s made them stronger. They’ve learned from their mistakes. Max Zakheim said on Monday following the selection show, “We don’t care who we’re playing; we expect to win.”
However, they’re playing for more than just YU.
They’re playing for the Jewish people. In a time of pain—18 months after the horrors of October 7, with hostages still in captivity and the recent loss of the Bibas family, our boys will once again wear orange shirts in warmups. The Macs understand they’re fighting for something bigger. So, on Friday, the Jewish world will be watching. Wear your best blue and white. Whether toughening out at Tufts, or watching from home, soak it in. Win or lose, make the experience count. Make it loud. Make it meaningful. Make it inspiring. Most importantly—make a Kiddush Hashem, and remember, no matter what happens on Friday, don’t forget about the nachas YU brought you on Sunday.
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