Interview: Former Blue Ron Garber

By Jeremy Fine
Published on April 8, 2013

Alleged flag ban in Hungary-Israel basketball match causes uproar

Published on February 26, 2013

A Hungarian basketball team has apologized for “misunderstandings” around the alleged banning of the Hungarian flag during a match against Israeli players.

Israeli basketball player suspended for calling rival ‘Nazi’

Published on December 4, 2012

Guy Pnini of the Maccabi Tel Aviv basketball team was suspended indefinitely and stripped of his captaincy after calling an opposing player a "Nazi."

Stern stepping down as NBA chief in ‘14, Silver tapped as successor

Published on October 25, 2012

David Stern, the commissioner of the National Basketball Association, said he will be retiring in 2014 after 30 years in the position.

Obama, Romney and the Lakers

By David Suissa
Published on October 10, 2012

One of the reasons I love sports is that I can indulge my primal instinct for combat without feeling any guilt. I’m a huge Lakers fan, and I can easily spend hours poring through analyses of how the team will clobber the competition this year with the addition of two fearless warriors.

Reports that Allen Iverson will play for Maccabi Haifa are false

Published on October 5, 2012

Reports that retired NBA star Allen Iverson will play for Israel's Maccabi Haifa basketball team in two upcoming exhibition games against NBA teams are false, a Maccabi representative told JTA.

Jewish glory, frustration mark London Games

Published on August 13, 2012

The London Olympics may have “lit up the world,” as organizing committee head Sebastian Coe put it, but for Jews the 2 1/2 weeks offered healthy doses of frustration and glory.

Russian basketball team, coached by Israeli-American David Blatt, reaches Olympic semis

Published on August 8, 2012

The Russian Olympic men's basketball team, coached by Israeli-American David Blatt, has advanced to the semifinals.

The NBA’s next Israeli player? [VIDEO]

Published on July 2, 2012

National Basketball Association teams, fans and analysts seem to be in a constant search for the “next Michael Jordan,” looking for a player to duplicate the feats of the six-time champion and five-time Most Valuable Player many consider the best ever in his sport.

Brad Greenberg to coach Israel’s Maccabi Haifa

Published on June 4, 2012

Brad Greenberg, the former general manager of the NBA's Philadelphia 76ers, has signed on to coach the Maccabi Haifa basketball team.

Ex-Syracuse assistant coach accused of sexual abuse hired by Israeli squad

Published on April 26, 2012

Longtime Syracuse University assistant coach Bernie Fine, who was fired in November amid allegations of sexual molestation, was hired as a consultant for an Israeli pro basketball team.

Seth Greenberg, Maccabiah basketball coach, is out at Va. Tech

Published on April 24, 2012

Seth Greenberg, who will coach the U.S. men's basketball team at the 2013 Maccabiah Games, was fired by Virginia Tech.

Virginia Tech’s Greenberg tapped to coach Maccabiah basketball team

Published on April 10, 2012

Virginia Tech coach Seth Greenberg was named the head coach of the U.S. Maccabiah Games men’s basketball team.

Following basketball controversy, press is on Texas school group to be more inclusive

Published on April 3, 2012

Comments by the head of a Texas school association at the center of a controversy over Sabbath accommodations is fueling a drive by its members to be more open to the needs of Jewish and Muslim schools.

TAPPS head: Beren Academy should never have been accepted to association

Published on April 2, 2012

The Beren Academy Orthodox Jewish day school should never have been accepted to the Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools, the association's director told a Texas newspaper.

The lessons of the Beren accommodation

Published on March 15, 2012

On the morning of Feb. 28, 2012, Alyza Lewin of the law firm Lewin & Lewin invited me to participate in a conference call to discuss a burgeoning controversy involving the basketball team of the Robert M. Beren Academy, an Orthodox Jewish School in Houston, Texas.

Holy hoops: The story of the Beren Academy basketball team

Published on March 9, 2012

For one week, the boys basketball team of the Robert M. Beren Academy in Houston, Texas, made nationwide headlines.

Calabasas Jews hoop it up

Published on March 8, 2012

While Jews all over the world gathered on March 7 to retell the story of Purim, the nine Jews on the Calabasas high school boys basketball team celebrated differently: by playing in their first California Interscholastic Federation State Tournament.

Orthodox school falls short in Texas tournament

Published on March 5, 2012

The Robert M. Beren Academy of Houston lost, 46-42, to Abilene Christian in the 2A private and parochial boys basketball state championship game.

Orthodox team advances to Texas state championship game

Published on March 2, 2012

After grabbing national headlines with its push for a pre-Shabbat starting time, the Robert M. Beren Academy of Houston registered a decisive 58-46 win over Dallas Covenant to secure a spot in the 2A private and parochial boys basketball state championship game.

Shabbat conflict sends Beren Academy hoops squad to the sidelines

Published on February 28, 2012

Chris Cole, the coach of the boys' basketball team at the Robert M. Beren Academy in Houston, says his squad is peaking coming off its 27-point victory in the state tournament quarterfinals.

