From Falcon to Flame: Ben Rhine finds new meaning at New Covenant Christian

Appreciation has become a brighter, bolder light in Ben Rhine’s life.

Not because the former Cedar Crest transfer has logged pivotal minutes for the New Covenant Christian boys basketball team. Not because he transformed from reserve role to pulse of his unit. Not because the Flames are knocking on the door of a District Three Class A postseason berth.

No, Rhine’s perspective blossomed during Crest’s 2023-24 holiday tournament. The then-sophomore tore his ACL and meniscus in his left leg. Basketball wasn’t just put on pause; a cloud of uncertainty permanently loomed.

Rhine still thinks back to that traumatizing moment two years later. It hurt then — mentally and physically — but it springboarded an unending, no-quit fortitude. A mindset that’s steered him to an average of 21.9 points per game this winter and to a basketball family he’s forever attached to.

“When that happened, I used it as fuel,” Rhine said. “I just really wanted to get back out there. And so, I took my therapy very serious, and I didn’t skip a day of it.”

Rhine appeared in five games for the Falcons last season, a campaign that produced top honors in the Lancaster-Lebanon League tournament. It always felt like there was more to give, more potential that had gone untapped.

The senior was a surprise for New Covenant coach Matt Kantner in the offseason. While Rhine arrived later, a few open gym sessions peeled the curtain back on an addition that could take the Flames to new heights.

“It’s just been different for us because we have guys here that play basketball, that like basketball, but I don’t know how much of an important priority it is for them,” Kantner said. “And I think with Ben, it’s very important. It’s a priority. It’s what he loves to do.”

Rhine instantly meshed with his new assembly. Friendships were forged. A collective belief and a shared goal surfaced.

Rhine competed with and against high-caliber talent at Cedar Crest. Where the Commonwealth Christian Athletic Conference lacks in that subject, New Covenant and its counterparts make up for in community and trust.

“I could really tell from the start that they had good chemistry,” Rhine said, “and I really liked that about them. Because when I started playing with them, when I started playing more with them, it was really easy to build a connection. Because we moved the ball well. We’ve been doing great with pushing the ball in transition. We’ve been getting easy points.”

With any high school season, the bumps and bruises have developed. The Flames tout a 10-4 record and rank seventh in a District Three Class A field that grants 10 playoff berths.

The highs came first with an 82-point outing in the season opener against Mount Calvary Christian and a seven-game winning streak from Dec. 12 to Jan. 6. Two setbacks to Dayspring Christian — 57-53 on Dec. 8 and 74-59 on Friday — remain the hurdle left uncleared.

“We tend to do really good with sticking together,” Rhine said. “We’ve had a couple comebacks this year. Against West Shore (Christian), we were down 10-12 points at half, and we came back and went on big runs in the third quarter. … We just don’t give up.”

From Kantner’s lens, Rhine has been the glue that’s kept the Flames intact. Whether he’s splashing in 30 points or settling for 10, the buy-in from teammates is noticeable.

It’ll continue to be important as the postseason nears and Rhine exits the floor. Per PIAA transfer rules, Rhine is ineligible for the District Three dance but can play in the league tournament.

New Covenant is attempting to appeal the ruling.

“Just the type of kid he is, I think he’ll still be fully engaged in practice, and he’ll be on the bench, telling the kids and telling us what he’s seeing,” Kantner said. “Obviously, his scoring and what he brings us as a team, we’re going to miss it.”

Rhine has no intention of allowing the outcome to hinder his contributions.

He’ll be in attendance for every practice. He’ll shout commands. He’ll pivot from player to teacher.

“It would definitely be kind of weird, because I’m so used to playing a lot of minutes and being on the court with the guys,” Rhine said. “Obviously, I really hope I can play, but if I can’t, I’m just going to help in any way I can.

“I’m going to tell the guys, ‘Keep a short memory and move on to the next play.’ Because that’s the best way to get around those things, as I’ve learned as a player.”

Most of those lessons were presented when Rhine suffered his sophomore-year ailments. He “got around” those misfortunes and found a brighter, bolder appreciation at the end of the twisting, turning road.

“When I decided to transfer into Covenant, it just felt like a good environment,” Rhine said. “I was looking for a place to thrive better as a player and as a team. It was a good fit for me, and it made me want to get better every day.”