The week in Jewish sports

Top of the week: The Philadelphia 76ers announced today the team will retire the late Dolph Schayes’ jersey number in a special halftime ceremony on Jan. 23 when the team hosts the Boston Celtics. Schayes died last Dec. 10, at the age of 87.

Best of the rest: Nate Ebner and the New England Patriots beat the visiting Kansas City Chiefs, 27-20, on Jan. 17, to move on to the AFC title game against the Broncos on Jan. 24 in Denver…. Noah Rubin (USA) and Dudi Sela (Israel) won their first-round matches at the Australian Open. Jewish players already eliminated from the event include Shahar Peer, Julia Gushko, and Amir Weintraub of Israel; Camila Girorgio of Italy; and Peter Polansky of Canada…. Omri Casspi returned to action after missing several games for the Sacramento Kings with back problems. He scored 17 points in 30 minutes off the bench in a 110-103 win over the LA Clippers on Jan. 18…. The Oakland Athletics re-signed infielder Danny Valencia to a one-year contract for $3.15 million…. The second annual SLAMDiabetes Sam Fuld Tampa Classic raised $50,000 at their Jan. 16 fund-raiser this year. Fuld suffers from Type 1 diabetes (read more at tinyurl.com/FuldDiabetes)…. Looking back: Swimmer Mark Spitz was named Associated Press athlete of the Year on Jan. 23, 1972. He joined baseball’s Sandy Koufax (twice) and Lou Boudreau and tennis player Helen Jacobs as one of the Jews to receive the award…. Birthday greetings: Steve Birnbaum, DC United (Major League Soccer, 25 on Jan. 23…. Super Bowl IV alumnus Bob Stein, 68 on Jan. 22.