Welcome to the second issue of volume eleven of Swish, a periodical with recaps and photos of Santa Monica YMCA youth basketball games, and other pertinent info such as announcements and updates from the program.
The Santa Monica Family YMCA wishes to thank all those that volunteered to be coaches and referees this past season. We can not thank you enough for your time and dedication to helping to develop this generation of youth.
We want to thank our partners, the Los Angeles Lakers Youth Foundation which provides jerseys, grants, and clinics to help develop our youth. We are ever grateful for their support of our program. Many thanks to the Los Angeles Lakers Youth Foundation: Kiesha Nix, Kiley Sensi, Richard Harris, and Jeanie Buss for helping us become the premier youth basketball program on the Westside.
We also wish to give many thanks to UCLA Health for donating the Junior Lakers jerseys that our players wear with great pride, and partnering with the Foundation in providing grants and support.
The theme of the team names for this past season was slang and terms that are often used in the sport of basketball.
If you wish to learn more about the Santa Monica Family YMCA and our programs, including our Summer youth basketball league, please visit our website https://ymcasm.org
SAT 6/17/23 WEEKEND #7
Bronze
Clutch vs Rebounders
The Clutch were short handed but gave it a go, as Sebastian Armijo scored a bucket, Theo Stele grabbed rebounds, and Jordan Martin played through illness to make the best out of it for his team. The Rebounders leading scorer was Baran Dahukey, Jaxon Silverstein led in assists, Pablo Gonzalez led in steals, Leo Yaghoubzadeh played for both teams to help create a game, and Jett Shung was Player of the Game as the rebound leader.
Blockers vs Treys
This match was a 4 vs 4 throughout, as many kids were on vacation or under the weather instead of the sun. The Blockers were led in scoring by Royal Luna who had 23 points, and Moss McFly Ton made a free throw, as teammates Renata Melo and Katarina Epstein got rebounds for the Blockers. The Treys had points from all 4 of their players, as Stanislau Zhizhenka, Howie Trussler, and Rome Ricks had baskets; and the Treys were led by Player of the Game, Lucas Alemayehu, who had 19 points including two “Treys” giving justification for his team name.
Dimes vs Slammers
The Dimes took a big lead on the strength of points from Liana Enayat, William Holt, Olivia Wu, and Beau Bigler. The Slammers got their scoring in the second half from Bodhi Petitti and Soren Verleun. The Slammers had rebound leaders of Aidan Schneider and Oscar Vidger, with steals from Indra Srivastava. The Dimes were able to hold off the Slammers thanks in part to the tenacious defense of Mai Ly Pariser.
Silver
Downtown vs Breakers
Downtown got out to an early lead on baskets from Eugene Edouarzin, Elijah Kinnard and Betayna Desta; however, the Breakers took a halftime lead on points from Rohan Peddi, Niam Pahwa, Henry Fyda, and Player of the Game James Boesiger. The second half was close as other players made the scoring column, as Redeat Gebeyehu, Andrey Sterlyagov and Ocean Yaghoubzadeh, and Chloe Scofield grabbing rebounds, but the Breakers were tough on defense as Keshav Srivastava and Itamar Yurman locked down on defense, and Rohan Peddi and James Boesiger added big points in the final minutes to hold onto victory.
Player of the Game, the Breakers James Boesiger, with teammate Rohan Peddi. Photo by Jeff Boesiger
Platinum
Press vs Schoolers
Close game throughout the entire match. The Press had the lead early, as Caden Feradouni hit a “3”, and teammates Keen Nikkel, Cam Pariser, and Jack Segal scored multiple points; however, the Schoolers countered and close the gap at halftime, and took an early lead in the second half, as Mensisa Alemayehu had three “3”s, Matthew Assefa and Noah Tsegaye gathered rebounds, and put them back in for points. The Press fought back and got the lead back on baskets by Amir Enayati and Raif-Henok Kendrick, but so did the Schoolers as Desi Parra and Cassius Taylor added points to take the lead back. The Press did what their name is, they instituted a full court press, and steals were created by Iwa Hashim and Player of the Game Jack Segal to take a narrow lead with seconds left. The Schoolers came up just short as the ball bounced off the rim in the final seconds, and the Press held on by the narrowest of margins to get their first victory of the season.
Cagers vs Rainmakers
Photo by Amir Etemadnia
The first half featured unusual suspects scoring for both teams. The Rainmakers had points from Isaac Lynn, Vihaan Nawathe, and Gabriel Chibane. The Cagers had points from Max Baracy, Nicholas Huether, and Matteo Tinti. As the second half started, the score remained close as the Rainmakers got Dagmawi Ayele into the scoring column, and steals from Dylan Kravitz and Kaleab Seyum, along with rebounds from Nicholas Rangel. The Cagers would end up pulling away as Parker Cappiccille and Matthew Scholze finally got their scoring going, along with shut down defense from Axel Trussler and Hunter Esposito-Doi to give the Cagers a commanding victory.
SUN 6/18/23
Copper
Jammers vs Ballers
It was a battle of first place teams. The Ballers had a small halftime lead on baskets from Olivia Wang, Oliver and Oscar Farrar. First half scoring for the Jammers came from Killian Gregoris and Jakob Sroka. The second half saw a tighter contest as teams traded baskets as the Jammers got steals from Sora Nomoto and Nor Lanich, and more points from Kilian Gregoris and Jakob Sroka. Just as the score was very close. The Ballers were able to pull ahead in the final minutes on more points from Player of the Game Oliver Farrar, Olivia Wang, and Oscar Farrar; and quality defense from Owen Wang, Lior Vaisburd, Safi Pahwa, and Henry Bowman to get the victory.
Swish vs Hoopsters
The first half saw the Swish get out to a big lead thanks to the hot shooting by Louis Liu, who had three baskets in the first half along with his teammate River Stanton who had two baskets and made a free throw. The Hoopsters first half scoring was a field goal by Benson Berry. The second half saw the Hoopsters Jaxon Oxendine score 8 points and Greysen Lovett had a basket. The Hoopsters got tough defense from Rowan Massey and Jason Ren by grabbing rebounds to keep their team close. The Swish locked down their defense with Elodie and Isabelle Ma controlling the perimeter, and Josephine Carey getting key steals, as River Stanton and Player of the Game Louis Liu continued their scoring to give the Swish the win.