Jewish school is denied request to change basketball tourney time

Published on February 27, 2012

An Orthodox high school in Texas was rejected in its request to have the state basketball semifinals rescheduled to avoid a conflict with the Jewish Sabbath.

City redistricting plan has potential to affect Asian-Americans

By Raphael J. Sonenshein
Published on February 22, 2012

I was too young to see Hank Greenberg play. That was my father’s generation. But growing up in New Jersey, I well remember the day when Sandy Koufax, playing for the Dodgers, announced his electrifying decision to sit out a 1965 World Series game on Yom Kippur. Koufax’s action was a great source of pride to a Jewish kid with a baseball glove perennially at hand and who had heard way too many jokes about the thin book of Jewish sports heroes.

Jeremy Lin giving God all the credit

By Brad A. Greenberg
Published on February 15, 2012

Jeremy Lin: Asian American Christian basketball star

By Brad A. Greenberg
Published on February 13, 2012

Interview: Eric Fishkin and the Staples Center

By Jeremy Fine
Published on February 12, 2012

Kosher hot dogs score in debut at Kansas U. hoops

Published on January 9, 2012

Spectators at a University of Kansas men's basketball game relished the chance to buy kosher hot dogs, selling out the stand in its debut.

Israel’s Mr. Basketball is also Mr. Goodwill

Published on December 26, 2011

Selected 12th overall in the 1965 National Basketball Association draft, Tal Brody passed on the American Dream so he could help change the landscape of Israeli sports—turning down the Baltimore Bullets for a spot on Maccabi Tel Aviv.

Kobe practices at the JCC

Published on November 29, 2011

Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant reportedly held a private training session at a Jewish Community Center in Irvine, Ca.

Syracuse puts coach Bernie Fine on leave over abuse probe

Published on November 18, 2011

A longtime assistant basketball coach at Syracuse University was put on administrative leave on Thursday after police reopened an investigation of alleged inappropriate behavior with a ball boy.

NBA Cavalier Omri Casspi a slam dunk for Israel

By Lauren Bottner
Published on November 15, 2011

Casspi signs with Maccabi Tel Aviv

Published on November 15, 2011

Omri Casspi of the NBA's Cleveland Cavaliers has signed with his former Israeli team, Maccabi Tel Aviv.

LeBron James gets slammed at Ohio Jewish Community Center

By Lauren Bottner
Published on November 14, 2011

NBA lockout prompts a new motive for aliyah: Basketball

Published on October 12, 2011

Call it circumstantial Zionism. There’s been a recent uptick in North American aliyah -- of basketball players.

Jewish school hires ex-NBA star Kenny Anderson to coach

Published on September 1, 2011

A Florida Jewish day school is hiring former NBA All-Star Kenny Anderson to coach its boys' basketball team.

Hoopster Jon Scheyer makes aliyah

Published on August 30, 2011

Former Duke University basketball standout Jon Scheyer arrived in Israel and immediately made aliyah.

Casspi says no to playing with former Israeli team

Published on August 23, 2011

The Sacramento Kings' Omri Casspi will not sign with his former Israeli basketball team during the NBA lockout after all.

Nets’ Jordan Farmar to play with Maccabi Tel Aviv

Published on August 4, 2011

Jordan Farmar of the New Jersey Nets has signed to play for Maccabi Tel Aviv.

Stoudemire on Twitter mulls taking skills to Tel Aviv

Published on July 10, 2011

Amar'e Stoudemire asked fans on Twitter if he should play in Israel during the NBA lockout.

Former Duke basketball star Jon Scheyer joins Maccabi Tel-Aviv

Published on June 22, 2011

Former Duke University standout, Jon Scheyer, has signed to play with Israeli powerhouse Maccabi Tel-Aviv. Scheyer, who led the Blue Devils to an NCAA title in 2010, played most recently for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers of the NBA Developmental League.

Ex-Duke guard Jon Scheyer signs with Maccabi Tel Aviv

Published on June 20, 2011

Former Duke University standout Jon Scheyer has signed to play with Israel's Maccabi Tel Aviv team. Scheyer, a guard who during his senior year helped lead the Blue Devils to the 2010 NCAA Championship, signed a two-year contract with Maccabi, which was the runner-up to the Euroleague champions this year and has won the Euroleague championship four times.

Skin-toned sleeves allow Shafir to play for Israel

Published on June 20, 2011

Israeli hoopster Naama Shafir competed in the European women's championship wearing skin-toned elastic sleeves. The compromise between the Israeli national team and FIBA Europe, the Munich-based organization that governs basketball in Europe, came after FIBA refused to allow Shafir to play in the EuroBasket tournament with a T-shirt under her jersey, for reasons of modesty, since FIBA regulations state that all players must wear the same uniform.

European basketball association will not make uniform exception for Orthodox player

Published on June 10, 2011

The organization that coordinates European basketball will not make an exception to its uniform policy for an Orthodox Jewish player on the Israeli national women's team. Naama Shafir, an Israeli point guard and a player on the University of Toledo's women's basketball team, normally wears a T-shirt under her jersey for modesty reasons.

