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The Jewish Sport Report: Jewish Maryland star Abby Meyers is ready to take on the NCAA tournament
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Hello, Jewish Sport Report readers!
Thank you to all who joined us in person and online for our event last night, “Jews on First: A Celebration at the World Baseball Classic.” And to those of you new to the Jewish Sport Report community, welcome! We’re thrilled to have you.
If you missed last night’s panel, you can watch the recording right here:
Read on for more Israel coverage, plus a preview of one Jewish player to watch in March Madness.
Meet Abby Meyers, Jewish basketball star at Maryland
Abby Meyers is a star guard on the University of Maryland women’s basketball team. (Courtesy of Maryland Athletics)
The Division I NCAA men’s and women’s basketball tournaments are around the corner. As Jewish sports fans, here’s a name you should definitely know heading into next week’s March Madness tournament: Abby Meyers.
Her University of Maryland team has a shot at a top seed, as the Terrapins are ranked sixth in the Associated Press Top 25, and Meyers is the starting shooting guard, who averaged 14.5 points and 5.4 rebounds per game this season.
The Jewish star won a gold medal at the Maccabiah Games last summer, grew up at one of the country’s largest Reform synagogues and loves when Jewish fans come to her games.
“There’s a really strong Jewish community here at the University of Maryland, and there’s an amazing following of Jewish students who come to my games, who support me and love the fact that I’m Jewish,” Meyers told me this week.
Check out my profile of Meyers to learn more about her Jewish upbringing, her experience in Israel and more.
Halftime report
THE STRAW MAN LOVES JERUSALEM. New York Mets legend Darryl Strawberry has a new mission: promoting Israel to non-Jews as an evangelical minister. Strawberry was in New York this week for an Israel event, so we caught up with the three-time World Series champ.
PURIM PLAY. Former Yeshiva University star Ryan Turell, who now plays for the G League’s Motor City Cruise, returned to New York for the second time this season — on Purim. My colleague Jacob Henry spoke to Turell and his fans about what it means to see the kippah-clad NBA prospect play professionally.
PUCK DROP. For young Shabbat-observant athletes, balancing schedules can be tricky, especially with many games taking place on Saturdays. In New Jersey, one youth hockey league is easing the stress by accommodating observant players with Shabbat-friendly schedules.
TECHNICAL FOUL. Former NBA star Amar’e Stoudemire has walked back comments he made earlier this week during a live social media conversation, in which he referred to Jews of European descent as converts and echoed other antisemitic conspiracy theories.
STROLLING ALONG. Aston Martin Formula One driver Lance Stroll put on quite a performance last week at the season opening Bahrain Grand Prix. Stroll finished in sixth place, just 12 days after having surgery on a broken wrist. Next up is Saudi Arabia on March 19.
A WBC dispatch from Miami
Ty Kelly bats during Israel’s exhibition game against the Miami Marlins, March 8, 2023 in Jupiter, Fla. (Emma Sharon/MLB)
ICYMI, I am in Miami for the World Baseball Classic, covering all things Team Israel.
On Wednesday, Israel lost a pre-WBC exhibition game 11-5 against the Miami Marlins. After taking a 5-2 lead into the bottom of the fifth inning, the Marlins’ bats came alive.
“Playing for this team is super meaningful to me,” veteran catcher Ryan Lavarnway said after the game. “It’s been really life changing. And I hope that this next generation of players that are new to this team takes the baton, and it means as much to them as it’s meant to us.”
Last night, Israel shut out the Washington Nationals 9-0, with Orthodox prospect Jacob Steinmetz starting for Israel. Matt Mervis, Spencer Horwitz, Ty Kelly and Noah Medlinger all had two hits for Israel. Israel’s pitchers held the Nationals to only six hits, striking out nine.
Now the real WBC action begins for Israel. Israel will play all four of its games at the Marlins’ loanDepot Park, and each game will be broadcast on either FS1 or FS2. All times are ET:
Sunday at 12 p.m.: Israel vs. Nicaragua
Monday at 7 p.m.: Israel vs. Puerto Rico
Tuesday at 7 p.m.: Israel vs. Dominican Republic
Wednesday at 12 p.m.: Israel vs. Venezuela
Two teams from each pool advance, meaning Israel will likely need to win two games to make it to the next round. Be sure to follow us on Twitter @JTASportReport for daily coverage.
Jews in sports to watch this weekend
IN BASEBALL…
Team Israel’s full schedule is listed above. Rowdy Tellez, who is playing for Team Mexico, will be taking on Colombia tomorrow at 2:30 p.m. ET and Team USA Sunday at 10 p.m. ET.
