The Heschel varsity basketball team is ready to build on its success in the 2023 season, when it made the playoffs for the first time since 2019.

Under the leadership of then-rookie head coach Ethan Nardone, last year’s team outperformed its pre-season expectations on its way to a nine-win season and a trip to the playoffs. Players on last year’s team effusively praised their new head coach and gave him most of the credit for the team’s improvement.

The team will look a lot different this year, however, as last year’s seniors, most notably Hunter Bernhardt and Imri Rom, have graduated. The team remains confident that it will maintain its success with faces new and old. 

Senior and team veteran Shoham Zuker said, “The team is full of passionate players because we know that the Yeshiva League championship is up for grabs this year, and we want to be the team that takes it home.”

The first practices of the season have instilled similar confidence even among players who were not on the team last year. Senior and Heschel basketball rookie Samson Furst said, “We know that we have the talent to compete with anybody this year. For us, it is really about playing our brand of team basketball in order to succeed.”

As the season approaches, the team is confident and prepared to begin its race to bring the Yeshiva League championship trophy back to the hallways of the Heschel School.