East too good for cross-town rivals

EASTERN Suburbs players proved too good for their North Shore rivals, winning the inaugural Maccabi NSW Basketball cross-city challenge on Sunday.

The teams from the East won all three matches at the Alexandria Basketball Stadium to claim the first America’s Cup challenge, named after Maccabi NSW Basketball Club president Michael America.

In the first match of the day, Betty Velevski and Jessica Buhne took charge for the Northside open women’s team, before Jamie Cohen and Ksenia Khersontseva, who top-scored with 30 points, gave the East the edge, leading their side to a
63-57 win.

In the second match of the day, the number-two men’s teams from both sides of the harbour faced off in a hard-fought match.
Brothers Zac and Josh Ehrenfeld led the team from the Eastern Suburbs with some crucial three-pointers in the first half, helping their team to a 43-25 victory.

The main match of the day was a one-sided affair as the Eastern Suburbs team, which plays in the City of Sydney Basketball Association Premier League, easily defeated its counterparts from the North Shore 84-48.

Simon Platt, Barry Dubovsky and Shaun Greenblo were all on fire for the Eastern Suburbs with the ball, but it was their defensive efforts that  helped secure the win.

Josh Cohen and Rob Hart also played very well, as did North Shore players Adam Hyman and Dave Robuck.

Northside president Yoel Hyman and star player Brad Rogers were strong in defence, but they couldn¹t close the gap.

But the day wasn’t just about winning basketball games.

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The Northside Maccabi Basketball Club hopes to use the day to jump-start a new drive to find new junior members.

“We had some great competition between the North and the East and there was great enthusiasm,” America said. “This is just about playing basketball and having a lot of fun, so next time we would like to include juniors as well.”

He said the lopsided results would correct themselves in years to come.

“I think the East dominated through experience and numbers, but in the next few years we might see the cup going north.”

JOSHUA LEVI