Central York survives slugfest over Parkland to win historic basketball state championship
Ben Rill saw the ball moving in slow motion.
Ryan Brown's heart dropped.
Jeff Hoke had one thought: "Please god no."
Greg Guidinger had a different thought: "Just go get the ball."
Parkland's Blake Nassry got a clean look for a game-winning 3-pointer, but his shot with 2.5 seconds left missed the rim. Guidinger wrapped up the rebound like he was protecting a small child as the final tenths of a second ticked away.
Despite needing to cling to a lead for most of the second half, despite missing too many free throws down the stretch, despite taking fifth place in District 3, despite having never been here before ... Central York had done it.
The Panthers beat Parkland, 53-51, in the PIAA Class 6A boys' basketball championship game at Hershey's Giant Center Saturday night. It was the first state title in program history.
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"When I saw that ball go up, I thought: 'If the ball goes in, it goes in. But I'm gonna make darn sure if it comes off I'm going to get that rebound,'" Guidinger said. "You're just so locked into the moment. No 32 minutes are ever perfect.
"That's what makes it even sweeter. We had to bust our butts and work hard. There were so many moments we could've caved, but every time somebody punched us, we punched back even harder.
"This is so deserving."
What it means
The Panthers are the first YAIAA basketball team to win a state title in the largest classification.
Central York is the first non-private school from the YAIAA to win a state basketball title.
This Central York squad (29-3) was the more talented team in perhaps every game it played this season. But the Panthers faced hype and pressure that few teams in York County have ever faced. And they had just one senior starter.
They were upset by local rival Red Lion in the District 3 Class 6A quarterfinals but won seven in a row — including a payback win over the Lions in the second round of states — to finish off the storybook season.
And they faced an opponent Saturday night also hungry to make history. Parkland had made the state final in 2004, but never won a PIAA championship. That 2004 Trojans squad was the last team from the Lehigh Valley to reach a state final in the largest classification.
The two teams resembled heavyweight fighters in front of a packed Giant Center crowd that included Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro Saturday night — trading blows until they were both holding onto each other and the ropes at the end, too tired to deliver a knock-out blow.
Ultimately, the Panthers survived.
"I think I just felt relief that these guys didn't have to go through (a loss)," Hoke, the head coach, said afterward. "These guys are like my sons. I don't want to see their feelings hurt. Let them fall, pick them back up. I saw them fall against Red Lion, and it hurt my heart. I couldn't come out of that tailspin. I'm the eternal optimist, and I almost packed it in. I told (reporters) we could still make it to the Giant Center, but it took me 48 hours to believe that.
"Then I walked in and said: 'We can do this, but it's about you guys doing whatever it takes to win.' And they did."
Key moments: Panthers start hot and hold on at the end
Plenty of teams have entered the Giant Center on a hot streak only to start cold. The cavernous arena presents an unusual atmosphere for high school players, with legions of fans and not brick walls sitting behind the baskets.
And yet the Panthers proved immediately they weren't afraid of the moment. The two teams traded baskets for most of the first quarter until Guidinger gave the Panthers the lead with a 3-pointer. That turned into a 9-0 run and eventually a 10-point halftime lead for the Panthers.
The 6-foot-8 Rill was unstoppable around the basket and had 13 points. Ben Natal drained his first two 3-pointers and appeared to have the upper-hand over Parkland superstar Nick Coval. Guidinger finished the first half with a bucket in the paint and roared in celebration as he ran to the locker room.
The Panthers simply looked bigger, deeper and better.
"There's no stage too big for these guys," Hoke said. "They didn't look like nervous wrecks like I thought they would be. They were locked in."
The Panthers quickly extended their lead to 13 points in the third quarter ... but then everything flipped. Parkland went on a 16-5 run to cut its deficit to two entering the fourth.
Rill wasn't getting as close to the basket. Guidinger (three) and Natal (four) were both in foul trouble. The momentum was continuing to turn toward Parkland, and when forward Zaire Smaltz gave the Trojans a two-point lead with 4:24 left, it appeared the Panthers were headed for a gut-wrenching defeat.
