Since putting a single player on one of Pennsylvania’s all-state basketball teams is mighty difficult and often maddening — even when squads enjoy terrific seasons — imagine trying to get a pair of players on there at the same time.
Oh, it happens.
And when the latest set of teams were revealed on Friday, there were several instances of multiple players from the same outfit landing all-state recognition — including several from PennLive’s sizable coverage area.
One pair even resides in the same Susquehanna Twp. household.
Talk about a rarity.
Yet while sophomore Nehemiah “Bud” Mack was awarded a first-team berth on the Class AAA unit selected by a panel of Pennsylvania sports writers, senior Gabe Mack was parked among the talented group that reeled in third-team recognition.
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“That’s probably the best part about it, because we wanted to accomplish all this stuff together,” Gabe Mack said. “We did. And that’s just the best thing about it.”
“When we were younger, we always talked about accomplishing all these things,” Bud Mack recalled. And then this year, they all came to life.
“It was like we were living a dream, so it was good.”
Good works.
So, too, does sensational.
Remarkable? Absolutely.
What was good, sensational and even remarkable about Susquehanna Twp.’s recently completed season was encapsulated by the postseason run the Indians embarked on that began with a victory over Northern Lebanon at the Field House, included a District 3-AAA championship and concluded with a berth in the PIAA Class AAA final.
And while Vince Rogers’ Indians (23-8) tumbled in overtime to national power and four-time state champ Neumann-Goretti in a Class AAA title game that was televised across the state, individual recognition was bound to follow.
Not only for one Mack brother, but both of them.
Same for Rogers, who was tagged the Class AAA coach of the year by the same panel of sports writers that found room for both Macks in the all-state package.
Rogers, whose Indians claimed 19 of their final 23 outings, also won in 2008.
“I’m truly blessed, to be honest with you,” Rogers said. “I think it’s a blessing from God to even be in this situation. Being named coach of the year one time [is quite an honor], but twice it’s a true blessing.
“I owe it to the Mack kids, to be honest with you. I owe it to the rest of the kids that’s in our program, that when I call them up on a Saturday and it could be 87 degrees out, they’re not ducking me, they’re coming to the gym. And also my coaching staff, John Ruby, Terrence Williams, [Larry Holley and Doran Dickerson].
“They’ve been fabulous. It takes all that,” Rogers continued. “I give all the credit to the kids on the team and my coaching staff.”
Count Gabe Mack, the Indians’ 5-10 lead guard, among the appreciative.
“Coach, man, he’s been great — especially for all of my four years,” Gabe Mack said. “Been through it all from the beginning. Freshman year, we went through it. Sophomore year, we went through fire. So my junior and senior years, I knew it could only get better. And he just stayed with me, all four years.
“This year, he said, ‘Just take over this year’s team.’ I was trying to score at the beginning of the year and I was like, ‘I don’t think I’ve got to score. I think [Bud’s] got to score.’ So then, Coach is like, ‘You need to get everyone involved more.’
“So I took a step back from scoring, and I told [Bud] I’ll get you the ball,” Gabe Mack added. “I told [Quintin Ward] and everybody else, I was like, ‘I’ll score when I have to, but I just want to do whatever I have to do.’
“Coach backed me with everything I did. He’s a great coach.”
And Gabe Mack produced.
Actually, both Mack brothers produced.
While Bud Mack paced the Indians by scoring 17.8 points per game — Bud Mack canned 59 treys while shooting better than 50 percent from beyond the arc, but he also shot 80 percent from the line — the 6-0 sophomore also dropped five dimes per outing while often drawing a tough on-ball defensive assignment.
Tagged the most valuable player of the District 3-AAA tournament by PennLive, Bud Mack’s scoring average jumped to 19.7 ppg in Township’s nine postseason outings. No wonder schools such as Drexel, Norfolk State, Radford, Temple, Holy Cross, Bucknell, Boston University and Rider are showing plenty of interest.
“Last year, I didn’t really score as much,” Bud Mack said, referring to one of the areas of his game that he’s really improved upon. “I was like hesitant at scoring the ball. This year, me and my brother talked and he was like, ‘I’m gonna get you the ball any way I can, you just gotta score.’ So he pushed me through that.
“And Coach told me, ‘Show me that you’re an all-state player and the best shooting guard in the area — and one of the best in the state.’ I just showed him.”
Friday’s announcement merely cemented his status.
“I’m a sophomore and I really don’t know any sophomores that made first-team all-state … ever … in this area,” Bud Mack continued. “So this year was good. Made [PennLive’s] Big 15 and that was a good experience and now first-team all-state.
“It’s just getting better as the days go by.”
For both Mack brothers.
Gabe Mack, who like his brother can defend, slice to the rim and fire from deep, tossed in 45 rips from beyond the arc and shot 70 percent from the line.
He’s getting looks from D-II schools such as Bloomsburg, West Chester and Seton Hill. And then there’s that scholarship offer from Mansfield.
“I was definitely excited [about landing an all-state berth],” Gabe Mack admitted. “I’ve put in a lot of hard work to get here, so it definitely capped off my year great. To play in a state title game, win a District 3 title, Big 15 first team, now all-state.
“Everything definitely worked out.”
Willingly arriving at the Field House before school for 90-minute workouts that typically began at 5:30 a.m., the Macks also can be found in the gym after school and even later in the evening. Day after day after day after day.
Even before games.
“We know the janitors personally,” Gabe Mack cracked. “My dad [Steve] and [former CD East star] Jon [Breeden], he’ll come in, practice with us.
“My dad, I don’t really know what to say about him. He does everything. He works sun up to sun down, then he gets off work to come here. He’ll have almost the whole team in here working them all out. And then we’ll just come back later.
“Hard work really does pay off.”
“It’s a testament to these kids to rise above the cream of the crop in Pennsylvania and be named all-state,” Rogers said. “That’s a true testament to all the hard work they put in, the dedication, the sacrifice. … When it’s nice outside and everyone else is doing this and this, these kids are in the gym getting up a lot of shots.
“Doing their dribbling drills. They’re putting in all that work. I’m glad they actually made it. Now it shows everyone in our program that this is what hard work can do.”
At the same time, the Macks are willing to offer advice to future Indians players.
“We left school and we went to Sara Lindemuth [Elementary],” Gabe Mack said. “We went over there just to talk to some of the kids and see some of our old teachers. And when I got the news [on Twitter], it kind of showed.
“They use us as inspiration and to see that, it was really amazing, just for those young kids because I know they have all the dreams in the world,” Gabe Mack added. “[For us to make all-state] is an inspiration to show them how hard we worked and this is what can happen.”
And, despite their sparkling accomplishments, don’t expect these guys to slow down any time soon. It’s just not part of their makeup, their DNA.
“I can definitely use this,” Gabe Mack said. “Just to know where I am and how much further I can go to get better as a player.”
“Same with me,” Bud Mack echoed. “It just showed me that all my hard work since I was so little, it just escalated. Now I’m accomplishing a lot.”
“It doesn’t come easy,” Rogers added. “If you want to do some special things.”
Such as play in a state final … and land on the same all-state team.
As brothers.
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