Yeshiva’s basketball dominates Penn State Harrisburg in 102-83 empty gym shootout to reach first DIII Sweet 16
By LUIS ANDRES HENAO Associated Press
BALTIMORE (AP) – First came the prayer ceremony at the end of the Sabbath with their families, then the celebration on the basketball court and the overwhelming joy of winning March Madness.
Yeshiva University beat Penn State Harrisburg 102-83 on Saturday to reach the Sweet 16 in the NCAA Division III tournament for the first time in Orthodox Jewish institution history.
The Maccabees, named after ancient Jewish rebel warriors, fought through thick and thin. They won their 29th consecutive game in a record-breaking season that began amid concerns over a global increase in anti-Semitism and has now been engulfed by the novel coronavirus.
The game took place in an empty gym at Johns Hopkins University due to concerns over the virus. The legion of loyal Macs fans chanting their names from the stands and often following them on the road has been replaced by the squeaking of sneakers and unwavering support from their bench players, some in Jewish caps, chanting “Defense!” Defense !”
During a timeout with less than three minutes to go and the score 94-72, some danced Kanye West’s “Stronger” which sounded through the gym’s speakers. At the final bell, the Macs kissed on the grounds of an empty 1,100-seat Goldfarb gymnasium and celebrated, pumping their fists and chanting in Hebrew: “When the month of Adar begins, the joy increases! “
“It means everything,” forward Gabriel Leifer said of winning and reaching the Sweet 16. He got his fourth triple-double of the season, scoring 10 points and leading all players with 20 rebounds. while distributing 10 assists. Leifer was voted Skyline Conference Outstanding Player the Macs recently won to advance to the NCAAs.
“From the start of the year, after losing in the conference final last year, we knew this was going to be a big year for us,” he said.
Their records this season include the best start in school history, longest winning streak and their first national ranking.
“It’s amazing, amazing,” said co-captain Daniel Katz. “I don’t know if we’ve ever thought about it. We’ve come an incredible distance as a team, and it’s surreal.”
Some of the Mac families who had traveled across the United States to support them watched the game from a hotel they had moved to after Yeshiva’s team canceled their first hotel reservation in suburban Baltimore due to coronavirus fears. A college student tested positive, leading to cancellation of classes.
“It’s special because a lot of families drove in on Friday. It was after everyone found out they weren’t allowed to go to the games,” Leifer said. “It shows their support from start to finish. That they can be there, that they can’t, they are always there for us.”
A day earlier, the Macs defeated the Worcester Polytechnic Institute in what was considered the first U.S. sporting event held without fans due to the novel coronavirus. After the game, the players rushed to their hotel before sunset at the Sabbath start time.
While waiting for their next match, some wore prayer shawls, shared a traditional dinner, and played card and board games with their families. They couldn’t check scout reports or watch the results of other games to find out who their next opponent would be. But now they know it: They’ve moved on, and this time they’ll face the nationally ranked No.3 Randolph-Macon College of Ashland, Virginia, in the Sweet 16.
“It’s going to be awesome,” Leifer said. “It’s an amazing experience, another game, and as we say, ‘We just survive events no matter how hard or difficult it is.'”