Steinmetz, who is Orthodox, ensured that the players stayed with Orthodox families and that food was provided by a kosher caterer. Touring was done on Shabbos, so the religious players opted out. Some of the non-religious players wanted to opt out as well in solidarity.

The next few days were a whirlwind of victories as the American team dominated the competition. It destroyed the Israel team, 69-30, before defeating a non-Jewish Sydney all-star team, the Comets, 88-73.

Feld scored an average of 30 points per game. As a guard who stands over six feet, Feld may actually be the best player in the Yeshiva league. As a sophomore, he was the first student in a decade to make the MTA varsity basketball team; he scored his 1,000th point earlier this year.

“He’s a six-foot guard, he shoots at the three-point-line off the dribble and he’s pretty unstoppable by the basket,” said Daniel Gibber, coach of the MTA Lions. “He’s a good ballplayer and a better kid.”

Feld credited his success to the rest of his teammates.

“It makes my job easier when you got really good players to play with,” Feld said. “They couldn’t focus on everyone.”

Rosenberg averaged 25 points a game with rebounds in the double digits.

“He’s the nicest kid I’ve ever coached. Intelligent,” said Hoenig. “A nice all-around kid and that’s more important than basketball, though basketball counts.”

After a rematch with the Comets that Team USA won in overtime, the squad moved to the championships versus Australia, its initial opponent.

Steinmetz said that the only thrill of the game was when one of the team’s youngest players, who had not scored a point during the tournament, was fouled at the final buzzer. He took two foul shots and managed to hit one.

“It was like the last second of a one-point game,” Steinmetz said.

When he made the shot, Steinmetz said, the team went wild.

The point, though, didn’t much matter as the final score was 97-80.

Both Feld and Rosenberg said they believed the event had been a kiddush Hashem, a sanctification of G-d’s name.

“We were respectful and that definitely helped,” Rosenberg said. “We wore our kippot to show our pride and we won.“