Basketball, Basketball and More Basketball ….It’s Championship Weekend

I spent last Friday and Saturday in Hershey at the Giant Center photographing PIAA Championship basketball games. On Friday for the Inquirer and Saturday for the Intelligencer. Lots of great action, joyful moments and also, sad moments. Overall fun time making the pictures though. I had a system in place, shoot the first half, transmit pictures then shoot a bit more in the fourth and then make pictures of the jubilation or dejection, depending upon how the teams I was covering fared. In three of the five games I photographed, the team from southeastern Pennsylvania won the state championship in their class.

It was a great photographic weekend. 🙂

See some of the images below.

From left, Archbishop Wood's Claire Bassetti, Bailey Greenberg, Erin Morgan and Emma Stanfield celebrate after defeating Villa Maria to win the girls basketball PIAA Class AAA state championship Saturday March 19, 2016 at the Giant Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania (Photo By William Thomas Cain) (William Thomas Cain/Cain Images)

From left, Archbishop Wood’s Claire Bassetti, Bailey Greenberg, Erin Morgan and Emma Stanfield celebrate after defeating Villa Maria to win the girls basketball PIAA Class AAA state championship Saturday March 19, 2016 at the Giant Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania (Photo By William Thomas Cain) (William Thomas Cain/Cain Images)

Archbishop Wood celebrates after defeating Villa Maria to win the girls basketball PIAA Class AAA state championship Saturday March 19, 2016 at the Giant Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania (Photo By William Thomas Cain) (William Thomas Cain/Cain Images)

Archbishop Wood celebrates after defeating Villa Maria to win the girls basketball PIAA Class AAA state championship Saturday March 19, 2016 at the Giant Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania (Photo By William Thomas Cain) (William Thomas Cain/Cain Images)

From left, Archbishop Wood's Meg Neher #34 and Claire Bassetti #44 carry the championship trophy off the court as they celebrate after defeating Villa Maria to win the girls basketball PIAA Class AAA state championship Saturday March 19, 2016 at the Giant Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania (Photo By William Thomas Cain) (William Thomas Cain/Cain Images)

From left, Archbishop Wood’s Meg Neher #34 and Claire Bassetti #44 carry the championship trophy off the court as they celebrate after defeating Villa Maria to win the girls basketball PIAA Class AAA state championship Saturday March 19, 2016 at the Giant Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania (Photo By William Thomas Cain) (William Thomas Cain/Cain Images)

SBNEUM19P Neumann-Goretti's Vaughn Covington and Mike Milsip and their teammates celebrate after defeating Mars 99-66 to win the boys basketball PIAA Class AAA state championship Friday March 18, 2016 at the Giant Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania. (WILLIAM THOMAS CAIN/For The Inquirer) (William Thomas Cain/Cain Images)

SBNEUM19P Neumann-Goretti’s Vaughn Covington and Mike Milsip and their teammates celebrate after defeating Mars 99-66 to win the boys basketball PIAA Class AAA state championship Friday March 18, 2016 at the Giant Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania. (WILLIAM THOMAS CAIN/For The Inquirer) (William Thomas Cain/Cain Images)

SBNEUM19P Neumann-Goretti's Quade Green makes a layup as Mars Christian Schmitt #23 defends in the first quarter of the boys basketball PIAA Class AAA state championship game Friday March 18, 2016 at the Giant Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania. (WILLIAM THOMAS CAIN/For The Inquirer) (William Thomas Cain/Cain Images)

SBNEUM19P Neumann-Goretti’s Quade Green makes a layup as Mars Christian Schmitt #23 defends in the first quarter of the boys basketball PIAA Class AAA state championship game Friday March 18, 2016 at the Giant Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania. (WILLIAM THOMAS CAIN/For The Inquirer) (William Thomas Cain/Cain Images)

SBNEUM19P Neumann-Goretti's Vaughn Covington #0 dribbles up court after stealing the ball from Mars Sam Morrissey #13 in the second quarter of the boys basketball PIAA Class AAA state championship game Friday March 18, 2016 at the Giant Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania. (WILLIAM THOMAS CAIN/For The Inquirer) (William Thomas Cain/Cain Images)

SBNEUM19P Neumann-Goretti’s Vaughn Covington #0 dribbles up court after stealing the ball from Mars Sam Morrissey #13 in the second quarter of the boys basketball PIAA Class AAA state championship game Friday March 18, 2016 at the Giant Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania. (WILLIAM THOMAS CAIN/For The Inquirer) (William Thomas Cain/Cain Images)

SGNEUM19P Neumann-Goretti team members hold the trophy in the air after defeating North Star to win the girls basketball PIAA Class AA state championship game Friday March 18, 2016 at the Giant Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania. (WILLIAM THOMAS CAIN/For The Inquirer) (William Thomas Cain/Cain Images)

SGNEUM19P Neumann-Goretti team members hold the trophy in the air after defeating North Star to win the girls basketball PIAA Class AA state championship game Friday March 18, 2016 at the Giant Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania. (WILLIAM THOMAS CAIN/For The Inquirer) (William Thomas Cain/Cain Images)

SGNEUM19P Neumann-Goretti's Jada Russell #22 attempts to block a pass by North Star's Courtney Schlock #5 in the fourth quarter of the girls basketball PIAA Class AA state championship game Friday March 18, 2016 at the Giant Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania. (WILLIAM THOMAS CAIN/For The Inquirer) (William Thomas Cain/Cain Images)

