NYHS boys hoops shine on the court this season
Published 9:30 am Friday, February 27, 2026
Northwest Yeshiva High School (NYHS) head boys basketball coach Steve Bunin said the Lions accomplished some great things this season.
The class 1B locals amassed a 16-win season, notched four consecutive wins in elimination playoff games and defeated a 1A school (The Bush Academy) for what is believed to be the first time in school history.
After competing in the SeaTac 1B League and 1B Tri-District tournaments, NYHS’s season ended on Feb. 21 with a 63-44 district loss to Evergreen Lutheran in a winner-to-state, loser-out game at Muckleshoot Community Center. The team finished with a 16-11 overall record.
“It hurts right now, but we had a good season. We beat a 1A school and two 2B schools, and while we didn’t reach our goal of making state, we got further into districts than all but one boys team in school history,” said Bunin, adding that the team’s 16 wins were the second most in a NYHS season since 2015. “Evan Kaufthal epitomized Lions basketball, leading the state in assists and fiercely leading us into battle. I’m extremely proud of the boys, and for the foundation they’ve laid for the future.”
Some big-time scoring took place for the Lions, with four players averaging double digits: senior Kaufthal (16.1), junior Sam Weichbrodt (12.8), freshman Adin Goldsmith (10.9) and senior Sam Chernicoff (10.8).
Stellar stats for Kaufthal were scoring his 1,000th career point, leading all state classifications with 7.2 assists per game (per MaxPreps) and being the only player in Washington to average 16 points, seven rebounds and seven assists per game (per MaxPreps).
