Before we get into the meat of this story, I’d like you, the reader, to try and think of any famous Jewish athletes or sportspeople, and as you undoubtedly come up short, you’ll realise how impressive this achievement is.

New York’s Yeshiva University is far more likely to produce accountants, doctors, and rabbis than Basketball players, however, the third division college team is now making headlines around the world for their unexpected success. Over the weekend, the ‘Maccabees’ cruised to their 38th consecutive victory with a 105-52 win against Penn State Schuylkill.

As someone who has always blamed a combination of my height and religion for a lack of sporting abilities (especially when it comes to basketball), this news brings with it mixed emotions. While I’m happy for the unexpected success of my brethren and the breaking of stereotypes, I can’t help but feel slightly jealous that the athletes in this team have been blessed with the rare gift of athletic superiority, something once thought extinct within Jewish genes.

Much of the Maccabees’ success over the last two seasons can be attributed to star player Ryan Turrell, who turned down offers from Div-1 schools to attend Yeshiva. Standing at 6 ft 7 inches with long blonde hair, it’s fair to say that the only stereotypically Jewish part of him is tucked in his undies during each game. While commentators have stated that he could easily make it in the European League, he’ll be pushing hard to grab the attention of NBA scouts and hopefully, become the second-ever Div-3 player to make the league, after the Heat’s Duncan Robinson.