Silver
Jumpers vs Dunkers
Photo by Mirela Samardzija
Dunkers had first half scoring from Lucas Dogic, Emet Ketai, Nadim Nasr, Nadir Nasr, and Luca Tinti. The Jumpers had first half scoring from Liam Desante, Lunus Verleun, and Declan Wong. In the second half, the Jumpers Saryah Reece(2-2 on her free throws), Alice Roberts, and Peter Rodrick got into the scoring column. The Dunkers Mida Stele made the boxscore in the second half has he had a game high 12 points, including two “3”s, and Keanu Lowrey played solid defense to guide the Dunkers to victory.
Gold
Crashers vs Fadeaways
The Fadeaways took an early lead on baskets by Kayhler Tomlinson and Radin Taherian, but the Crashers countered and took the lead on baskets by Luke Steelman, Liam Katz, Austin Bernier, and Coen Haynes who also had a “3”. The second half saw the Crashers take control as Kaya Dahukey, Conrad DiMauro, Ross Nelson, Oliver Harris, and Player of the Game Liam Katz locked down on defense. The Fadeaways did get additional scoring from Nicholas Von Hardenberg and Aiden Hill. as Luca Hayutin, Alex Brussovansky, and Radin Thaerian grabbed rebounds, but were not able to close the gap on the lead the Crashers had built.
Handles vs Defenders
At first, nobody could by a bucket, and there was no score in the first 8 minutes of the game until Olana Alemayehu and Ethan Kondratyev each scored a basket, then Mia Kondratyeva had an “And 1” with the converted free throw to give the Defenders a small lead; however, the Handles came right back on a basket by Abdullah Jooma, and two 3-point plays by Henry Covington which was one the old fashioned way with a bucket and an “And 1” with the converted free throw, and then a swish “3” from the perimeter to have the Handles only down by 2 at halftime. The second half saw the Defenders take advantage of the full court press and score some quick points off turnovers created by multiple steals from Player of the Game Rayan Chibane. But the Handles got it together after a timeout, and went on a run to get the game within 2 points as Diego Gonzalez drove the lane for a couple of lay-ups and Azumi Nomoto had two buckets. After a Defenders timeout, they went on their own run led by Kay Robert, Alden Wong, Mia Kondratyeva scoring multiple points, and Rayan Chibane and Olana Alemayehu making deep “3”s, as Henry Huss and Yisaac Tariku made assists to teammates, and Ibrahim Ally got rebounds. The Handles came back with a “3” from Maraki Tsegaye, but it wasn’t enough to catch the Defenders who still remain undefeated this season.
Platinum
Splash vs Daggers
The Daggers got the lead early on baskets from Jack Phelan, London Coleman, Raxx Lee, and August Von Hardenberg. The Splash got first half scoring from Joshua Edwards, Sam McGowan, and Danilo Samardzija. In the second half, The Splash were able to get Masalay Benyam into the scoring column, and got rebounds from River Zelenovic. The Daggers were too strong as Christian Ferew and Adonyinas Yonas made scores, and Player of the Game AJ Evans took over the game, as he was the high scorer with 18 points that included two “3”s that pulled his team ahead for good.
TUES 6/20/23 Games #8
Copper
Ballers vs Swish
All the scoring was in the first half, as the Farrar brothers, Oliver and Oscar scored all 6 points, but the Swish got it going in the second half as Josephine Carey and Louis Liu assisted to teammates that made scores, and Isabelle and Elodie Ma got rebounds and steals. The Ballers had Lior Vaisburd and Olivia Wang make baskets, and the Farrar brothers continued to score, and the Ballers had good defensive performances from Safi Pahwa and Owen Wang.
Jammers vs Hoopsters
Points were hard to come by in this match, as the rims seemed a little tight and kicking out shots. The Jammers had first half scoring from Ashok Dhoka and Tyler Enayati to take a small lead at halftime. The second half saw the Hoopsters get all 6 points from Theo Manolelis, along with rebounds from Jaxon Oxendine and Benson Berry, and steals from Greysen Lovett and Jason Ren. The Jammers got a bucket from Killian Georgaris, and solid defense from Frida Garcia, Sora Nomoto, and Noe Lanich. The Hoopsters held on to the narrowest of victories.
Silver
Dunkers vs Breakers
The unbeaten Dunkers would be severely tested in this matchup, as the Breakers came out strong as Niam Pahwa hit a 3 and a 2, Henry Fyda had a bucket, and James Boesiger had 8 first half points to give the Breakers a halftime lead. The Dunkers did get first half points from Nadim Nasr, Mika Stele, and Luca Tinti. The second half was back and forth, as James Boesiger and Rohan Peddi drove to the hoop and converted free throws from being fouled, and Beau Zaczepinski stole the ball multiple times. As the game wound down, the Dunkers got a key basket from Jeffrey Records and a couple of “3”s from Lucas Dogic and Mika Stele, and key steals from Nora Neff and Jane Ganek to narrowly escape the jaws of defeat, but the Breakers proved to be a worthy opponent that will make this match even closer the next time they meet.
WED 6/21/23
Silver
Jumpers vs Downtown
Downtown took a first half lead on 6 points from Eugene Edouarzin and a bucket each from Betanya Desta and Ocean Yaghoubzadeh. First half points for the Jumpers came from Linus Verleun and Elliot Israels. The Jumpers got more points from Linus Verleun in the second half, and teammates Peter Rodrick, Alice Roberts, Liam Desante, and Jake Cahoon each had a field goal. The Jumpers got rebounds from Saryah Reece and Declan Wong. But Downtown was strong in the second half as Andrey Sterlyagov made 3 buckets, Leon Meunze and Redeat Gebeyehu got multiple rebounds, and Eugene Edouarzin earned Player of the Game honors as he scored 8 more points in the second half.
Gold
Handles vs Crashers
The Crashers started out strong as Liam Katz and Coen Haynes each hit a “3” from beyond the arc, and Ross Nelson and Ryan Yousefi grabbed rebounds. The Handles got first half scoring from Spencer Nelson and Azumi Nomoto. The second half had the Crashers pulling away as Ming Zhu, Luke Steelman, and Player of the Game Austin Bernier all scored. The Handles had Rohham Taherian, Maraki Tsegaye, Diego Gonzalez, and Nicholas Mirich make baskets, and Sean Dobbs grabbed rebounds.
