North Shore Lions Roar in Miami

On Wednesday, March 6th, the Girls Varsity Basketball team left bright and early to go to Miami for the Hyman Galbut Tournament! The Hyman Galbut Tournament is a huge Jewish Girls basketball competition where several teams from all over the country battle against each other in a major basketball brawl. Besides North Shore, some of the other teams that played were SKA, HAFTR, and Ramaz. At the start of the tournament, North Shore didn’t win the first game; they were only 4 points behind a tie. However, as the competition progressed, that all changed for the better: North Shore was able to pull through and bring in win after win, defeating teams like Fuchs Mizrachi (score: 55-41) and Ramaz (score: 58-33). Seeing how well North Shore did is especially inspiring since all of the players on the team are either Juniors or younger, unlike the other teams who competed, who had seniors on their teams. When talking to the captain, Shirel Kashimallak (Junior), she said that the team has “really evolved” since the beginning of the year. She stated that at the beginning of the year in a tournament in Los Angeles in November, North Shore lost in a tough game against Ramaz. But with dedication and teamwork, North Shore was able to end up victorious in Miami, beating Ramaz in this tournament by over 20 points! Kashimallak said it was “a great ending to our season” and I certainly agree. 

For the basketball team, this trip wasn’t just about basketball and winning games, it was also about the memories. In Miami, the girls got to go shopping, hang out at the beach, and, most importantly, bond with each other and meet new people. One of the most memorable nights was when the girls from the North Shore team spent Shabbat with girls from the other teams and got to know and connect with new people. Junior Michaela Kovan said the trip was the “experience of a lifetime, one that I will remember my entire life. We made memories, played competitive basketball, and formed amazing friendships.” And Shirel Kashimallak said her favorite part was the “environment of getting to meet new people who all shared a love of and talent for basketball.” 

Amazing job by our Girls Basketball team! We are so proud of you all and we’re excited to see you guys play next season. Looking forward to many more victories!