By Frank Sinatra, AAP Editor
Pennsauken native and PHS grad Yaxel Lendeborg is a national champion with Michigan. On April 6, the First Team All American and Big Ten Player of the Year helped the Wolverines beat the UConn Huskies for the NCAA men’s basketball title.
Yaxel played the entire first half of the championship game, but was clearly impacted by the ankle and MCL injuries he sustained in the Final Four game against Arizona. Coming out of the locker room for the second half, Lendeborg played more aggressively and took advantage of mismatches against UConn players. Even not at full strength, Yaxel recorded 13 points, 2 rebounds, and 1 assist to help the Wolverines win their first NCAA title since 1989.
“I’m the new guy here and they welcomed me with open arms, shown nothing but love to me, so this is the least I could do,” said Lendeborg during a post-game interview on TBS. “No matter how bad or how good I was playing, I was going to be on that floor no matter what. We’re the best team in college basketball, and we want to be one of the greatest ever.”
While only playing one season at Pennsauken High School, Yaxel made 54 2-pointers, as well as 27 free throws, helping the Indians go 9-1 in the 2019 season. From there, he played three seasons at Arizona Western Junior College, then had two seasons at University of Alabama at Birmingham, before entering the transfer portal to play for Michigan. During the Wolverine’s 2025-26 season, Yaxel played in 39 games with 38 starts, averaging a team-high 15.1 points per game. He shot 81.9 percent from the free throw line and averaged 6.9 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.2 blocks, and 1.2 steals per game. Lendeborg was dominant during tournament play, averaging over 21 points per game, including a 28-point performance in the Elite Eight.
Yaxel credits his mother, Yissel, for inspiring him to do better in school and excel on the basketball court.
“I owe you everything. You mean the world to me,” said Yaxel during the NCAA trophy presentation on TBS. “You’re a superwoman. I wouldn’t be here without you, and I’m going to do everything I can to make sure you’re okay forever.”