Platinum
Daggers vs Cagers
Close first half as the Daggers got scoring from TJ Turner, London Coleman, AJ Evans, Razz Lee, and August Von Hardenburg. The Cagers had a “3” for all party in the first half, as Parker Cappiccille, Rayan Etemadnia, and Nicholas Huether became the “3” musketeers, and teammate Matthew Scholze controlled the backcourt. The second half saw the Daggers join the “3” party with treys from AJ Evans and London Coleman; however, the Cagers were too strong as Jake Montanez and Ben Steelman added points to give the Cagers a commanding lead to obtain the victory.
THURS 6/22/23
Bronze
Treys vs Clutch
First half scoring for the Treys was all Lucas Alemayehu, and the Clutch countered with all their scoring from Jordan Martin and Jonas Ketai to keep a tied score at halftime. The second half remained close throughout, as the Clutch Dora Manolelis and Wynn Jeffters grabbed key rebounds, and teammate Sebastian Armijo made several steals. The Treys had scoring in the second half from Rome Ricks and Rodrigo Padron, and key defensive stops from Howie Trussler, Nanda Aysola, and Stanislau Shishenka. When all was said and done, the match ended in a draw.
Dimes vs Blockers
This match had the Blockers Royal Luna as the leading scorer with13 points including a rare Bronze division “3”. The Blockers had baskets from Tomas Leblond and Katarina Epstein, along with solid defense from Theodore Edelman, Mateo Chan, Moss McFly Ton, and Baer Loubek to hold down the Dimes offense. The Dimes were able to get a couple of buckets each from Liana Enayatie and Olivia Wu, along with rebounds and steals from Mai Ly Pariser, William Holt, and Beau Bigler.
Rebounders vs Slammers
The first quarter was all Rebounders, as Baran Dahukey and Jaxon Silverstein had multiple baskets, but the Slammers controlled the 2nd quarter with points from Bodhi Petitti and Soren Verleun to narrow the gap. The second half saw the Rebounders pull away with points from Saum Safavi and Pablo Gonzalez, along with multiple rebounds from Jett Shung and Player of the Game Leo Yaghoubzadeh. The Slammers did get second half scoring from Oscar Vigder, Aidan Schneider, and Amarveer Gupta; and, strong defense from Parisa Hemmati.
FRI 6/23/23
Platinum
Press vs Rainmakers
The Rainmakers controlled this game from start to finish with all 7 players in the game scoring, most notably raining “3”s with Aiden Lin and Kaleab Seyum connecting from downtown, and multiple field goals from Ryan Chambers, Kai Halper, Noah Micheal, and Yafet Desta. The Rainmakers Dagmawi Ayele led the game in rebounds. The Press had points from Amir Enayati, Keen Nikkel, and Jarvis Wakefield; but the bulk of their scoring came from Cam Pariser and Leo Epstein, and Caden Feradouni was the steal leader for his team.
Gold
Fadeaways vs Defenders
Photo by Thea Cappiccille
Photo by Damon Huss
A Defenders victory would give them the division championship, but the Fadeaways were ready to be spoilers as Kayhler Tomlinson and Logan Cappiccille kept it close with their hot shooting. The Defenders did manage to have a small lead at halftime on baskets by Kay Roberts, Henry Huss, Ysaac Tariku, and Alden Wong. The second half saw the Fadeaways close the gap on a basket by Nicholas Von Hardenberg, along with steals and rebounds from Luca Hayutin, Jake Records, and Rafa Ayala. The Fadeaways also got blocks from Radin Taherian that forced the Defenders to take a timeout to regroup as the game stayed close. As their name implies, the Defenders started defending very well as Dominic Drew stole the ball, Olana Alemayehu went two for two at the charity stripe, Ibrahim Ally grabbed key rebounds to get the transition game going. The Defenders were able to get driving layups from Alden Wong, Mia Kondratyeva, and Kay Roberts to pull ahead further, and Eugene Edourazin was stripping the ball out of the opponents hands, but the difference maker was Player of the Game Ethan Kondratyev who made a basket and led the game in blocked shots that turned away the Fadeaways, thus giving the Defenders the victory and the division championship.
Platinum
Schoolers vs Splash
Photo by Mirela Samardzija
The Schoolers got out front early on aggressive drives to the hoop by Noah Tsegaye, Leo Cohoe, and Cassius Taylor. The Splash got it going as the half progressed as River Zelenovic nailed a trey, Mesalay Benyam got rebounds, Danilo Samardzija and Sam Mcgowan scored, and Sasha Peterson hit midrange shots. The second half saw the Schoolers Amensisa Alemayehu and Azariah Gebeyehu make the scoring column, and Desi Parra get steals to help narrow the Splash lead; however, the Splash got scores from James Cook, Mesalay Benyam, and Ethan Scwartz that built a big lead, which was further enhanced by the exceptional guard play of Player of the Game, Sasha Peterson, who took control in the final minutes to secure the Splash victory.
SAT 6/24/23 Games #9
Copper
Hoopsters vs Ballers
Photos by Matthew Farrar
The Hoopsters were a little short on players, but made the best of it as they got most of their points from Theo Manolelis and his friend Michael Lee, but also got rebounds and steals from Jaxon Oxendine and Jason Ren. The Ballers were able to pull it out in the end of a close game as the usual suspects, the Farrar brothers of Oscar and Oliver scored, and a key basket by Luke Sarley gave the edge to the Ballers. The Ballers had good performances by Lior Vaisburd, Owen Wang, Safi Pahwa, and Player of the Game Henry Bowman.
Player of the Game, the Ballers Henry Bowman. Photo by Matthew Farrar
Bronze
Rebounders vs Treys
The game remained close for the first three quarters as the Treys had most of their scoring from Rome Ricks, but also a bucket by Nanda Aysola, and two made free throws by Rodrigo Padron. The Rebounders scoring came from Jaxon Silverstein along with multiple assists, Saum Safavi, Leo Yaghoubzadeh, and Baran Dahukey. The Treys had rebounds from Howie Trussler and Stanislau Zhizhenka, but the Rebounders got key steals from Jett Shung, and a late basket from Player of the Game Pablo Gonzalez to hold onto first place in their division.
