For Alex August, the Berman Hebrew Academy boys varsity basketball game last week was unlike any other before it even started.
For four years, August has lit up the scoreboard for Berman, averaging over 20 points per game in each year he has played for them. He’s been a standout for the school since he reached high school age. And typically, all he feels before a game is excitement. But not last week, as he was on the precipice of scoring his 3,000th career point.
“I don’t usually get nervous for games at all, but for that game, I was super, super nervous,” August said. “It was a really special moment. I was happy that a teammate passed it to me, because I feel like it was a group effort. I don’t think I’m responsible for all 3,000 points, so I was very happy that [the 3,000th point] came off an assist.”
While August has been on the Berman varsity team for four years, he has been on the radar of the coaching staff for much longer. Head Coach Yonah Singer said that August has been a hot commodity since he began playing competitive basketball, calling him and one other teammate “unstoppable” in middle school.
“When he was in eighth grade, there was a feeling of, ‘Hey, this is going to be a special player,’” Singer said.
August has terrific court vision, is Berman’s best passer and is a solid rebounder, according to Singer. But the best part of his game is his shooting. August lights it up from three-point range, shooting 40% from deep last season on high volume. When he joined the team as a freshman, Singer had him play the role of spot-up shooter, as veteran players handled the ball and ran the offense.
This year, he has evolved from the team’s best scorer to the team’s engine, taking on a much more ball-dominant role and developing his game holistically.
“I feel like this year, I really elevated my game, because [we lost] a lot of seniors [from] last year, and there were a lot of ball handlers, so I had to kind of take over the role of being the ball handler, slasher and shooter. So, I kind of play an all-around game now,” August said.
For someone like August, who has dominated competition since he was a freshman, the logical next step is college hoops. However, August is also a devout Jew. He wears his kippah every game and will spend next year studying in Israel before figuring out his next basketball move.
“I’m definitely taking a gap year in Israel,” he said. “I was talking to a college coach, and he told me that it’s a great idea because you’re just so much more mature when you come back. For religious people, you go learn about Judaism and why you do it and how you do it, and it’s just a way to connect more to the land. You mature so much, and then you’re ready for college.”
Singer said he thinks that August is probably best suited for Division II or III college basketball due to his stature. Despite the fact that he lights it up on the court, August stands just shy of 6 feet tall.
“I hope to play at the next level,” August said. “College, maybe professional. That’s definitely something I dream of.”
Becoming an elite shooter takes hours and hours of repetition. Singer said that he has seen August work for years at his craft.
“If there’s a day when he doesn’t have anything, he’s working on the side with a trainer. He puts in extra time. He works on his game,” Singer said.
August’s accomplishment reflects more than years and years of 20- and 30-point games. It reflects all the hours he has put in outside of the games. That and the teammates and coaches he has been surrounded by, who he largely credits with creating an environment that has allowed him to thrive.
“[My teammates] are all my best friends. I’ve been playing with them ever since I was young, and some of the coaches are my family friends. It’s just a very warm, family feel. Everyone knows each other, and we’ve even had some new guys come into the team, and they’re welcomed with open arms,” August said. “It makes it more comfortable. And when I scored the 3,000th point, everyone came to hug me. It’s just the type of team we are — we’re a family.”
