After nearly 50 years, the Hershey High School men’s basketball team has done the unthinkable. For the first time since 1974, they clinched the district title a few weeks ago — and they’re not done yet. This Friday night at 8 p.m., they’ll step onto the court at the Giant Center to play for the state title, a feat that’s eluded Hershey basketball for generations.
So, what’s different about this team? Plenty of Hershey teams have been talented over the years, but none have made it this far. What’s the secret sauce behind this magical run? According to the players and their families, the answer isn’t found in stats or scouting reports
— it’s found at the dinner table.
Bonding Over Dinner
Every Thursday night before a game, the team gathers for a meal at one of the player’s homes or a local restaurant. No parents, no coaches — just the team. These team dinners have become a tradition and, by all accounts, the glue that holds this team together.
Kasey Later, mother of HHS Junior, Grant Later, believes the team dinners have built a deep sense of trust and camaraderie. “They’ve gotten to know each other off the court,” she said. “They stay after the meal, watch basketball together, laugh, and just hang out. That connection carries over to the court.”
James Campbell IV, a team captain, agrees. “We’ve been playing together for years,” Campbell said. “That’s a huge part of our success, but the team dinners have taken it to another level. We’ve become more than teammates — we’ve become family.”
That sense of unity has even extended beyond the senior class. “At first, the seniors hosted all the dinners,” said Kristen Campbell, James’ mother. “But then the juniors started stepping up to keep it going. They wanted to make sure the tradition stayed alive.”
Duncan Campbell, James's father and a former athlete himself, knows firsthand how rare this type of connection is. “I was lucky enough to play for a state championship in Camp Hill many years ago,” he said. “but this — as a parent—watching these boys play for each other and the community — this much more fun and very special. They are very connected and it’s just a fun team to watch.”
Hershey coach Paul Blackburn agrees that the team’s connection goes beyond the game. “They’ve really created a great environment where everyone feels like they matter,” Blackburn said. “Leadership comes from everywhere on this team. James and Aiden are captains because their teammates elected them — that’s who they look to. But there’s this great respect for each other and an understanding that everyone plays a role.”
Blackburn credits the team’s bond to the time they’ve spent together off the court. “When you want to be a part of a team, you want to feel accepted,” he explained. “You want to feel like you’re contributing, like you matter. This team has figured that out. The team dinners, the
summer leagues, the youth camps — it’s all built a sense of connection that you just can’t fake. That’s what sets this group apart.”
A Cinderella Story in the Making
Winning at this level requires more than talent — it requires heart. And this team has plenty of it. “They want to win for each other and for Hershey,” Kristen Campbell said. “They want to bring this home for the community.”
As the team takes the court Friday night, they’ll bring with them more than just strategy and skill — they’ll carry the bond that was built over countless meals, inside jokes, and shared dreams. And that might just be the edge they need to bring home the state title.
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