Slammers vs Blockers
The Slammers played a good game as Alex Blondheim had 9 points, and Soren Verleun and Oscar Vigder made multiple points. The Blockers Royal Luna was too strong with 23 points, and points from Mateo Chen and Player of the Game Theodore Edelman gave their team the victory. Other notable performances were from the Slammers Paris Hemmati, Aidan Schneider, Bodhi Petitti, and Indra Srivastava. The Blockers had a good defensive performance from Baer Loubek.
Silver
Downtown vs Dunkers
Downtown got on the board early as Eugene Edouarzin and Chloe Scofield scored, and Len Meunze and Nicholas Chan got rebounds. The Dunkers finally got it going with distance shooting from Nadir and Nadim Nasir, Luca Tinti, and Lucas Dogic. The second half saw Downtown get additional scoring from Chloe Scofield, and two buckets from Ocean Yaghoubzadeh. The Dunkers got scoring from Mika Stele, Jeffrey Records, and Emet Ketai to have a commanding lead and hold onto their unbeaten record.
Platinum
Cagers vs Schoolers
Turned out to be a 4 vs 4 affair, as teams were short handed. The Cagers had Rayan Etemadnia with multiple steals, Justin Tun with four 3-pointers, Kenzo Lowrey with three baskets, and Ben Steelman with a couple of buckets. The Schoolers were dominant as all five players scored, with Matthew Assefa with 30 points, and Noah Tsegaye with 24 points, and “3”s made by Cassius Taylor and Desi Parra, and free throw and basket made by Leo Cohoe. Both teams combined for over 110 points, which made the scorekeeper Nicholas Walker exhausted.
Rainmakers vs Daggers
Unfortunately, the Rainmakers didn’t have enough players to field a team, but they split with the Daggers to have a fun and competitive game. Razz Lee and Louis Meehan Smith jumped sides to help the Rainmakers. Every player that participated in this match scored. Razz Lee led the Rainmakers with 19 points The Rainmakers Isaac Lynn, Aiden Lin, and Silver division substitute Eugene Edouarzin each made a basket, thus becoming the youngest player to ever score in the Platinum division at the age of 9. The Daggers were led by Player of the Game, August Von Hardenberg who had 22 points, TJ Turner had 8 points and multiple rebounds, and “3” for all as Daggers Jack Phelan, Asher Zaczepinski, Adonyinas Yonas, and AJ Evans threw a party from downtown, and were making treys. Both teams combined for over 110 total game points, thus exhausting my scorekeeper for two games in a row. God bless Nicholas Walker for keeping pace at the scoreboard.
SUN 6/25/23
Copper
Swish vs Jammers
The Jammers were jamming as baskets were made by Ashok Dhaka, Killian Georgaris, Sora Nomoto, and Frida Garcia, along with rebounds from Noe Lanich. The Swish got points from Isabelle Ma and River Stanton, and rebounds from Elodie Ma and Kian Nouri, and steals from Ivy Huss.
Silver
Breakers vs Jumpers
The Breakers James Boesiger was solid once again as he was the game’s leading scorer with 16 points, and his teammate Rohan Peddi earned Player of the Game honors with multiple points and rebounds. The Jumpers had two players with double digit scoring which include Keshav Srivastava(who switched from the Breakers to help), and Peter Rodrick. The Jumpers also had 7 points from Liam Desante and a free throw from Alice Roberts. The Breakers had a basket each from Krishna Aysola, Ray Song, and Beau Zaczepinski. The Breakers had tough defense from Henry Fyda, Niam Pahwa, and especially Itamar Yurman who fought hard down low to the basket, to box out for rebounds.
Player of the Game, the Breakers Rohan Peddi. Photo by Jeff Boesiger
Bronze
Clutch vs Dimes
The Clutch got ahead early to stay with baskets from Jonas Ketai and Jordan Martin, along with rebounds and steals from Player of the Game Theo Stele. The Dimes had a bucket each from William Holt, Mai Ly Pariser, and Beau Bigler, with rebounds from Liana Enayati and Olivia Wu. The Clutch were able to keep their lead for good with defensive help from Sebastian Armijo and Dora Manolelis.
Gold
Fadeaways vs Handles
A close first half as the Fadeaways got baskets from Kayhler Tomlinson, Nicholas Von Hardenberg, and Luca Hayutin. First half scoring for the Handles came from Henry Covington, Sean Dobbs, and Nicholas Mirich. The second half saw Fadeaways get Rafa Ayala and Radin Taherian into the scoring column. But the Handles were too strong as Roman Sweeney got steals, with Abdullah Jooma, Azumi Nomoto, and Rohham Taherian each making a basket; and, Diego Gonzalez earned Player of the Game with 12 of his game high 15 points in the second half to give the Handles the victory.
Defenders vs Crashers
Photo by Damon Huss
The Defenders got out to an early lead with baskets by Ethan Kondratyev, Kay Roberts, Alden Wong, and Olana Alemayehu. The Crashers had first half field goals from Ryan Yousefi and Kaya Dahukey. The second half saw the Crashers get a “3” each from Ming Zhu and Coen Haynes, and a bucket by Ross Nelson, along with steals from Conrad DiMauro and Oliver Harris. The Defenders got second half scoring from Dominic Drew, MIa Kondratyeva, Henry Huss, and Player of the Game Ibrahim Ally to obtain the victory.
Platinum
Press vs Splash
The Press were short on players so they recruited Splash players Sasha Peterson and Sam McGowan who each had double digit scoring for the Press. The Press got scoring from Caden Feradouni, Keen Nikkel, Cam Pariser, and Jarvis Wakefield. Amir Enayati had multiple rebounds for the Press. The Splash got scores from Mesalay Benyam, James Cook, Joshua Edwards, Danilo Samardzija, Ethan Schwartz, and Josh Weil. River Zelenovic was the steals leader for the Splash.
TUES 6/27/23
Copper
#3 Hoopsters vs #4 Swish
Basically a 3 versus 3 players contest. The Hoopsters had points and rebounds from Theofilos Manolelis, Jason Ren, and Player of the Game Jacob Oxendine. The Swish had steals and points from River Stanton, , Theo Jacobs, and Player of the Game Ivy Huss.