Thoughts on basketball and Israel

Published on May 27, 2011

Early Sunday morning on Mothers Day, as my brother and I prepared breakfast for our mom, I also prepared myself for the special day ahead. In addition to celebrating my mom, my family would also gather in our den to watch Maccabi Tel Aviv play Greece’s Panathinaikos for the Euroleague’s Basketball Championship. Proudly wearing my Maccabi t-shirt, I thought how strange it felt that on the day we are watching Maccabi compete for the European basketball championship, that night, we would attend the Israeli Consulate’s Yom Hazikaron ceremony.

First Hillel hoops tourney tipping off at Maryland

Published on April 6, 2011

Men’s and women’s teams from 20 colleges will compete at the University of Maryland in the inaugural National Hillel Basketball Tournament. Twenty-five men’s teams and seven women’s squads will be participating in the tournament this weekend, with the women's final at 3:15 p.m. Sunday and the men's final 30 minutes later.

Euroleague basketball finals changed to accommodate Israeli team

Published on April 6, 2011

The start time of the Euroleague championship basketball game has been moved up by several hours to accommodate an Israeli team that does not want to play on its Memorial Day. On Wednesday, the Euroleague said the May 8 final of its Final Four tournament in Barcelona, Spain, would be played at 5:30 p.m. Israel time, so as not to interfere with Yom Hazikaron, the memorial day for fallen soldiers and victims of terror.

Israeli powers Toledo to landmark women’s hoop title

Published on April 5, 2011

Naama Shafir, a Sabbath-observing Israeli, scored a career-high 40 points to power the University of Toledo women's basketball team to the school's first national postseason championship in any sport. Shafir hit 13 of 27 shots as the host Rockets defeated the University of Southern California, 76-68, on April 2 for the Women's NIT title. The victory also marked the first national championship for a Mid-American Conference team in any sport. Shafir, a 5-7 junior guard from the small northern Israeli town of Hoshaya, also sank 13 of 18 free throws in the game.

Quitter-ville

By Julia Bendis
Published on March 28, 2011

Tennessee reportedly sends Bruce Pearl packing

Published on March 21, 2011

Bruce Pearl, who guided the University of Tennessee men's basketball team to unprecedented success and the U.S. men's squad to the Maccabiah Games gold medal, has been fired by the university, according to ESPN.com. Pearl, 51, was informed of his dismissal on Monday, sources said. The Knoxville school must reach a financial settlement with the coach and his assistants.

March Madness and the Evrit Eight

Published on March 17, 2011

The real March madness is thousands of Jewish high school seniors waiting to hear about college acceptance. And then what if they are accepted by more than one? How to decide? Since statistics show they favor certain schools, to aid their choices and soothe their jitters why not carve out a “J” Division to the 2011 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament from the 68 teams already playing in it?

Omri Casspi could rejoin Maccabi Tel Aviv

Published on March 17, 2011

Sacramento Kings forward Omri Casspi said he might rejoin his former Israeli pro basketball team if the NBA imposes a player lockout next season.

Valley Torah basketball wins 6AA title [UPDATE, video]

Published on March 8, 2011

First-quarter scores of 17-5 are usually in Valley Torah’s favor. Not so against Bishop Diego of Santa Barbara, which seemed poised to end the No. 1-seeded Wolfpack’s winning season. But, as the adage goes, “It’s not how you start, it’s how you finish.” The Wolfpack finished strong, becoming the first Orthodox Jewish school to win a California Interscholastic Federation championship after coming back from a 44-35 fourth-quarter deficit to take the Southern Section Division 6AA championship title, 58-51.

Aaron Liberman: Finding balance between faith, basketball [VIDEO]

Published on March 1, 2011

When Aaron Liberman said that, endless legs splayed out in front of him on a Sunday morning in late December, he didn’t know how true his words would be.

Ex-Knick Allan Houston scores with Israel Bonds

Published on February 17, 2011

Allan Houston, a former All-Star with the New York Knicks and now their assistant general manager, was awarded State of Israel Bond's 2011Martin Luther King Award. Ido Aharoni, acting consul general of Israel in New York, presented the award Wednesday on the court at Madison Square Garden before the Knicks played the Atlanta Hawks.

Ohio sports and my Marriage vows

By Julia Bendis
Published on January 6, 2011

Casspi billboard defaced for second time

Published on September 20, 2010

A billboard featuring Israeli-born NBA player Omri Casspi was defaced with a swastika for the second time.

NBA’s Dwight Howard to visit Israel

Published on August 23, 2010

NBA All-Star Dwight Howard will visit Israel to hold a basketball clinic for teens.

Knicks’ Stoudemire says he is practicing Jew

Published on August 23, 2010

Amare Stoudemire of the New York Knicks reportedly said he is a practicing Jew "spiritually and culturally."

Israeli Casspi Set for NBA Debut

Published on October 14, 2009

Although he hails from Yavne, in the center of Israel, Omri Casspi is going to have a lot of American basketball fans offering to treat him like family this season.

Tamir Goodman, ‘the Jewish Jordan,’ is retiring

Published on September 10, 2009

Tamir Goodman, the former high school phenom once known as the “Jewish Jordan,” will announce his retirement from pro basketball.