Being counted out against Reading High nothing new for Warwick
Warwick basketball coach Chris Christensen says his team has embraced its underdog role in the District 3 Class 6A Tournament.
That’s a good thing, because the seventh-seeded Warriors will take the floor at Giant Center Saturday at 7:45 as a considerable long shot against the defending champ, top-seeded Reading High.
“It’s been a cool ride,” Christensen said after seeing his team knock off second-seeded Cumberland Valley and third-seeded Central Dauphin, both on the road, the latest by 13 points. “It’s been pretty special being a lower seed and having to play some bigger teams from the Mid-Penn to get here. We’re excited about being here.”
The Warriors (20-5) have reached a district championship game for the first time since 1984.
During that span the Red Knights (24-3) have made Giant Center, and before that Hersheypark Arena, a second home, of sorts.
Reading High has won six championships since 2004 and been in 11 title games since the Warriors last made one. This is their fifth straight trip to the district finals and the eighth year in a row they have played at Giant Center.
Last year’s district title game was played at Berks Catholic, the Red Knights’ COVID home, because Giant Center wasn’t utilized for districts due to the pandemic.
Twice in recent years, including last year, Reading High celebrated a PIAA championship in Hershey.
“Clearly they’ve been to the Giant Center a few more times than we have,” Christensen deadpanned.
The Red Knights won’t be at full strength for this one, or in the PIAA Tournament, which begins for them Wednesday at the Geigle (opponent to be determined).
Senior wing Daniel Alcantara is done for the season after breaking his hand against Wilson Feb. 25; he had surgery Thursday. The Red Knights played without him for the first time in Tuesday’s semifinal, a 46-39 win over Cedar Cliff.
They missed his scoring, outside shooting ability and his length — at 6-5 he was the tallest player in the rotation — but made up for his loss with increased passion, if that’s possible for a group that always leaves it all out on the floor.
“We understood that, yes, he’s no longer with us,” said senior center Xavier Davis, “but with or without him we have to continue to reach the next level. We want to maintain that level of intensity, we want to maintain that work ethic.”
“We still hope he comes back,” said senior Joey Chapman, who took Alcantara’s spot in the starting lineup, and wore his No. 21 jersey, “but right now we’ll go play with the team we have right now and play with a different intensity.”
Davis and Chapman, though just 6-2 and 6-1, respectively, played tough interior defense against Cedar Cliff’s much Houser brothers, who go 6-9 and 6-10. Meanwhile, Myles Grey, Amier Burdine, Ruben Rodriguez and Aris Rodriguez fronted a fullcourt press that was exhausting to watch, let alone play against. They forced seven first-quarter turnovers and 19 overall.
“We’re well aware of what Reading does, and their strength,” said Christensen. “I have so much respect for Coach (Rick) Perez and the program he’s built, and what they do. They’re the standard of programs in District 3. We expect to see the same thing from them (even without Alcantara), with (other) guys stepping up.”
The Warriors feature the top player in Section 2 of the Lancaster-Lebanon League, Tate Landis, a 5-11 guard who averages 17.8 points and has 41 3-pointers. He’ll play next season at York College.
Their strength, however, is their scoring balance. Each of their other four starters averages between 7.8 and 9.0 points and they all shoot 3’s. And they’ve got firepower off the bench: Sixth man Chas Krall hit three 3-pointers in the first half against Central Dauphin, helping the Warriors build a 38-26 halftime lead.
They made 7-of-10 3-pointers in the first half against the Rams.
“When we’ve got everybody making shots and everybody clicking we’re pretty good,” Christensen said. “As good as Tate is, and Tate’s our main guy, the other guys have all had some pretty big games at different times.”
Warwick hasn’t played the kind of schedule Reading has, or faced the kind of heat the Red Knights will bring. The Warriors lost twice to Section 2 rival Conestoga Valley, which finished 11-11, and twice to Section 1 champ Hempfield, most recently by 52-48 in the league playoffs.
Christensen said Conestoga Valley had the most athletic guards his team has faced. Until now, of course. The Warriors will see a whole different level of in-your-face pressure against the Red Knights.
“We get underestimated a little bit, and we’re okay with that,” he said. “When we go into a gym we know we have to play hard every night, and if we don’t play hard we’re not going to win. Every night we try to empty the tank, and our guys expect to do nothing different on Saturday.”
