High School All-Star Basketball: Dill thrives in final game
STEELTON -- Growing up, R.J. Dill figured at some
point he’d probably land in a high school all-star basketball game.
Then football happened.
Oh no, Dill is fine with that, you would be too if you landed a full ride to a
Division I school, but some 80 pounds ago, after completing his junior high
career, Dill figured he’d spurt up a few more inches and land a starting role
for Larry Kostelac’s basketball team.
Then he got bigger, bigger than most Class AA linemen, and basketball took a
backseat.
The aspirations of an all-star game on the hardwood? They were likely gone.
But…
“There’s a first for everything,” Dill said after pouring in 17 points to help
the Mid-Penn All-stars cruise by the Lancaster-Lebanon league squad 125-115 in
the second day of the 32nd annual Roundball Showcase, held at Steel-High’s
Benkovic gym. “I wasn’t even going to play today, my mom and dad made me, but
I’m glad, it was fun.”
Leave it up to mom and dad knowing best.
“I always thought it was going to be basketball,” Dill said. “I went to Trinity
to play basketball, then I walked on the football team as a ninth grade, then I
ended up starting as a sophomore, put on some more weight as a junior and
football became my thing. Next thing you know I’m signing my letter of intent to
go down to the University of Maryland to play football.
Dill did most of his damage in the first half and
let his play do the talking.
Midway through the second half, a spectator even yelled out for Dill to dunk on
a break away.
“I’m 280 pounds, dude,” Dill playfully shot back.
Ah, what might have been if it wasn’t for football.
“He doesn’t know what it’s like to be 300 pounds and to try and dunk,” Dill said
afterward. “I tried to dunk for him in warm-ups. We were trying to get some
(alley) oops.”
Dill who will head to Maryland at the end of June on a full ride to play
football for the Terrapins was a key contributor in Trinity’s run to the
district title.
On the hardwood Dill’s stats weren’t gaudy during the season, but his
contributions to the Shamrocks program gave them a certain edge down the
stretch.
“I was surprised,” Dill said of his selection. “I just play defense and get
rebounds, but it’s neat to get recognized for something.”
“It was just kind of neat to put the jersey on again,” Dill said.
For Boiling Springs’ Edwin Willis, he was glad to don the purple and yellow for
one of the last times as well.
“You feel like you got a little something for all
the work you gave. It was a lot of fun and a good end to the season.”
Willis hit two 3-pointers in the second half and finished with 17 points as
well.
Willis will play in one more all-star game, then head to Virginia Tech where he
will major in business and like Dill, was just happy to wear the school colors
one more time.
“Yep, it felt good to put the jersey on again.”
Red Land’s Bart McCardle chipped in two, while Northern’s Rhett Sheibley added
nine.
Harrisburg’s Sheldon Wilson led the Mid-Penn team with 20 points, Bishop
McDevitt’s O.J. Burnett added 18.
Solanco’s Brian Allport scored 21 for the Lancaster-Lebanon all-stars.