SGNEUM19P Neumann-Goretti’s Jada Russell #22 attempts to block a pass by North Star’s Courtney Schlock #5 in the fourth quarter of the girls basketball PIAA Class AA state championship game Friday March 18, 2016 at the Giant Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania. (WILLIAM THOMAS CAIN/For The Inquirer) (William Thomas Cain/Cain Images)

SMATH19P Kennedy Catholic's Sagaba Konate #50 lands on top of Math, Civics and Sciences Malik Archer #3 in the first quarter of the boys basketball PIAA Class A state championship game Friday March 18, 2016 at the Giant Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania. (WILLIAM THOMAS CAIN/For The Inquirer) (William Thomas Cain/Cain Images)

SMATH19P Kennedy Catholic’s Sagaba Konate #50 lands on top of Math, Civics and Sciences Malik Archer #3 in the first quarter of the boys basketball PIAA Class A state championship game Friday March 18, 2016 at the Giant Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania. (WILLIAM THOMAS CAIN/For The Inquirer) (William Thomas Cain/Cain Images)

SMATH19P Math, Civics and Sciences players dejectedly sit on the bench in the last seconds of the fourth quarter against Kennedy Catholic in the boys basketball PIAA Class A state championship game Friday March 18, 2016 at the Giant Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Kennedy Catholic defeated Math, Civics and Sciences 71-60 to win the PIAA Class A championship. (WILLIAM THOMAS CAIN/For The Inquirer) (William Thomas Cain/Cain Images)

SMATH19P Math, Civics and Sciences players dejectedly sit on the bench in the last seconds of the fourth quarter against Kennedy Catholic in the boys basketball PIAA Class A state championship game Friday March 18, 2016 at the Giant Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Kennedy Catholic defeated Math, Civics and Sciences 71-60 to win the PIAA Class A championship. (WILLIAM THOMAS CAIN/For The Inquirer) (William Thomas Cain/Cain Images)

SOHARA19P Cumberland Valley's Morgan Baughman #24 grabs a rebound as Cardinal O’Hara's Mary Sheehan #13 and Mackenzie Gardler #14 defend in the second quarter of the girls basketball PIAA Class AAAA state championship game Friday March 18, 2016 at the Giant Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania. (WILLIAM THOMAS CAIN/For The Inquirer) (William Thomas Cain/Cain Images)

SOHARA19P Cumberland Valley’s Morgan Baughman #24 grabs a rebound as Cardinal O’Hara’s Mary Sheehan #13 and Mackenzie Gardler #14 defend in the second quarter of the girls basketball PIAA Class AAAA state championship game Friday March 18, 2016 at the Giant Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania. (WILLIAM THOMAS CAIN/For The Inquirer) (William Thomas Cain/Cain Images)

SOHARA19P From left, Cardinal O’Hara's Lauren Leicht, Bridgette Hoy, Kristen Denoncour and Maura Hendrixson sit on the bench in the last seconds of the fourth quarter as they lose to Cumberland Valley in the girls basketball PIAA Class AAAA state championship game Friday March 18, 2016 at the Giant Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Cumberland Valley defeated Cardinal O'Hara to win the PIAA Class AAAA state championship. (WILLIAM THOMAS CAIN/For The Inquirer) (William Thomas Cain/Cain Images)

SOHARA19P From left, Cardinal O’Hara’s Lauren Leicht, Bridgette Hoy, Kristen Denoncour and Maura Hendrixson sit on the bench in the last seconds of the fourth quarter as they lose to Cumberland Valley in the girls basketball PIAA Class AAAA state championship game Friday March 18, 2016 at the Giant Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Cumberland Valley defeated Cardinal O’Hara to win the PIAA Class AAAA state championship. (WILLIAM THOMAS CAIN/For The Inquirer) (William Thomas Cain/Cain Images)

Some clips:
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Holy Ghost Prep vs New Hope Solebury Boys Basketball in New Hope, Pennsylvania

Holy Ghost Prep at New Hope Solebury Boys Basketball

NEW HOPE, PA. – JANUARY 23: New Hope Solebury’s Pat Gimpel (C) attempts to pass the ball as Holy Ghost Prep’s Joe Braun (L) and Tim Brennan #20 in the first quarter at New Hope Solebury High School January 23, 2015 in New Hope, Pennsylvania. (Photo by William Thomas Cain/Cain Images)

I the past few weeks, I’ve photographed some ball games in tiny gymnasiums. Friday night was no different. I photographed a boys basketball game in New Hope, Pennsylvania for the Intelligencer and Courier Times. With the threat of snow, the start time for the game was pushed up by one and a half hours. Even so, the small New Hope Solebury High School Gymnasium was still packed. The floor is so tight to the walls that there is literally about a foot and a half between the two. Since there wasn’t much space, I decide to sit in the right corner on the side which Holy Ghost Prep would shoot first. It payed off as, except for the first three minutes, they dominated the game. I love when I shoot a game and there is plenty of action. Sitting in the corner I used my Nikon D800 with a 180mm and Nikon D700 with an 85mm 1.8.

At 6400 ISO, I was able to shoot with a shutter speed of 500 and an aperture of f2.8.
So, for the most part, I was able to freeze the action.

Holy Ghost Prep at New Hope Solebury Boys Basketball

NEW HOPE, PA. – JANUARY 23: New Hope Solebury’s Max Wagner #34 battles for a rebound with Holy Ghost Prep’s Joe Braun (C), New Hope Solebury’s Connor Smith (2nd from right) and Holy Ghost Prep’s Tim Brennan #20 in the first quarter at New Hope Solebury High School January 23, 2015 in New Hope, Pennsylvania. (Photo by William Thomas Cain/Cain Images)

For video, I shot at 3200 ISO with 30 frames per second at f8.

It was a good night. 🙂