jccorange812

The Orange County Maccabi Basketball features some great rising freshmen. The team will be competing this month from August 17 through August 23 in Detroit at the JCC Maccabi games against teams from Israel, New York, San Francisco, New Jersey, Mexico, and other cities in the U.S. and Canada. The team is coached by Jerry Gale and Lee Garson.


Orange County JCC Maccabi Team Front (l-r): David Gale, Johnny Munz, Charlie Kranzdorf, Brian Trump, Coach Lee Garson Back:(l-r) Coach Jerry Gale, Aaron Stein, Will Sheslow, Craig Weinstein Not Pictured: Harrison Schaen, Matt Susson	Johnny Munz, Brian Trump and David Gale watch as some new plays are diagrammed

The team features some exciting fast break play, great post work with big man Harrison Schaen, and good pressure defense. The roster includes:

Harrison Schaen (6'-6" 8th grade F/C). Harrison is one of the top 13 year olds on the west coast and was the center on the 1998 13-U AAU National Championship Southern California All-Stars coached by Pat Barrett. Harrison has played for the Southern California All-Stars for the past few years and before that was a member of several ARC all-star travel teams. Harrison is very agile, quick, and one of the smartest players on the team. He shows surprisingly good footwork for someone his age, and more importantly, for someone with size 16 shoes. His handle and knowledge make him versatile enough to play the point, run the floor or post up in the paint. In the latest game against Total Impact, Harrison had 12 blocked shots, 22 points (all in the second half), and 18 rebounds.

Craig Weinstein (5'-10" Fr. PG/SG). Craig is an experienced point, with good court vision, a strong handle and great defensive strength. A prolific three-point shooter, with a quick first step. Craig's greatest ability is breaking down a defender in a one on one situation. Craig is one of the steals leaders for the team, and he plays excellent pressure defense. Craig has great footwork and very quick lateral moves, and loves to push the ball up the court on the break. Craig has been a member of ARC All-Star travel teams since he was 8, in addition to excelling in baseball (he played on several all-star teams), football and soccer (he was on a "gold" travel team). A smart and athletic player, Craig has spent the summer splitting time between the Harvard-Westlake varsity and jv teams, and most recently was at Snow Valley Basketball camp. Craig was a member of the LA 13-14 Maccabi team that won a Bronze Medal in Pittsburgh last year.

David Gale (5'-10 Fr. PG/SG). David is a smooth passer, with excellent court vision, who can hit the three or drive the lane, and his passing, perimeter shooting, penetration and defensive ability have earned him honors on several all-star teams, including the Freshman-Sophomore team at the West Coast All-Star Camp this year where he played with other rising freshmen like Torin Beeler, Skyler Wilson and Eric Giles. In addition to playing on several ARC and club travel teams, he has been a VNSO All-Star for 6 consecutive years. David has spent the summer playing in tournaments and league games for Buckley's varsity team, at the West Coast All-Stars, and at Snow Valley. David was a member of last year's Los Angeles Maccabi team which won a Gold Medal in Seattle.


David Gale blocks a shot at Pump West Coast All-Stars	Will Sheslow driving for a layup.

Will Sheslow (6'-0" Fr. SG/PG). Will was one of only three 8th graders invited to play in the prestigious Rockfish Spring League this year at Verbum Dei High School. One of the most talented players in the freshman class on the west coast, Will is a tremendously good passer, best known for his no-look dimes, sometimes seeming to have eyes in the back of his head, and one of the quickest steps to the basket. A great shooter, smart, with a mean cross-over and good ability to change speed off the dribble. Will has split time this summer playing for Agoura's and Montclair's teams. He will transfer to Montclair this fall. Will was a member of last year's Gold Medal LA Maccabi Team that competed in Seattle.

Charlie Kranzdorf (6'-0" Fr. F). Charlie is one of the best defenders on the team, and he has great touch from inside with a nice drop step, and also from outside with his accurate three-point shooting off the set shot or the dribble. A voracious rebounder, with quick feet, he has been on several ARC travel teams, and most recently played with Branduinn Fullove, Jason Morrisette, Joe Shipp and Mike Dunleavy, and against players such as Gilbert Arenas, Carlos Boozer, Andrew Gooden and DeShawn Stevenson at the Pump West Coast All-Stars Camp, and at Snow Valley Basketball Camp. Charlie was a member of last year's Bronze Medal Maccabi Team that competed in Pittsburgh.

Aaron Stein (5'-11" Fr. SG/SF)-- Aaron has one of the deadliest three-point shots on the team, and he also has the highest vertical leaping ability next to Harrison, who is almost a foot taller (well, minus a couple of inches). Stein is one of those "quiet guys" who just goes out and gets it done. He is a great rebounder, and loves to slash to the basket. Aaron has been a member of several ARC travel teams and an Encino All-Star. Aaron was a member of last year's Bronze Medal LA Maccabi team that competed in Pittsburgh.

Brian Trump (5'-11" Fr. F). Brian is a big, strong player with a quick turnaround j move to the basket, who loves to get in and "put a body on someone." He also has, for a guy who likes to play inside, surprising ability to shoot well from the perimeter. Brian is one of the best rebounders on the team. Brian has been member of several ARC travel teams, and most recently attended Snow Valley Basktball Camp and played for the Montclair JV summer league team. He will transfer to Montclair in the fall. Brian was a member of last year's Bronze Medal LA Maccabi team that competed in Pittsburgh.

Johnny Munz (5'-5" Fr. G). Even though Johnny is one of the smallest players on the team, he is one of the quickest and brightest, and plays some of the best defense, with very quick feet and hands. Johhny has played All-Net and NJB for several years where he has been a member of several all-star teams, and this year he will attend Anaheim Canyon High. This is Johnny's first experience with Maccabi Basketball.

Matt Susson (5'-7" Fr. G). Matt is also new to Maccabi Basketball. A very good shooter off the dribble and coming off a screen, Matt can shoot with accuracy out to 18', and also has quick feet and a very good sense for the game. He spent the summer playing NJB and has been a member of several all-star teams and travel teams, and most recently attended Snow Valley Basketball Camp.

This is a team which can and will run, run, and then run some more, and they love to play pressure d, scoring well off the transition game. With great passing and speed, they can, if required to, also play a well-disciplined half-court game with several offensive weapons at their disposal. This is a team that likes to set the pace and tone of the game, and even more so, loves to shoot.

We will be updating the progress of this team at the games next week. Stay tuned.