Then Brown immediately nailed a 3-pointer to give Central a one-point lead. Rill hit two free throws to break a tie with just over two minutes left. When Natal extended Central's advantage to five points with 1:13 to play, the Panthers and their fans sensed a victory.
But those last 73 seconds seemed to last an eternity — an excruciating mix of great defense and missed shots.
Guidinger seemed to make the play of his life when he blocked a Parkland 3-pointer and grabbed the rebound. But he missed both free throws. Coval converted a 3-point play. The Panthers made a defensive stop, but Brooklyn Nace missed two free throws that could've clinched it.
Parkland ball. 6.8 seconds left. Central up two.
The Panthers made sure Coval wouldn't get a good look, but that left Nassry open on the wing. Nace closed out hard and the shot found Guidinger's waiting arms.
"It was extremely tense," Brown said. "We needed to play defense. We could've executed better down the stretch, but things don't always go as planned. It was just relieving. I never dreamed of this. I knew it could happen, but it feels so surreal."
Stars and key stats
Rill led Central York with 17 points and added seven boards. Natal had 15 points, five boards and two assists.
Guidinger had seven points and eight boards in the final game of his outstanding high school career. He didn't score in the second half, but it didn't matter.
Brown had eight points on 3-of-6 shooting along with three boards and three assists.
Central York's X-factor was junior Saxton Suchanic. The future Division I football player was outstanding defensively and blanketed Coval for most of the game. His performance was more important than his stat line of two points, four rebounds and three steals indicated.
Coval led all scorers with 18 points but shot just 7-of-22 from the field. The Davidson commit scored over 2,000 points in his career. Smaltz had 15 points and eight boards.
No team shot a free throw until the 2:10 mark of the third quarter. Central out-rebounded Parkland 31 to 24. Both teams made five 3-pointers. Both teams shot 42% from the field (Parkland went 20-of-48; Central went 22-of-52).
What's next?
This was a historic championship, but it might not be the last for many of these players.
Guidinger is the only Central York starter who will graduate. While the all-time leading scorer won't easily be replaced, the Panthers have a lot of talent coming back. Rill and Natal are already 1,000-point scorers and Brown, Suchanic and Nace have multiple years of varsity experience.
There are talented players who barely saw the court this season because of Central's depth.
Don't be surprised if Saturday is the start of a special run.
They said it
"Hopefully we put on a show for everybody. Letting them back in the game and making it a little interesting. The stories that I'll be able to tell and the connections and relationships I've made are going to be with me the rest of my life. I can't wait to share that the rest of this year. We'll be able to celebrate this. There's nothing else you can ask for. It's the epitome of the best way you can go out." — Greg Guidinger
"It means the world to me. Greg is not only a really good basketball player but he's such a good guy. I promise you, any college that picks him up will get an absolute stud." — Ben Rill on Guidinger ending his career with a state title
"I'm a guy who likes the ball at the end of the game. When we need a big bucket, I bet on myself every time. When I got the ball, I knew I was gonna shoot it. I'm always ready. I was in a slump earlier this season, but I leaned on my guys. I'm thankful my teammates trusted me." — Ryan Brown on his game-changing 3-pointer
"We actually are going to Disney World. In two weeks, I'm taking my family. My wife sacrificed for five months. She's been an angel. She put (our two daughters) to bed early tonight so she could make it here. It was her first game this season. I saw her coming out, and I started crying. I love her. She's my best friend. She supports me so I can drive an hour (from Hershey to York) every day. I leave at 12 and get back at 7 p.m. every day. This is a part-time job, right? And then I'm watching film at night. I haven't slept in a month. She's been my rock." — Hoke on his wife, Ellen.
Matt Allibone is a sports reporter for GameTimePA. He can be reached at 717-881-8221, mallibone@ydr.com or on X at @bad2theallibone.