NEW YORK (JTA) — Eitan Chemerinski of the Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School in Rockville, Md., was named the 2008-09 National Player of the Year by a Jewish basketball service.
Chemerinski, a 6-foot-9 senior forward, averaged 17.8 points, 9.5 rebounds and 5.5 blocks per game for the Lions to earn the honor from Jewish Hoops America. The Cornell-bound standout led the Smith Day School to a 22-1 record and the No. 2 team ranking. He also was Player of the Year in the Potomac Valley Athletic Conference.
Elliot Steinmetz, who guided the Hebrew Academy of Nassau County of Uniondale, N.Y., to the No. 1 national ranking and the school’s first championship in the Metropolitan Yeshiva High School Basketball League, was named Coach of the Year.
Joining Chemerinski on the first team are seniors Yoni Eckmann of Stern Hebrew High of Philadelphia and Max Wein of Solomon Schechter-Westchester in Hartsdale, N.Y., and juniors Benjy Ritholtz of HANC and Max Feldstein of Ramaz in New York City. Feldstein is a repeater from last year. Chemerinski moved up from the third team.
It was the third year that Jewish Hoops America honored outstanding players and coaches. The service tracks more than 70 Jewish high school teams in the United States and Canada.