Platinum
Splash vs Rainmakers
First half remained close as the Rainmakers had points from Ryan Chambers, Dagmawi Ayele, Kai Halpert, and Kaleab Seyum. The Splash first half scoring came from Josh Weil, Sam McGowan, Ethan Schwartz, and Sasha Peterson who made a couple of treys. The second half saw the Splash pull away on continued scoring from Player of the Game Sasha Peterson as he drove to the hoop for layups and an “And1” conversion. The Rainmakers tried their best to stay with the Splash, as Aiden Lin got rebounds, but were unable to catch the Splash.
Cagers vs Press
Cagers too strong for the Press, as the usual suspects scored, and Ben Steelman made a “3” in his last game at the Santa Monica YMCA. Cagers also got a “3” from Max Baracy, and solid defense from Axel Trussler. Raif-Henok Kendrick and Leo Epstein were impressive for the Press, as they both scored and had double digit rebounds.
Schoolers vs Daggers
The last Platinum game of the season turned out to be one of the best games of the season. The Schoolers had a narrow halftime lead on points from Amensisa Alemayehu, Desi Parra, Leo Cohoe, and Cassius Taylor. While the Daggers had first half scoring from Jack Phalen, Christian Ferew, London Coleman, and Asher Zaczepinski. Halftime was a little scary as Daggers Adonyinas Yonas had a fainting spell, but would later be determined to be okay, as we were all worried at the time, thank God he was fine. The match resumed in the second half, as teams went back and forth with the lead. The Schoolers Noah Tsegaye was big in the second half as he was the scoring leader for the Schoolers. The Daggers were able to edge out the victory as Louis Meehan Smith, AJ Evans, August Von Hardenberg, and TJ Turner scored, and London Coleman took charge in the final minutes of her last game in this program, as she made crucial shots and free throws to pull out the victory from the jaws of defeat, earning the Player of the Week award.
WED 6/28/23
Bronze
Clutch vs Blockers
Photo by Mike Tomas
The Clutch Jonas Ketai showed why he is a top player in this division with his stellar performance in this match, as he scored 8 points in the first quarter. He got help from teammates Dora Manolelis and Jordan Martin as they each made a basket, and good defensive stops by Rocco Tomas and Sebastian Armijo to block the Blockers from scoring. The Blockers had field goals from sub Oscar Vigder, Baer Loubek and Katarina Epstein. Theodore Edelman and Mateo Chen had strong defensive performances for the Blockers.
Treys vs Slammers
Yours truly had to come out of coaching retirement to fill-in for a coach who was caught on a delayed flight, so I took my Lakers coaching hat, put it on, sat on the bench and helped the Treys. The Slammers got baskets from Alex Blondheim, Rex Bulette, and Soren Verleun. The Treys got scoring from Nanda Aysola, Rome Ricks, and Howie Trussler. The Slammers were tough on defense withAidan Schneider, Oscar Vigder, and Paris’s Hemmati making steals and grabbing rebounds. The Treys had Stanislau Zhizhenka blocking shots, and Rodrigo “the Boss” Padron making sure nobody got by him, as he shut down the middle. Fun to coach again, but back to running the league.
Dimes vs Rebounders
The best was saved for last, as the two top teams met each other for bragging rights in the Bronze division. The Rebounders had the lead after one quarter on baskets by Baran Dahukey and Saum Safavi. But girl power took over as the Dimes got the lead at halftime, on scores from Mai Ly Pariser, Liana Enayati, and Julia Enayati. The second half was a defensive grudge match as the Rebounders got tough on defense with Teo Escalante, Marcel Jimenez, Leo Yaghoubzadeh, and Pablo Gonzalez holding down the fort. The Dimes kept the pressure on with Elliot Sheng, Johnny deNeufville, and William Holt taking the ball away from the Rebounders. The game was tied at lucky number 13, and a final buzzer three-pointer attempt bounced off the rim. Co-Players of the Game were the Dimes Mai Ly Pariser, and the Rebounders Jaxon Silverstein.
Gold
#3 Handles vs #4 Fadeaways
The Handles eventually would win this game, but the Fadeaways showed vast improvement. The Handles Henry Covington was the leading scorer with 17 points, Rohham
Taherian had 8 points, Azumi Nomoto had 6 points, and Alex Providas had a basket. The Fadeaways had 6 points from Luca Hayutin, 4 points from Radin Taherian, and a basket each from Jack Meyer and Rafa Ayala. The Fadeaways had rebounds and steals from Kayhler Tomlinson and Jake Records. The Handles had Sean Dobbs and Maraki Tsegaye controlling the boards, and Roman Sweeney and Nicholas Mirich stealing the ball.
THURS 6/29/23
Copper
#1 Ballers vs #2 Jammers
Defense, defense, and more defense, was the name of this game. Penetrating the lane just wasn’t happening, but ball movement was great. The only first half basket came from Killian Georgaris of the Jammers. The Ballers got a basket in the second half from Oscar Farrar off an assist from his brother Oliver, and a free throw from Safi Pahwa. The Ballers showed tough defense with Olivia and Owen Wang getting steals and rebounds, Lior Vaisburd chasing balls down, Sabrina Goldman and Henry Bowman wrestling down low, and Luke Sarley making blocks. The Jammers had controlled dribbling from Sora Nomoto and Frida Garcia playing point guards, Tyler Enayati and Lincoln Sheng putting pressure on the opposing guards, Jakob Sroka, Lukas Curtis, and Noe Lanich securing loose balls, and Ashok Dhaka making the winning basket in the third quarter of this exciting game.
Silver
#3 Downtown vs #4 Jumpers
Downtown got out front early on points from Eugene Edouarzin, Chloe Scofield, Andrey Sterlyagov, Elijah Kinnard, Redeat Gebeyehu, and Ocean Yaghoubzadeh. The Jumpers scorers were Saryah Reece, Jake Cahoon, Linus Verleun, and Alice Roberts. The Jumpers had strong performances from Kahya Strock, Peter Rodrick, and Liam Desante. Downtown had second half scoring from Leon Muenze, and rebounds from Betanya Desta and Nicholas Chan.
#1 Dunkers vs #2 Breakers
All Dunkers that played scored with Luca Tinti, Oliver Mota, Lucas Dogic, and Emet Ketai leading the way. The Breakers had points from Krishna Aysola, James Boesiger, Ray Song, Beau Ellis-Farr, Niam Pahwa, and Rohan Peddi. The Dunkers did a great job of passing the ball around and converting layups on transition plays. The Breakers showed vast improvement in their dribbling and passing skills and played hard against the unbeaten Dunkers.
