Playing for 'Shawnee,' Roxborough Wins in OT

The morning after star guard and team leader Rashawn "Shawnee" Anderson in his Hunting Park neighborhood, Indians head coach Terrell Burnett had his crestfallen players vote on whether to play as scheduled Tuesday's PIAA play-in game against South Philadelphia High School.

Their decision was unanimous.

"The kids voted yes, all of them," said an emotional Burnett, who said Anderson was like a son. "He was a leader. And he loved basketball. He really loved basketball."

So the Indians took a 37-minute respite from mourning to play a basketball game. And in those 37 minutes they delivered a performance that would have made the dynamic, and missed, .

The underdog Indians got 24 points from Anderson's best friend on the team, Lijha Lewis and 13 from his replacement on the varsity roster, Deandre Hariot, to defeat South Philly 55-53 in OT and earn a spot in the playoffs. At no point in the game were the teams separated by more than six points.

During the overtime period, where the Indians outscored the Rams 9-7, a block of the visiting fans chanted, "Shawnee. Let's go Shawnee." When the final seconds ticked off the clock, they attempted to rush the court before being stopped short by security.

"He'd be proud, I know he's looking down at us," said a teary-eyed Lewis after finishing what he called the best performance of his career. "He played his heart out to get us here. So now (that we're in the playoffs), I'm going to have to play my heart out."

Lewis made good on his end of the bargain. He was a terror in the paint—flexing and roaring to the crowd after each of his buckets—toed the baseline with determination, and stroked even some quixotic attempts from long range. Seven of his baskets tied the game or put the Indians in the lead.

"This was the best game he's played," Burnett said of his forward. "He really wanted to dedicate this game to Shawnee."

They all did.

"It was hard to play," said Indian forward Samson Akano, who contributed four points and several defensive stops to the effort. "But we feel like he would have wanted us to play."

Roxborough guard Desmond Williams struggled not only with the loss of his friend and teammate, but the added responsibility of playing his position. While he succeeded in both regards, he gives the credit to his teammates—past and present.

"I had my team to help me and get me through it," Williams said.

Burnett said the team, and the game itself, would help his players deal with the loss of the young man they loved and respected. But he cautioned that it would take time.

"Today they are doing OK," the veteran coach said at halftime as he watched the boys shoot baskets. "Tomorrow might be another story."