The dunk was impressive.

Had it happened in a Division I college game instead of a high school contest, it probably would have shown up on SportsCenter later that evening.

Antoine Childs got the basketball on the baseline and immediately recognized he had a clear path to the basket. He took it, launched himself toward the rim and powered in a two-handed, backboard shaker over top of a helpless opponent.

"He can jump out of the gym," said Blackhawk High School coach Andy Hedrick, who has watched Childs, a 6-foot-5 senior, soar and grow as a player the past three years. "He can post up, he can put it on the floor and go to the basket and he's got a good 3-point shot, so you have to guard him everywhere.

"He's a well-rounded offensive player."

Childs, who is averaging 21.5 points a game, has helped Blackhawk win 12 consecutive games. And he is capable of taking the Cougars deep into the WPIAL Class AAA playoffs.

While Childs might not be the best player in Western Pennsylvania, he's certainly one of the best. And he has gotten better since the season began.

His defense has improved and he has discovered he doesn't have to take most of the shots for Blackhawk to be successful.

"Early on, he was taking a higher percentage of our shots because everybody was relying on him," Hedrick said. "And he was putting up more points, but it was tough on him and we were 2-5."

That's when Childs, who is headed for New Jersey Institute of Technology, a Division I program, started getting more of his teammates involved in the offense.

"His feel for the game might be a little ahead of some of the players we have because he's played so much AAU ball," Hedrick said. "You say the only good pass is a completed pass, but he has thrown some passes that don't connect but you turn and say, 'That was a really good pass.'"

The result is that more Blackhawk players have started scoring more and that has taken some of the pressure off Childs.

"Just playing as a team. Making sure everybody else is getting their points," Childs said when asked what he does best on the court.

The fact he has a smooth, 3-point shot makes him special. Always one of -- if not the -- tallest player on a team, Childs figured out early that he wasn't going to make it to the Division I college level on just post moves.

That's why he continues to work on his ballhandling skills and his perimeter shot. He is going to play small forward in college with his face to the basket.

But why New Jersey Tech in Newark, N.J., which has been a Division I school for just two seasons and is 0-20 this season?

"I went there and it's a nice area and I liked the guys on the team. It seemed like a nice fit," he said.

When asked if getting an opportunity to play as a freshman had anything to do with the decision, he just flashed a broad smile.

What Childs needs to work on is his defense. He tends to get lackadaisical in that area, which happens to a lot of high school players with his athletic ability.

"A lot of kids do that and just rely on their athleticisim," Hedrick said. "But he's been better. He's really had a good senior season."

What's surprising is that Blackhawk doesn't run any special plays for Childs, or anyone else for that matter. No alley-oop passes or clear outs. He gets his points as part of the offense.

There are times, however, when Childs looks out of place on offense. He will drift 15 feet away from the basket, but with his shooting ability, opponents can't let him stand unguarded.

And Blackhawk is hardly a one-man show. Guard Tim Lipp, a 5-8 senior, is a solid 3-point shooter and 6-1 senior Brooks Roorback, who is better known for his football ability, is a hustler. In 6-3 Zack Hayward, 6-2 Ryan Verlihay and 6-5 Ben Rawding, the Cougars have players who can do the job under the boards.

"The big thing for us has been our defense," Hedrick said. "You don't get a lot of open shots against us, and if you don't make the shots you get, we're right there."

The turning point of the season for Blackhawk came in its holiday tournament when it beat Father Lopez from Florida. The Cougars followed that with a win against rival Beaver Falls and were on their way.

"Father Lopez had a big scorer who had 37 points the previous night. He didn't score until the fourth quarter against us," Hedrick said. "I think that got everybody into it for us."

Blackhawk (14-5, 7-2) trails Hopewell by a game in the Section 2-AAA standings with three section games remaining. It has split with Hopewell, which has just two section games left, but could still end up sharing the section crown. For that to happen, Childs must continue to play well.

"I don't like to look at numbers much," Childs said when asked about his scoring average. "I like to look at team numbers and make sure we have more wins than losses."