IN HOCKEY…
Quinn Hughes and the Vancouver Canucks match up against Jakob Chychrun and his new squad the Ottawa Senators tomorrow at 10 p.m. ET. Sunday at 4 p.m. ET, Adam Fox and the New York Rangers play Jason Zucker and the Pittsburgh Penguins.
IN BASKETBALL…
The Washington Wizards and Deni Avdija, who has had his moments but is still seeking more consistency on the court, host the Atlanta Hawks tonight at 7 p.m. ET and face the Philadelphia 76ers Sunday at 6 p.m. ET. Ryan Turell and the Motor City Cruise play the Fort Wayne Mad Ants tomorrow at 7 p.m. ET.
IN GOLF…
Max Homa and David Lipsky are both competing in the PGA Players Championship this weekend down here in Florida. Homa is up to seventh in the PGA world rankings.
Join the Jewish Sport Report’s bracket challenge!
March Madness is here, which means it’s time to fill out those brackets. We created a bracket group on ESPN for Jewish Sport Report readers — join here! The password is “jsr2023.” You can create up to five brackets, and the winner of our group will win… our admiration! Come play and interact with fellow Jewish sports fans.
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Exclusive: Israeli Officials Harshly Critical of Steve Witkoff’s Influence on US Policy on Gaza, Iran, i24NEWS Told
US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, Washington, DC, Jan. 20, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Carlos Barria
i24 News – Amid growing disagreements with the Trump administration over the composition of the Board of Peace for Gaza and the question of a strike on Iran, officials in Israel point to a key figure behind decisions seen as running counter to Israeli interests: Special Envoy Steve Witkoff.
The officials mention sustained dissatisfaction with Witkoff. Sources close to the PM Netanyahu told i24NEWS on Saturday evening: “For several months now, the feeling has been that envoy Steve Witkoff has strong ties, for his own reasons, across the Middle East, and that at times the Israeli interest does not truly prevail in his decision-making.”
This criticism relates both to the proposed inclusion of Turkey and Qatar in Gaza’s governing bodies and to the Iranian threat. A senior Israeli official put it bluntly: “If it turns out that he is among those blocking a strike on Iran, that is far more than a coincidence.”
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EU Warns of Downward Spiral After Trump Threatens Tariffs Over Greenland
European Union flags flutter outside the EU Commission headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, on June 17, 2022. Photo: Reuters/Yves Herman
European Union leaders on Saturday warned of a “dangerous downward spiral” over US President Donald Trump‘s vow to implement increasing tariffs on European allies until the US is allowed to buy Greenland.
“Tariffs would undermine transatlantic relations and risk a dangerous downward spiral. Europe will remain united, coordinated, and committed to upholding its sovereignty,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and EU Council President Antonio Costa said in posts on X.
The bloc’s top diplomat Kaja Kallas said tariffs would hurt prosperity on both sides of the Atlantic, while distracting the EU from its “core task” of ending Russia’s war in Ukraine.
“China and Russia must be having a field day. They are the ones who benefit from divisions among allies,” Kallas said on X.
“Tariffs risk making Europe and the United States poorer and undermine our shared prosperity. If Greenland’s security is at risk, we can address this inside NATO.”
Ambassadors from the European Union’s 27 countries will convene on Sunday for an emergency meeting to discuss their response to the tariff threat.
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Israel Says US Gaza Executive Board Composition Against Its Policy
FILE PHOTO: Displaced Palestinians shelter at a tent camp in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, January 14, 2026. REUTERS/Haseeb Alwazeer/File Photo
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said on Saturday that this week’s Trump administration announcement on the composition of a Gaza executive board was not coordinated with Israel and ran counter to government policy.
It said Foreign Minister Gideon Saar would raise the issue with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
The statement did not specify what part of the board’s composition contradicted Israeli policy. An Israeli government spokesperson declined to comment.
The board, unveiled by the White House on Friday, includes Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan. Israel has repeatedly opposed any Turkish role in Gaza.
Other members of the executive board include Sigrid Kaag, the U.N. special coordinator for the Middle East peace process; an Israeli‑Cypriot billionaire; and a minister from the United Arab Emirates, which established relations with Israel in 2020.
Washington this week also announced the start of the second phase of President Donald Trump’s plan, announced in September, to end the war in Gaza. This includes creating a transitional technocratic Palestinian administration in the enclave.
The first members of the so-called Board of Peace – to be chaired by Trump and tasked with supervising Gaza’s temporary governance – were also named. Members include Rubio, billionaire developer Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner.