It's never easy to put a finger, statistically speaking, on what exactly depth means to a high school boys' basketball team.
But let's try this one on for size:
In Harrisburg's 68-49 victory over Chambersburg Friday night in the teams' Mid-Penn Commonwealth finale, here's what the champion Cougars did:
Nine players scored at least four points.
Six players grabbed at least four rebounds.
Five players dished out at least two assists.
And six players accumulated at least two steals.
Add it up, and Harrisburg is the unbeaten, unblemished title holder in arguably the state's toughest division, top to bottom.
Kirk Smallwood's Cougars (20-1, 14-0), who close out their regular season Sunday vs. Cape Henry (Va.) in Atlantic City, N.J., overwhelmed the visiting Trojans (13-7, 8-6) Friday night at Kimber Gymnasium.
And they did it because so many on this roster get things done.
Yes, senior forward Shaquon Sheppard posted a game-high 22 points on 10-of-16 shooting, but the systematic dismissal of Beau Gantz's Chambersburg side began in the first quarter – when 10 Cougars hit the floor vs. only the Trojans' starting five – and ended with another relatively breezy victory.
“I knew [entering the season] we had a nice mix of interior play as well as perimeter play, and I knew if we could mesh them together and put everybody in the right spots, that we'd be able to put up points,” said Smallwood, whose Cougars are again champions of the Commonwealth after surrendering last year's title to Central Dauphin.
“They like playing with each other. As long as they play defense and play their role, they're going to touch the floor. So that's been working out pretty well for us. They cheer for one another, and that's a good situation to be in.”
Ashtin Cooksey-Easter, James Ezell and Jahaad Procter each added eight points. Steven Stoney scored five to go along with five rebounds, five assists and two steals. Donald Ralls scored five. Jerel Patterson, Dom Lewis and Chris Britton scored four points each, with Britton grabbing a game-high eight rebounds to accompany two assists, two steals and two blocks.
“This means a lot,” said Sheppard, who added five rebounds. “I've never gone undefeated in a division before. Everything's looking good.”
Added Britton, a Division I football recruit who was selected to play in this summer's Big 33 game: “We just play as a family. We don't worry about nobody else. We play together as one. We know we're not going to get all the calls because we play physical, so we foul a lot. We try not to complain. We just play hard.”
CLICK HERE FOR THE VIDEO INTERVIEW WITH SHEPPARD AND BRITTON
Chambersburg held a 13-12 lead after one quarter, but an electric six-point surge to start the second quarter put the Cougars in front to stay. Sheppard scored on a put-back, then took a feed from Jamaal Carter to score inside. Cooksey-Easter followed with a steal and layup.
By halftime, Harrisburg led by 10. Though the Trojans chopped back within five in the third quarter, Harrisburg's advantage was double-digits over the game's final 12 minutes.
Overall, the Cougars attempted twice as many shots as Chambersburg (66 to 33), held a decisive rebounding advantage (43-24) and forced 24 Trojans turnovers.
It might not always be pretty, but Gantz, a former Cougars coach, respects at least part of it.
“They wear you down,” said Gantz, whose team was led by 10 points from Kellen Williams and nine each from athletic forwards Evason Ogbonna (six blocks) and Mitch Stahl (five assists).
“They play 12-13 kids every night, and they're unselfish. I don't think they're a very good basketball team, but they're good together as a team, and they play together, and that's what I think helps them.”
Asked what he thinks would be needed to beat Harrisburg, which is ranked No. 3 in the state and boasts a 17-game winning streak, the free-speaking Gantz said you need to take care of the ball, match the Cougars on the glass, and boast comparable depth.
Easier said than done.
“Like I said, they're not very good offensively, but they do go after the ball, and they will offensive rebound the basketball [21 total Friday night],” Gantz continued. “They don't have anybody who's going to cut and score and do those kinds of things, but when they throw it up on the glass, they go get it.
“You just have to have the bench. Our kids were tired. Fourth quarter our kids were tired. I think McCaskey [which Harrisburg beat 99-94 in overtime on Dec. 8], in my opinion, will beat them [in the District 3-AAAA playoffs] simply because they play 13 kids, too. But they're long. Their front six are all 6-7, and they're going to be able to rebound, and they're just as quick as [Harrisburg]. It will become a chess match with those two. You just have to worry about matching their intensity every play for 32 minutes.”
Hey, it's not Harrisburg without new challenges around every corner. But the goals of this year's program are clear.
Said Britton and Sheppard, almost in unison, when asked about the postseason goals: “Mid-Penn Conference championship. District championship. State championship.”
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