Gefen Bar-Cohen ’20 powers his way past two defenders and plants the ball into the basket. The buzzer sounds. It’s a victory for PHS. From trailing Montgomery 17-25 at halftime, the Little Tigers fought their way back in the third and fourth quarters with Bar-Cohen’s 16 points and five rebounds. His quick work helped the team triumph 47-45 in a key match, carrying momentum through their 4 game winning streak.

Bar-Cohen’s success through his senior season comes from his early beginnings and passion for the game of basketball. Watching the Boston Celtics with his older brother and father from a very young age, Bar-Cohen knew for sure it was exactly what he wanted to pursue. As an avid fan, Bar-Cohen cites the Celtics’s 2008 championship run led by Paul Pierce, Rajon Rondo, and Kevin Garnett as key inspirations for his play style and work ethic. His passion for playing basketball carried on through middle and high school, earning him spots on varsity teams throughout the years.

However, Bar-Cohen’s journey to being the captain of the varsity team wasn’t without its hurdles. Met with the transition from the junior varsity to the varsity team during his sophomore year, Bar-Cohen found that he needed to make adjustments to his playing style inorder to keep up with the faster and more physical nature of his new team.

“It’s the difference between boys versus men. You’re playing kids that are a lot stronger and more physical than you,” Bar-Cohen said.

The team struggled during Bar-Cohen’s first year on the varsity team, finishing 4-20 for the season. But despite the rough finish, the challenging season further catalyzed Bar-Cohen’s striving towards the top.

“I’ve always known it was part of the process, [a] part of the game. I just knew that if I set my mind better, then everything would work out,” said Bar-Cohen. “I’ve always been motivated by the need for success. I want to go out there every day and try my hardest. I love looking up at the scoreboard at the end of every game … [to see] Princeton out scoring the other team [with] a feeling of success for my teammates, coaches, and myself,”

With his role as a member expanding alongside his experience and skill, the team also saw improvements the next year, ending the season with a 12-13 record as well as making the state tournament.

“I consider myself to be a good teammate. I want to make the people around me better, [so I] give up a couple shots to give my teammates [opportunities to score]. … I [also] consider myself a good shooter. I grew a lot in the last couple years, so I’ve added a lot of depth to my game,” said Bar-Cohen.

Head Coach Noone shares similar sentiments after having Gefen as a part of the team for the past few years. Attributing Bar-Cohen’s success to his unwavering dedication, Noone attests to Bar-Cohen’s skill on the court.

“His versatility, his ability to shoot, [and] his ability to score in the post. … Last year against North Brunswick, [Bar-Cohen] broke his nose. Unfortunately … we didn’t win, but that day he really showcased everything he had that day. If he didn’t break his nose in the last two minutes we probably would’ve won that game,” Noone said.

As the captain of the team, Bar-Cohen embraces his role as a leader, building team chemistry while keeping the team focused.

“We’re a really tight group of kids and I really enjoy playing with them. … [Although] we started off a little slow, [having] some issues executing down the stretch of games, we learned from our mistakes in the past, eliminating those silly turnovers [and] making sure that we make those open shots. And as of late, we’ve been playing a lot better down the stretch,” said Bar-Cohen. “I really want to keep on rolling with that, riding the momentum,”

With his graduation coming up this summer, Bar-Cohen plans on taking his passion to the next chapter of his life at the Kenyon College basketball team, bringing the same level of dedication and work-ethic from high school.

“I just really want to work hard for my playing time and add whatever I can for the team because I know it’s going to be a great experience and I’m looking forward to it,” said Bar- Cohen. “As Vince Lombardi once said, the only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary.”