The Yeshiva University Maccabees had, until recently, the longest winning streak in men’s college basketball. There have been many newspaper articles dedicated to them, and they’ve been blowing up on social media. However, like all things, their streak came to an end. They lost to Illinois Wesleyan University, or the Titans. The Titans’ defense easily stopped the Macs’ offense, and after an intense and slightly violent game, not to mention the players all kept falling on the floor, the Titans won 73-59. (However, the Macs player who scored mid-fall deserves some appreciation here). The Macs hardly scored any of their long shots, while the Titans scored most. I personally think the Macs were just off their game, but this isn’t the opinion section.
Before this devastating game, however, the YU Maccabees were on fire. (Someone get the fire extinguisher). They didn’t lose a single game, and had a 50 winning game streak. Let’s all be grateful that this is being written instead of said, because there would have been the whole, “Wait, fifty or fifteen?” “Fifty.” “Fifteen?” “Fifty. Five-zero.” The little things in life. They were the top-ranked Division 3 team in the country, and were basically unstoppable.
Ryan Turell, the star player on the Macs, says he wants to be the first Orthodox Jew in the NBA.
“I want to show kids like me it could be done,” he said in an interview with ESPN. “I want to be a Jewish sports hero.”
Generally, even today, the idea of Jewish athletes is unusual, almost comical. However, that would bring more attention to amazing Jewish athletes. It’s like how only 1 in 5 orange tabby cats are female. That just makes the female orange tabbies cooler, unless you hate cats. Then you’d probably run away at the sight of it. Or give it a very dirty look. Or just ignore it.
….Yeah, maybe not the best example. Moving on.
Before someone might have watched the Macs, they might have laughed at the very idea of an Orthodox Jew in the NBA. Once they watch the games, however, they’d probably believe it. Turell scores, on average, a very specific 29.8 shots. The week of 12/14/21, he was named Player of the Week by national and local outlets.
Even in the face of losing, you know, one game, many fans still believe in the YU Macs, and so do I, but, again, this isn’t the opinion section. We’ll see in the next games!
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