#1 Defenders vs #2 Crashers
Photo by Damon Huss
Our last game of the 2023 Spring youth basketball season featured the very diverse Defenders looking to go undefeated, as they took on the up and coming Crashers who were looking to crash the party. Early on, the Crashers got a basket from Conrad DiMauro and a “3” from Luke Steelman who was playing his final game at the Santa Monica YMCA. The Defenders built a first half lead on points and a half dozen assists from Dominic Drew who helped Ethan Kondratyev, Kudus Dagnew, and Player of the Game Henry Huss to score. Silver division player Eugene Edouarzin filling in for an injured Defender had 6 points including a perfect two for two from the charity stripe that had referee Robert Clark commenting on the perfect free throw form that he displayed. Halftime of this match featured the presentation of the 2022-2023 Santa Monica YMCA Player of the Year given to Kay Roberts, the first ever female recipient of this most prestigious award.
Photo by Brian Wong
With emotions set aside, the second half continued, and the Crashers got points from Austin Bernier, Coen Haynes, and Ryan Yousefi, along with rebounds from Oliver Harris, steals from Ming Zhu and Ross Nelson. The Defenders got points from Kay Roberts and Alden Wong as they tandem off each other with give and go passes. Mia Kondratyev continued her MVP season with points and was the rebound leader for the game. Olana Alemayehu and Yisaac Tariku made points from passes by Ibrahim Ally to round out the Defenders scoring to maintain a perfect season.
You can read more about Kay’s award at link below:
This Issue’s Profile
Each issue, Swish has a profile of a coach, player, or someone in the program who inspires all of us involved in Santa Monica Family YMCA youth basketball.
This issue’s profile is of the Boesigers. Father Jeff has been coaching for the past year in the youth basketball program, and just finished coaching the Breakers in the Silver division for this Spring season. Son James is one of the youngest players in the Silver division, and the winner of the Most Outstanding Player award for the Silver division for the Spring season.
Jeff brings a positive reinforcement approach to coaching the players on his team, he not only teaches skills, but helps to develop his players as teammates and emphasizes sportsmanship at all times. Jeff has worked with boys and girls that have all improved under his coaching and leadership skills.
James is not only an exceptional player that plays beyond his age, he is the ultimate teammate that gives encouragement and support to all the other members of his team.
I asked Jeff and James, a few questions for the Swish:
DocDrew: What is your favorite thing about youth basketball at the Santa Monica YMCA?
Jeff: My favorite thing is that there is a strong sense of community within the program. I also like that it gives all kids a chance to play and to fall in love with the game.
James: I like playing at the Y because it’s fun and it feels like home.
DocDrew: Who is your favorite player or coach, and why?
Jeff: Jaime Jaquez Jr because he is such a great all around player and does so many little things to help his team win.
James: Stephen Curry because he had a tough time at first because he was shorter in high school but then he worked hard and it paid off.
DocDrew: What hobbies, activities,or other sports do you like to do?
Jeff: I enjoy hiking, camping, and traveling.
James: I like to play baseball and soccer. I also like biking, fishing and swimming.
Together, James and Jeff Boesiger set the example for giving back and supporting the community, and making sure the kids are having fun, taking responsibility, and developing their skills and teamwork. We truly thank them for all that they have done for the Santa Monica Family YMCA youth basketball program.
Scores
SAT 6/17/23 WEEKEND #7
Bronze
Clutch 10, Rebounders 18
Blockers 24, Treys 30
Dimes 26, Slammers 10
Silver
Downtown 22, Breakers 29
Platinum
Press 48, Schoolers 47
Cagers 40, Rainmakers 26
SUN 6/18/23
Copper
Jammers 13, Ballers 18
Swish 23, Hoopsters 12
Silver
Jumpers 22, Dunkers 40
Gold
Crashers 26, Fadeaways 11
Handles 23, Defenders 44
Platinum
Splash 29, Daggers 51
TUES 6/20/23 Games #8
Copper
Ballers 16, Swish 10
Jammers 5, Hoopsters 6
Silver
Dunkers 33, Breakers 26
WED 6/21/23
Silver
Jumpers 13, Downtown 28
Gold
Handles 18, Crashers 31
Platinum
Daggers 22, Cagers 35
THURS 6/22/23
Bronze
Treys 13, Clutch 13
Dimes 9, Blockers 17
Rebounders 23, Slammers 10
FRI 6/23/23
Gold
Fadeaways 11, Defenders 26
Platinum
Press 36, Rainmakers 69
Schoolers 33, Splash 46
SAT 6/24/23 Games #9
Copper
Hoopsters 10, Ballers 14
Bronze
Rebounders 24, Treys 14
Slammers 16, Blockers 30
Silver
Downtown 18, Dunkers 43
Platinum
Cagers 35, Schoolers 77
Rainmakers 42, Daggers 59
SUN 6/25/23
Copper
Swish 8, Jammers 30
Silver
Breakers 32, Jumpers 27
Bronze
Clutch 13, Dimes 7
Gold
Fadeaways 15, Handles 31
Defenders 40, Crashers 13
Platinum
Press 51, Splash 29
(Splash get victory due to shortage of Press players)
TUES 6/27/23 Games #10
Copper
Hoopsters 8, Swish 12
(Hoopsters get victory for having a team to start match)
Platinum
Splash 50, Rainmakers 38
Cagers 53, Press 22
Schoolers 39, Daggers 37
WED 6/28/23
Bronze
Clutch 17, Blockers 9
Treys 16, Slammers 6
Dimes 13, Rebounders 13
Gold
Handles 33, Fadeaways 14
THURS 6/29/23
Copper
Ballers 3, Jumpers 4
Silver
Downtown 42, Jumpers14
Dunkers 44, Breakers 17
Gold
Defenders 50, Crashers 18
Standings:
Teams are awarded 5 points for a win, 3 points for a tie, 1 point for a loss, 0 points for a forfeit.
Games with #3 vs #4 seeds: 6 points for a win, 4 points for a tie, 2 points for a loss.
Games with #1 vs #2 seeds: 7 points for a win, 5 points for a tie, 3 points for a loss.
