Joel Torres

If you’re going to win a District 3 boys basketball championship in the largest class, there’s a better than average chance you’ll have to get through Reading at some point.

Such is the case for Chambersburg this season.

The No. 3-seeded Trojans (19-4) take on the No. 1 Red Knights (23-4) on Saturday at 12:30 p.m. at Giant Center in the District 3 Class 6A final.

Chambersburg is in the district championship game for the first time since it upset Harrisburg in 2012. Reading last won in 2016 — but that was the 21st title for the Red Knights and the 25th time they had reached the final.

And … Reading is also the defending PIAA champion in 6A.

What makes the Red Knights so effective? Think Harrisburg, but with better players. Reading will use a withering press to try to dictate tempo and create turnovers.

“They’re similar to Harrisburg in style and philosophy,” Trojan coach Shawn Shreffler said. “They try to wear you down with constant pressure and turn defense into offense. They force you to make quick decisions and mistakes.

“There may not be anybody who does that as well as Reading, and they’re physical, too.”

In the semifinals on Tuesday, Manheim Township took an early lead thanks to excellent guard play and kept it for much of the game, but the Red Knights wore them down, and hit 8 of 9 foul shots in the last two minutes to stretch the lead to a final of 57-49.

Reading’s top player is Berks County Player of the Year Wesley Butler, a 5-foot-11 junior point guard, who has made over 50 3-pointers. Other starters include R.J. Dixon (5-10, G), Xavier Starks (6-2, G), Larry Wingo (6-1, F) and Ricki Lopez (6-4, C).

Shreffler was pleased with his team’s play in the second half, and especially the fourth quarter, in its 52-35 win over Hempfield in the semifinals.

“It was one of our best fourth quarters,” he said. “We finished well. In the first half we were a little sloppy at times, especially on defense.”

The Trojans made 57% of their shots Tuesday, which is very good, but not that much better than their norm.

Shreffler said, “We’ve hit quite a few high-percentage shots in the paint, so we’ve been consistently around 50%. We seem to be getting better, and I hope that continues for another couple of weeks.”

Reading typically uses a man defense, but has also shown zones of 1-3-1, 1-2-2 and 3-2.

Plans are for four buses of CASHS fans to make the run to Hershey for the title game, as interest in the team increases the longer this outstanding season has gone on.

“I remember not too long ago, Reading played a state playoff game in our gym and brought along quite a following,” Shreffler said. “I told (athletic director) Jeremy (Flores) that that’s what we want here for our games.

“Little by little in the last four years, it’s been built up. I thought for the Harrisburg game last week, that’s the way we hope to see it.”

NOTES: The first round of states will be Saturday, March 10 … The District 3 champion will play the District 1 No. 10 team (either Bensalem or Neshaminy) and the runner-up will play the No. 3 team from District 11 (either Emmaus or Pocono Mountain West) … The District 3 final is available on TV (Comcast Ch. 245) or by webcast (MidPennBroadcasting.com).

Butler is the only returning starter from last year for Reading … The Red Knights have lost this year to LaSalle College H.S., Dunbar (Md.), Pennridge and Berks Catholic … Reading has wins over State College (75-66) and Carlisle (74-51); against those teams, Chambersburg is 1-3.