Red Knights’ senior Ashanti Chapman plays with ‘the heart of a lion’

By Sean McBryan — MikeDragoSports.com correspondent

There’s been a Chapman on a Reading High basketball roster since 2018 and likely will for several years to come. The positive impact the family has had on the court and community doesn’t have an end date.

“Joey and Nick started playing when we moved from Puerto Rico to Reading,” said Ashanti Chapman, a senior on the Red Knights’ girls team. “I would just watch them play and then I started playing in eighth grade. I learned a lot about basketball from my brothers and still am.”

The Chapmans moved to Reading in 2010. Eight years later Joey suited up for the Red Knights varsity team as a freshman and was a key piece on the Red Knights’ PIAA Class 6A championship team in 2021. Nick is a junior guard for the Red Knights. Ashanti, the middle child, is a four-year varsity player.

Along with her brothers, Ashanti looks up to and learns quality life lessons from their mom Carmen, a single mother who never made excuses. Her strong influence can be seen in Ashanti’s play on the basketball court. Ashanti is the heart and soul of the Red Knights.

“My mom has always been my No. 1 supporter,” Chapman said. “From an early age she has taught me to stand up for what I believe in and for what was right. I learned that what is right is not always what is easiest. She led by example.”

“She loves and is motivated by her mom being a strong, independent woman,” Reading High girls basketballl coach Rashida Suber said.

“That gives (Ashanti) the courage knowing she can do anything she puts her mind to. She fears no one and has the heart of a lion.”

Chapman stands only 5-2 but doesn’t let that diminish her impact on the court.

Offensively, Chapman is the Red Knights’ main orchestrator and ballhandler.

Her opponent better not be loose with the ball or Chapman will swipe it. She’s averaging five steals per game.

Chapman enjoyed a quick yet seamless learning curve.

Just a year after playing organized basketball for the first time she saw varsity minutes as a freshman. She scored five points in the BCIAA championship loss to Gov. Mifflin that season.

She boosted her scoring average by over seven points in her sophomore season to 8.5 points, second on the team.

Chapman averaged 7.6 points per game last season as the Red Knights went 13-11 and lost to Wilson 37-34 in the league semifinals.

“Honestly, it was a tough loss,” Chapman said. “We had a lot of talks (about that game). With this group coming up, I think we’ve got what it takes. We just have to put it all together.”

Chapman is averaging 9.0 points this season, third on the team. The Red Knights are 5-3 after winning the Reading Invitational Tournament.

With Chapman running the show, Yamilex Rodriguez’s offensive prowess (10.0 points per game), and the emergence of Tamyia Collier (10.9 points per game), the Red Knights are positioned to challenge Berks Catholic for the Berks I title.

The Saints are 3-0 in league play; the Red Knights are in a three-way tie for second with Wilson and Gov. Mifflin, each at 2-1. The Red Knights are seeking their first league championship since 2010.

“Last year we just wanted to let our name be known out there since nobody was putting us out there,” Chapman said. “It’s not going to be easy to beat us this year.”

Chapman wants to play at the college level. Suber said her willingness to learn and work hard will make her an asset in whatever path comes next.

“She is just an amazing young lady to be around and I’m glad I had the pleasure of coaching her all four years,” Suber said. “It will definitely be bittersweet when she graduates.”