For the past three seasons, Murry Bergtraum senior guard Shequana Harris has played in and won the PSAL Class AA city championship at Madison Square Garden. This year, she’s on the doorstep of a fourth championship in as many years, and yet she and the rest of Murry Bergtraum are in uncharted waters.
“Chicken and I were so close with each other. I really depended on her, so losing her has been really hard on me,” Harris said of Tayshana (Chicken) Murphy, her late teammate who was shockingly murdered in September. “She wanted to be here so bad, so we want to win for her this year. I’m doing it for her honor on Saturday.”
Arguably the toughest test Bergtraum has faced since their streak of 13 straight championships began has been Murphy’s tragic death. With Murphy and Harris expected to make up one of the best backcourts in the entire city entering this season, the Lady Blazers were suddenly faced with the difficult task of not only replacing their star player’s on-the-court production, but overcoming the glaring hole in the collective soul of their team left by Chicken’s passing.
No one would have faulted Bergtraum if its season and winning tradition suffered as a result, but Harris was determined to keep both Chicken’s memory as well as the championship streak alive.
“This year has been a struggle of sorts,” Harris said. “It’s been really hard emotionally. We knew people would count us out, but we play like she’s here with us and we want to prove people wrong. But outside of that, there’s a lot of pressure to keep this tradition alive, and it would mean a lot to me to win another championship.”
“I think it was difficult, you never [get over it]. It always stays with you,” Bergtraum coach Ed Grezinsky added. “It’s always part of you. You just gotta try to move on the best way you can.”
Apparently the best way for Harris to move on was to simply dominate on the basketball court this season. She averaged an impressive 18 points per game and grabbed six rebounds per contest as well, propelling Bergtraum to the title game against upstart McKee/Staten Island Tech on Saturday. Luckily for the Lady Blazers, the UNC-Charlotte commit has been able to overcome the loss of her teammate and produce enough numbers for two stellar guards instead of just one.
“I’ve been motivated by her, but I’ve been able to block all of the distractions and pressure and that lets me just play my game,” Harris said. “I’ve just been trying to do what I do best all season and I’m looking forward to finishing off my high school career with a bang. Four championships in four years would be amazing.”
“She’s been the leader, she’s our big scorer and she’s also our big defensive player,” Grezinsky added of Harris. “She’s the straw that stirs the drink.”
Harris may have been without her running mate on the court this season, but she and her teammates have done their best to make sure Chicken’s presence has been felt at every game. They made shirts with her picture and name on them and Bergtraum wore them at the PSAL Class AA semifinals at St. John’s last Saturday. This Saturday, the Lazy Blazers plan to bring a large poster with Chicken’s picture and jersey on it with them to Madison Square Garden.
A remarkable fourth championship in as many years for Harris would be an incredible achievement, but, this season belongs to Chicken.
“It’s a theme all year,” Grezinsky said. “She can’t be here. She’s with us in spirit, but she’s not with us in body. She wanted to win a championship. She wanted to play at Madison Square Garden, all these things. Hopefully all these girls realize that and they can kind of play for her a little bit.”