Copper:
Ballers 8-2-0, 44 points
*Champions*
Jammers 7-3-0, 40 points
Hoopsters 3-7-0, 23 points
Swish 2-8-0, 19 points
Bronze:
Rebounders 8-1-1, 44 points
*Champions*
Dimes 6-3-1, 36 points
Treys 6-3-1, 36 points
Clutch 5-4-1, 32 points
Blockers 3-7-0, 22 points
Slammers 0-10-0, 10 points
Silver:
Dunkers 10-0-0 52 points
*Champions*
Breakers 6-4-0 36 points
Downtown 4-6-0, 27 points
Jumpers 0-10-0, 11 points
Gold:
Defenders 10-0-0, 52 points
*Champions*
Crashers 5-5-0, 32 points
Handles 5-5-0, 31 points
Fadeaways 0-10-0, 11 points
Platinum:
Cagers 8-2-0, 42 points
*Champions*
Daggers 7-2-1, 40 points
Splash 6-4-0, 34 points
Rainmakers 4-4-2, 30 points
Schoolers 2-7-1, 20 points
Press 1-9-0, 14 points
Spring Season Awards
Copper
Most Valuable Player
Oliver and Oscar Farrar-Ballers
Most Outstanding Player
Killian Georgaris-Jammers
Most Improved
Louis Liu-Swish
Hustle award
Theo Manolelis-Hoopsters
All First Team
Oliver Farrar-Ballers
Oliver Farrar-Ballers
Theo Manolelis-Hoopsters
Killian Georgaris-Jammers
Olivia Wang-Ballers
Frida Garcia-Jammers
Sora Nomoto-Jammers
Ashok Dhaka-Jammers
Louis Liu-Swish
Jaxon Oxendine-Hoopsters
Lincoln Sheng-Jammers
Luke Sarley-Ballers
River Stanton-Swish
Corbin Strock-Swish
Jakob Sroka-Jammers
Theo Jacobs-Swish
Beck Britto-Hoopsters
All Second Team
Matthew Alemayehu-Hoopsters
Benson Berry-Hoopsters
Greysen Lovett-Hoopsters
Jason Ren-Hoopsters
Lior Vaisburd-Ballers
Owen Wang-Ballers
Noe Lanich-Jammers
Elodie Ma-Swish
Isabelle Ma-Swish
Henry Bowman-Ballers
Safi Pahwa-Ballers
Tyler Enayati-Jammers
Josephine Carey-Swish
Emma Haot-Swish
Ivy Huss-Swish
All Honorable Mention
Sabrina Goldman-Ballers
Charlie James-Ballers
Lukas Curtis-Jammers
Kian Nouri-Swish
Enzo Shepnick Casco-Hoopsters
Alexander Rosow-Ballers
Rowan Massey-Hoopsters
Bronze
Most Valuable Player
Jaxon Silverstein-Rebounders
Most Outstanding Player
Jonas Ketai-Clutch
Most Improved
Katarina Epstein-Blockers
Hustle Award
Mai Ly Pariser-Dimes
All First Team
Liana Enayati-Dimes
Lucas Alemayehu-Treys
Mai Ly Pariser-Dimes
Johnny DeNeufville-Dimes
Jordan Martin-Clutch
Sebastian Armijo-Clutch
Royal Luna-Blockers
Theodore Edelman-Blockers
Pablo Gonzalez-Rebounders
Saum Safavi-Rebounders
Leo Yaghoubzadeh-Rebounders
Soren Verleun-Slammers
Alex Blondheim-Slammers
Oscar Vigder-Slammers
Lucas Alemayehu-Treys
Rome Ricks-Treys
Nanda Aysola-Treys
Jaxon Silverstein-Rebounders
Jonas Ketai-Clutch
Katarina Epstein-Blockers
Olivia Wu-Dimes
All Second Team
Baran Dahukey-Rebounders
Wynn Jeffers-Clutch
Aidan Schneider-Slammers
Rex Bulette-Slammers
Levi Lapierre-Slammers
Bodhi Petitti-Slammers
Jack Haot-Rebounders
Buck Jacobs-Rebounders
Jett Shung-Rebounders
Moss McFly Ton-Blockers
Parisa Hemmati-Slammers
Qiao Ren-Clutch
Beau Bigler-Dimes
Julia Enayati-Dimes
Theo Stele-Clutch
Dora Manolelis-Clutch
Matteo Chan-Blockers
Rocco Tomas-Clutch
Tomas Leblond-Blockers
Elliot Sheng-Dimes
William Holt-Dimes
Decker Amos-Treys
Rodrigo Padron-Treys
Howie Trussler-Treys
Stanislau Zhizhenka-Treys
Teo Escalante-Rebounders
Luca Seidenstein-Dimes
All Honorable Mention
Gyan Kamari-Clutch
Aiden Yousefi-Clutch
Amarveer Gupta-Slammers
Indra Srivastava-Slammers
Shanta Vora-Blockers
Melanie Zewdie-Blockers
Renato Melo-Blockers
Baer Loubek-Blockers
Marcel Jimenez-Rebounders
Zack Shpelfogel-Treys
Jhanov Srinivasan-Treys
Ruth Tariku-Treys
Silver
Most Valuable Player
Lucas Dogic-Dunkers
Most Outstanding Player
James Boesiger-Breakers
Most Improved
Chloe Scofield-Downtown
Hustle Award
Linus Verleun-Jumpers
All First Team
Lucas Dogic-Dunkers
James Boesiger-Breakers
Chloe Scofield-Downtown
Linus Verleun-Jumpers
Rohan Peddi-Breakers
Henry Fyda-Breakers
Betanya Desta-Downtown
Alice Roberts-Jumpers
Eugene Edouarzin-Downtown
Andrew Sterlyagov-Downtown
Ocean Yaghoubzadeh-Downtown
Emet Ketai-Dunkers
Nadir Nasr-Dunkers
Nadim Nasr-Dunkers
Mika Stele-Dunkers
Luca Tinti-Dunkers
Jeffrey Records-Dunkers
Liam Desante-Jumpers
Linus Verleun-Jumpers
Declan Wong-Jumpers
Peter Rodrick-Jumpers
Saryah Reece-Jumpers
Jake Cahoon-Jumpers
All Second Team
Beau Ellis-Farr-Breakers
Beau Zaczepinski-Breakers
Elijah Konrad-Downtown
Leon Muenze-Downtown
Redeat Gebeyehu-Downtown
Mariella Belew-Downtown
Leon Muenze-Downtown
Elliot Israels-Jumpers
