Zevi Samet Passes 1000 Career Points on the Macs in 46 Games, Beating Turell’s Record

Zevi Samet (YC ‘26) passed 1000 career points in his 46th game for the YU Maccabees last season, achieving the milestone faster than any of the 32 players in Yeshiva University history to have reached it. Ryan Turell (YC ‘22), a former Macs player who now plays for the Motor City Cruise previously held the record, having hit 1000 points in his 47th game. 

Samet broke this record with a three-pointer scored with 13 minutes left in the first half in the Macs’ game against the Manhattanville Valiants in a game that the Macs would go on to win 72-59. Samet is the only player on the current team to have surpassed the 1000-point milestone.

“I’m so grateful to Hashem for allowing me to achieve this accomplishment,” Samet said in a statement to The Commentator. “I am very grateful to my coaches and teammates who helped me achieve this milestone. I hope this milestone encourages EVERYONE to keep pursuing their goals.”

Samet, hailing from Monsey, New York, grew up playing basketball throughout his life. He played on the Torah Academy of Bergen County (TABC) basketball team in high school before coming to YU and joining the Macs. His efforts have contributed to the Macs’ success this year, making it all the way to the Skyline Conference finals before losing to Farmingdale State in the championship game.

Despite the loss, many have hope for the Macs’s future. Samet “will only get better,” Akiva Poppers (SSSB ‘22), former executive producer of MacsLive, told The Commentator. The stats back it up as well. Samet ended his first season playing for the Macs with 558 points, the most of any rookie for YU ever. He surpassed that this year, scoring 636 points for the season. 

Samet’s friends had praise for his accomplishments, especially how he manages to play while still spending significant time in the beit medrash. 

“Zevi is a kind, genuine friend who works hard for what he believes in. Despite playing ball early each morning, he devotes just as much time, if not more, to learning; as he told me three sedarim of learning and two sedarim of ball,” Mordechai Shmerler (YC ‘25) told The Commentator. “He embodies everything YU stands for; living Torah and being a part of the world. I am proud and excited to see how far he goes.”

When asked if he had a message to give to the YU student body, Samet answered “remember, anything worth anything requires hard work!!”

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Photo Caption: Zevi Samet (YC ‘26) playing basketball

Photo Credit: Yeshiva University