On January 31st, the NYHS basketball teams celebrated their last season home game against Evergreen Lutheran by having a senior night in the SHA gym. Senior night is an annual basketball tradition that commemorates the senior players on both teams since it’s their final home game in their high school basketball career. 

This year, the girls’ team didn’t have any senior players but the boys’ team honored four senior players. Daniel Negrin and Yehonatan Rothstein both played their entire time in high school (excluding 2020 due to COVID-19). For Michael Rosenfeld and Nathan Britt, this is their first year playing on the basketball team. “It was great to play with the other seniors and it was a great experience to share the ball and I just wanted to succeed,” co-captain Negrin said.

Both games had a higher attendance from students and community members than other games. “I feel like the energy on senior night was like no other game, and I love that,” co-captain Joe Benoliel said. “It was sad, the last home game with the seniors.” 

Students, parents and faculty showed support by making posters, dressing in school colors, and cheering for the girls’ and boys’ teams. During halftime, the boys’ team gifted the seniors basketball cookies and balloons and coach Ashford Jackson spoke about each senior. “It was amazing to see their personal development, skills and leadership qualities and to see them not give up was a major boost to those four seniors,” Jackson said. “This will have a positive impact later on in their lives.” Both the girls’ and boys’ teams gave Gatorades in gift bags to the Evergreen Lutheran seniors. “It was very beautiful to see our school support for the basketball teams,” Ben Weichbrodt, sophomore on the basketball team, said.

After a tough game, the NYHS girls’ team lost to Evergreen Lutheran 56-33 and the boys’ team lost 86-54. “I’m not too mad we lost,” Negrin said. “The other team wanted it more…we fought to the end, and I’m satisfied.”