A new year at Ramaz brings new faces, new classes, and returning sports teams eager to compete for a championship. While students slowly begin to settle into the new school year, the basketball program is in full swing finding new players to help add to the Ram’s depth. At the same time, returning players prepare to gear up alongside the new younger group looking to make an impact. This year, the mix of experienced upperclassmen, including what Athletic Director Ari Witkes described as “the Big 3,” gives the Boys Varsity team a strong foundation of experience heading into the season. However, for the first time in several years, the Rams are also seeing underclassmen join the Boys Varsity squad.
The Girls Varsity Basketball team has long incorporated younger talent from underclassmen to build its success. Athletic Director, Ari Witkes describes it as “ a necessity because we need those girls to play to help make our team formidable”. He also prefers for those players to not come up alone so they can experience the Varsity level with someone who can help them. For example, last season two freshman girls, Rose Nakash ‘29 and Dalia Sigoura ‘29 earned their spots on the roster. Joining a varsity team as an underclassmen comes with many different challenges but many perks as well. Not only do they have to adjust from middle school’s slower-paced setting to a faster-paced game with way more talent on the court, but they must also prove to the coaches and other team members that they are a reliable player and are worthy of receiving playing time. Many believe that with age comes more experience, talent, and size so these underclassmen must break these assumptions. Additionally, in high school, time management is a steep learning curve, especially for freshmen and sophomores who haven’t quite figured it out yet and it is challenging to balance weekly tests and assignments with more practices, games, and tournaments. Witkes said that he personally tries “to stay in touch with all of those underclassmen throughout the season to let them know they have to stay on top of their academics, make sure they are on time for school, and remind them that just because you have a heavier workload, there is no excuse as it is something they took upon themselves”. He describes this using an analogy with math: he explained that just like Ramaz gives students the opportunity to take more advanced courses, the basketball coaches give certain students the opportunity to be on more advanced teams. Reflecting on this transition, Sigoura says that being on Varsity Girls Basketball, “is such an amazing experience. Even though we had to miss the Freshman Shabbaton for the Globerman Tournament in LA, it was all worth it and I had the best time bonding with my teammates of every grade, on and off the court”.
On the boys side, however, underclassmen have been much less common. After several years without a freshman or sophomore on the roster, sophomores Jonas Eliasson ’29 and Leo Kasell ’29 have earned their spots.
With a strong core of experienced upperclassmen, including 4 new Juniors who started on the JV team last season, and the addition of two underclassmen, what impact could younger players have on a team with championship aspirations?
Athletic Director Ari Witkes describes this year’s team as the “first time we allowed it or had boys capable of it,” referring to the two underclassmen playing up. Although Witkes generally prefers players to “play within their own age group,” he said Leo Kasell `29 and Jonas Eliasson `29 “really showed that they deserved to be on the team” through their tryouts and the work they put in over the summer. However, Witkes cautioned that there is “no guarantee of playing time,” while adding that the sophomores would not have made the team if they were not good enough or ready to contribute this season. He also said they have already been “really welcomed by the upperclassmen,” demonstrating the older players’ positive attitude towards their arrival. Witkes noted that playing up can affect more than just their role on the court, as the underclassmen will also have to balance the academic and social demands of being around older students.
Competing alongside experienced Seniors and Juniors, Kasell and Eliasson will not only strengthen the Rams’ depth this season but also have the opportunity to develop and prepare for the rest of their high school careers on Varsity.
Integrating underclassmen isn’t just about filling roster spots—it’s about laying a strong foundation for both immediate success and the future of Ramaz athletics.