Ray Song-Breakers
Keshav Srivastava-Breakers
Niam Pahwa-Breakers
Oliver Lynn-Breakers
Kayla Strock-Jumpers
Jane Ganek-Diunkers
Krishna Aysola-Breakers
Nora Neff-Dunkers
Nicholas Chan-Downtown
Keanu Lowrey-Dunkers
Oliver Mota-Dunkers
All Honorable Mention
Kamden King-Downtown
Finn Purdy-Downtown
Itamar Yurman-Breakers
Levi Cogan-Jumpers
Owen Goldblum-Jumpers
Tucker Gissendanner-Jumpers
Gold
Most Valuable Player
Mia Kondratyeva-Defenders
Most Outstanding Player
Azumi Nomoto-Handles
Most Improved
Kayhler Tomlinson-Fadeaways
Hustle Award
Coen Haynes-Crashers
All First Team
Mia Kondratyeva-Defenders
Azumi Nomoto-Handles
Kayhler Tomlinson-Fadeaways
Coen Haynes-Crashers
Henry Covington-Handles
Diego Gonzalez-Handles
Sean Dobbs-Handles
Nicholas Mirich-Handles
Rohham Taherian-Handles
Luke Steelman-Crashers
Liam Katz-Crashers
Austin Bernier-Crashers
Alden Wong-Defenders
Dominic Drew-Defenders
Kay Roberts-Defenders
Olana Alemayehu-Defenders
Ming Zhu-Crashers
Luca Hayutin-Fadeaways
Jack Meyer-Fadeaways
Maraki Tsegaye-Handles
All Second Team
Yisaac Tariku-Defenders
Ibrahim Ally-Defenders
Abdullah Jooma-Handles
Mariama Belew-Handles
Ethan Kondratyev-Defenders
Henry Huss-Defenders
Radin Taherian-Fadeaways
Jake Records-Fadeaways
Logan Cappiccille-Fadeaways
Kaya Dahukey-Crashers
Conrad DiMauro-Crashers
Oliver Harris-Crashers
Rafa Ayala-Fadeaways
Nicholas Von Hardenberg-Fadeaways
Ryan Yousefi-Crashers
Mia Petrigliano-Defenders
Rayan Chibane-Defenders
Aidan Hill-Fadeaways
Radin Taherian-Fadeaways
Jarec Garibay-Crashers
Roman Sweeney-Handles
Spencer Nelson-Handles
Ross Nelson-Crashers
Honorable Mention
Kudus Dagnew-Defenders
Alex Providas-Handles
Ryan Cohen-Fadeaways
Alex Brussovansky-Fadeaways
Kidd Ziegenhorn-Fadeaways
Arya Nawathe-Crashers
Platinum
Most Valuable Player
Parker Cappiccille-Cagers
Most Outstanding Player
Sam McGowan-Splash
Most Improved
August Von Hardenberg-Daggers
Hustle Award
Noah Tsegaye-Schoolers
All First Team
Parker Cappiccille-Cagers
Ethan Schwartz-Splash
Sasha Peterson-Splash
Cam Pariser-Press
Matthew Assefa-Schoolers
Jack Phalen-Daggers
AJ Evans-Daggers
Rayan Etemadnia-Cagers
Matthew Scholze-Daggers
Keen Nikkel-Press
Leo Cohoe-Schoolers
Sam McGowan-Splash
London Coleman-Daggers
Razz Lee-Daggers
TJ Turner-Daggers
Dagmawi Ayele-Rainmakers
Ryan Chambers-Rainmakers
Matteo Tinti-Cagers
Justin Tun-Cagers
Ben Steelman-Cagers
Cassius Taylor-Schoolers
Adonyinas Yonas-Daggers
Hunter Esposito-Doi-Cagers
Ryan Chambers-Rainmakers
Kai Halpert-Rainmakers
Kaleab Seyum-Rainmakers
James Cook-Splash
Mesalay Benyam-Splash
August Von Hardenberg-Daggers
Noah Tsegaye-Schoolers
Nicholas Huether-Cagers
All Second Team
Caden Feradouni-Press
Amir Enayati-Press
Jarvis Wakefield-Press
Gabriel Chibane-Rainmakers
Yafet Desta-Rainmakers
River Zelenovic-Splash
Joshua Edwards-Splash
Amensisa Alemayehu-Schoolers
Danilo Samardzija-Splash
Asher Zaczepinski-Daggers
Josh Weil-Splash
Desi Parra-Schoolers
Raif-Henok Kendrick-Press
Jason Haynes-Schoolers
Jack Segal-Press
Azariah Gebeyehu-Schoolers
Vihaan Nawathe-Rainmakers
Christian Ferew-Daggers
Rowan Booher-Daggers
Asher Zaczepinski-Daggers
Aiden Lin-Rainmakers
Isaac Lynn-Rainmakers
Lois Meehan Smith-Daggers
Leo Epstein-Press
Noah Michael-Rainmakers
Jake Montanez-Cagers
Kenzo Lowrey-Cagers
Honorable Mention
Kingston Andes-Splash
Clive Kim-Schoolers
Nahum Negusse-Schoolers
Silas Hanssen-Schoolers
Iwa Hashim-Press
Ilan Larsen-Press
Dakota Hoefner-Press
Brandon Israels-Press
Sam Hofstrom-Splash
Leah Onodera Brasel-Daggers
Nicholas Rangel-Rainmakers
Yousef Jooma-Splash
Max Baracy-Cagers
Axel Trussler-Cagers
Thank you very much, to all the coaches, parents, players, referees, and my assistant Nicholas Walker.
Special thanks to the Los Angeles Lakers Youth Foundation for partnering with the Santa MonIca Family YMCA youth basketball program, and UCLA Health for their donations and support to the foundation.
Dr. Paul Drew, youth basketball coordinator at the Santa Monica Family YMCA, editor and publisher of Swish
Thank you very much, to all the coaches, parents, players, referees, and my assistant Nicholas Walker.
Dr. Paul Drew, youth basketball coordinator at the Santa Monica Family YMCA, editor and publisher of Swish
