Teens Play Where Big Guys Strut Their Stuff

As the March 26 basketball game at the Wachovia Center wore on and became increasingly competitive, one player on each team stood out -- both rebounding skillfully, hustling for loose balls and making clutch baskets.

No, they were not Andre Iguodala of the Philadelphia 76ers and Ben Gordon of the Chicago Bulls. They'd already finished their game a few minutes earlier with the 76ers winning 121-99. The two players this time were 17-year-old Julian Sherman and 15-year-old Bryan Cowan, whose teams faced off in the Junior Jewish Basketball League championship on the same court -- while most of the 18,000-person crowd made their way home.

Bryan Cowan (left), 15, and Julian Sherman, 17, led two Junior Jewish Basketball League teams that tipped off on the Wachovia Center court.

Those who did stay -- mostly family and friends -- were treated to a close, gritty ballgame. Playing for the team sponsored by Olympic Embroidery in Philadelphia, Sherman used his considerable size and strength to dominate inside and make easy rebounds and layups. Cowan, however, always seemed to have an answer. His slicing speed and shooting ability kept his team -- sponsored by the law firm of Wapner, Newman, Wigrizer & Brecher -- right in the game.

Formed in 1985, the JJBL this year featured 315 kids from second grade through high school. In recent years, the 10th- to 12th-graders from the senior boys division have played their championship game at the center.

Both teams in the final game had gone 11-3 during the regular season and finished as part of a three-way tie for first place.

In the championship, the Wapner team was forced to play with considerable effort, since it only had five players and no substitutions. Three key players were missing due to injury. Still, the team hung in, and, at halftime, the electronic scoreboards around the arena showed that they were only down one point.

Mark Schwartz, who coached the Wapner squad, couldn't say enough about his five guys.

"Our team hustled and tried as hard as they could," he said.

During most of the second half, the Olympic Embroidery team held the lead, but Wapner always managed to keep the score within a few points. In the end, however, Olympic Embroidery pulled away for good and won 37-30.

Sherman said that just being on the 76ers' home court gave him a boost of adrenaline.

"This is an experience of a lifetime," he said. "I mean, Michael Jordan played on this court!"

Although on the losing end, Cowan was quick to describe the experience as "amazing."

"It was a lot of fun. It was a tough game but they outhustled us. We could have won but, at the end, we couldn't make shots."

Walking out with his team, Olympic Embroidery coach Judd Davis said teamwork had been the key to victory.

"My kids were real fighters the entire season, and I watched them develop from the beginning of the season to the championship game," he said. "They are a great group of kids."

"It's a great league and a great aspect to the Jewish community," added Davis. "It's a great outlet for the kids to play basketball who might not be varsity level in high school."