Harrison’s Coby Lefkowitz Turning Heads

Harrison standout Coby Lefkowitz is having an outstanding season down in Section One this season. Lefkowitz, the son of U. Penn. Hall of Famer Bruce Lefkowitz, is averaging 20 points, 10 rebounds and 4 blocked shots a game for 5-2 Harrison so far this season.
“Coby is a 6’5” slasher with 3-point range. Coby has a scorer’s mentality and is particularly strong going to the basket,” his father Bruce said in a recent interview with Upstate Scouting.

One coach compared Lefkowitz to Manu Ginobili,  according to his father- an accurate description of Coby’s game at the high school level.  Coby is big and strong enough to handle his business down low, evidenced by his double-digit rebounding stats. His long wingspan allows him to block shots and create problems defensively.  He also is athletic enough in the backcourt to handle the ball and take his defender off the dribble and has excellent court vision. “This season he has proven to be a difficult matchup as he is too quick for bigger players and too tall for smaller guards,” his father Bruce said.

Coby is currently garnering interest from Ivy League and NESCAC schools. His ultimate goal is to play for an Ivy or Patriot League school and be a solid contributor for a basketball program at a strong academic school. Along with his play on the court, Lefkowitz also excels in the classroom, posting a 92 average at Harrison.

As he continues to grow into his body and improve athletically, his best years are still ahead of him. He has progressed significantly from last season on the court. Lefkowitz is averaging seven more points and four more rebounds, plus he has improved in other areas of his game. During the offseason, while playing with AAU program Frenji, Lefkowitz had the opportunity to grow as a player while playing in tournaments all around the country. “Coby’s biggest improvement has been ball handling. He is more confident with the ball and has been very strong going to the basket. He learned how to be the ‘man’ within the framework of a team system. He wants the ball and has dramatically improved shot selection,” remarked Bruce Lefkowitz.

The younger Lefkowitz is attempting to turn around the program at Harrison, a predominantly football school, and help establish a basketball tradition for the Huskies. Last season, Harrison,  behind the play of Lefkowitz, won its first sectional game, and they already have impressive victories this year over teams such as Sacred Heart and Horace Greely. According to his father, Coby has two goals in mind in his final two seasons at Harrison: “A league championship (first in school history) and a trip to the Westchester County Center for the Section 1 Final Four.”

Ross Bentley-Staff writer