Sarachek Panel Roundup
- Marvin Azrak
- 4 hours ago
- 6 min read
Final standings:
Marvin Azrak: 24-6 (Champion)
Zachary Sicklick: 23-7
Yosef Silver: 22-8
Ari Schopf: 20-10
Oren Glickman; 14-11
Akiva Poppers: 9-4
Combined Record: 112-46 (.709)
Quotes from our panelists:
AP: I was the only panelist in last year’s wrapup to pick DRS to win Sarachek 2026. Also shoutout to TABC on becoming the first team to ever prove me wrong in picking against them three games in a row.
YS: Unfortunately I couldn’t complete the chazaka, but I’ll take going back-to-back in my first two years. Congrats to Marvin on his first Panel Picks trophy. Well earned with all he does for MacsLive.
AS: The amount of basketball I watched this weekend between the NCAA Tournament and Sarachek was terrifyingly high.
Would I do it again? Maybe, I don’t know.
I have a big headache now. I probably should have taken a few breaks and gone on a walk or something.
MA: I AM PANEL A PICK CHAMP! My redemption is complete! SWEET VICTORY! I have reached the top of the mountain after falling short last year. Hats off to Zachary Sicklick on a remarkable rookie run, and Silver on his back-back ledger. It’s always fun with OG, Schopf and Poppers around to challenge me. This year was mostly a bunch of chalk, but I was perfectly fine swimming in it.
ZS: First year on the Panel, and I am happy to secure a third-place finish. Hopefully, next year I will creep into first.
I will now be able to go to sleep at a normal hour, not having to think about high school basketball.
However, I am going to wake up the rest of the week wondering what to watch with no more high school basketball.
OG: Not my greatest year. But at least Poppers was wrong on all the TABC games.
Coach of the Tournament:
AP: Max Zakheim took on head coaching duties for the 5th Place game and led Ramaz to victory. Then he came back to YU and called two championship games for MacsLive. Legendary stuff.
YS: There are really many candidates for this award. I want to shoutout Coach MoCo at DRS and Coach Zac Katz of Fuchs that were definitely in consideration here but I’m going to give it to Zach Tuchman of Frisch. Frisch arguably had the toughest road of anyone in the tournament, and had many moments where they were down but quick motivation and adjustments from Zach empowered his guys to pull through. As the tournament progressed, Frisch’s defense tightened up and they found a good balance of getting Stepner the ball without depending on him to take over the game. Congrats Zach!
I also want to shoutout the MacsLive representation on the benches in this tournament, Avery Stepner of TABC, and Akiva Poppers and now Max Zakheim of Ramaz. Also huge shoutout to Coach Robert Hoenig who is a mentor to many coaches and a huge part of TABC’s success over the past many years.
AS: Akiva Poppers is emerging as one of the best coaches in the Jewish basketball world. His knowledge and dedication to the sport and his players is inspiring.
Zach Tuchman of Frisch is my pick.
MA: Moshe Cohen hands-down for completing the double-double this year winning capturing the Yeshiva League and Sarachek titles. DRS are the best Jewish High School Basketball squad around.
ZS: So many great candidates here. Akiva Poppers, Max Zakheim, Jarred Axon, Avery Stepner, Zac Katz and Ray Mills. I think I need to give it to Zach Tuchman. They have a star-studded team, but being a first-year head coach isn’t easy. Being able to stay composed throughout their 4 games and create opportunities for his team to execute was a delight to see.
OG: Want to give a shoutout to Avery Stepner, but it’s gotta be MoCo hands down for what he’s executed throughout the year.
Best Moment:
AP: Isaac Stepner’s block and subsequent three in the championship game.
YS: That sequence from Isaac Stepner was absolutely electric. Even Jonny Dan needed “a three from PAAAZ” to complete the sequence, but Isaac did it all on his own. Despite the loss, it’s a moment that will be remembered in Sarachek lore for years.
AS: A block made by a Frisch player named Isaac Stepner which was subsequently followed by a three-pointer from the same player. This occurred in the Tier 1 championship game.
MA: The Stepner sequence will go down in Sarachek history. It’s why I’m giving my best moment to MVP Elisha Tsaidi’s 15 consecutive points in the third quarter for DRS in the Tier I cementing his own status as a tournament legend.
ZS: The Stepner moment was unbelievable but I think this has to go to Elisha Tsaidi’s third quarter performance, when he scored 15 straight for DRS and Frisch managed only 7. It gave DRS the lead they needed to win.
OG: A losing effort but the Stepner block and then three on the other end was an unbelievable moment.
Biggest Surprise:
AP: Me showing up in pants on Friday. We lost though, so I won’t be making that mistake again.
YS: In a year where there weren't so many surprises (maybe that’s what’s most surprising), I’ll go with HANC. The entire panel picked against them in the play-in game, and they beat JEC and almost beat Montreal en route to a Tier III Championship. Off the court, while Poppers in pants was by no means expected, I’m going to go with our Executive Producer Dovid Samson getting in the booth and calling the Fuchs-Berman game.
AS: Poppers showing up in pants on Friday. I’ve already told him he better not make that mistake again.
MA: We were all wearing eggs on our face after HANC beat JEC in the play-in game on Day 1, en route to a Tier three title.
ZS: It seems Poppers in pants is getting a lot of national attention at this point, but I have to agree. Akiva Poppers is the shorts king.
OG: TABC not having a pit in the Tier 2 semis.
Best Jerseys:
AP: Ramaz’s yellows with the blue gradient are fire.
YS: Those yellow Ramaz ones were awesome.
AS: Berman, great jerseys for a great institution.
MA: Ramaz’s Yellow jerseys
ZS: Ramaz “city-edition” yellows.
OG: I liked the Ramaz jerseys.
Team you are most looking forward to seeing next year:
AP: Frisch with a core of Stepner, Munoz, Gervis, and Suss should be pretty fun to watch.
YS: Gotta be Frisch here. Isaac Stepner will have one more year experience and a solid surrounding cast. Also interested in seeing how Magen David’s dominant JV team will play as they move up to varsity.
AS: I’m very excited to see TABC. They have a talented group of sophomores looking to make the jump to varsity next year. I expect them to be in contention for a Tier 1 title.
MA: Honorable mention to Magen David who just had the greatest JV season of all-time and are poised to make a Sarachek return with their electric play next year. Yet, the senior version of Isaac Stepner and the Frisch Cougars because of how close they were to tasting victory on Monday. The loss will stay with them all Summer.
ZS: Katz. They had a decent tournament this year, and I can’t wait to see a senior Ovaknin.
OG: YULA. After having an off year, they’re expected to contend again. Let’s see if it’s for real.
Sarachek 2027 Championship Prediction:
AP: Ramaz over whichever other team makes the championship game.
YS: Gonna have to switch it up from last year and say MAY over Darchei. Darchei has a really nice group of juniors and some additional pieces coming in from the JV level, but Coach Zev Teitelbaum will lead the Eagles to their first ever Sarachek Championship.
IF those teams aren’t in the tournament, I would have to go with Frisch over Ramaz as we go three years in a row with an all Yeshiva League final.
AS: Ramaz over TABC
MA: Frisch gets the job done over Ramaz. The Rams were 5th here and have a plethora of players returning next year. They’ll make a deep run meaning you’ll probably not see Poppers on our panel.
ZS: Frisch over an LA team. As Poppers put it last year “It’s a pretty safe bet we won’t go two years in a row with no LA teams making the championship game,” so I will say the same, but for a third year.
OG: Frisch enjoys when I pick against them soooooooo TABC over Ramaz to annoy Poppers.
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