To the victors belong the spoils -- and a wrench thrown into your basketball season.

Clairton boys' basketball coach Theron Pitts quickly answered, "only about eight," when asked how many players have been practicing with his team.

The reality quickly sets in just how much a successful football season can lead to a difficult start to the basketball season.

Seventeen players on the Clairton football team are expected to play for the Bears' varsity or junior-varsity basketball team this year.

Obviously, as coach Tom Nola's football team has marched into a PIAA Class A championship game against Steelton-Highspire today, none of those 17 players have been with the basketball squad in the early season.

That said, Pitts wants the football team to advance as far as it can each season.

"One thing leads to another," Pitts said. "Our basketball program is so supportive of coach Nola's football program here at Clairton because we are such a tight community.

"I tell those football guys all the time, 'Don't be content with the WPIAL title, there will be plenty of time for basketball. Go out there and win that state football title.' "

Pitts is one of three WPIAL basketball coaches dealing with a manpower shortage, joining Thomas Jefferson's Dom DeCicco and Bethel Park's Mark Gaither as the football teams at those schools prepare for PIAA championship games this weekend.

For DeCicco, it's nothing new because the Jaguars are playing in their second consecutive PIAA Class AAA football title game. DeCicco has been missing four players -- Brock DeCicco (his son), Jim Giansante, Steve Licht and T.J. Matrascia.

The elder DeCicco looks at Thomas Jefferson's football success in an interesting way.

"I would rather have kids winning, no matter what they do, than not doing anything in the fall season," DeCicco said. "Whether it is -- football or soccer or whatever -- I couldn't care less. If they are involved in something and winning, then it is just something I have to deal with as a basketball coach. But it is a good problem to have because it means the other programs at TJ are having a lot of success."

The Bethel Park basketball team has been the least affected as only senior guard Shane Gilchrest and forward Lyle Marsh play both sports.

Marsh, Bethel Park's top running back, has absorbed quite a bit of punishment this season, and, as a result, won't go to Florida with the Black Hawks' basketball team Wednesday because Gaither plans to give him an extended break.

"We are leaving Wednesday, and Lyle won't be coming with us," Gaither said. "Shane will come with us to Florida, but with the way Lyle's body has been beaten up and how hard he has played this football season, he needs some time to bounce back. I think a good two weeks for Lyle is what can be expected for him to be in basketball shape.

"You can't ask a young man to come right back, so he will get some much needed time off."

Although each coach sees different challenges, a few things are clear.

First, none of these basketball coaches, no matter how much of a disadvantage it puts his team in, would root for the football team to lose.

And, second, no one envies the position Pitts, in particular, is in right now.

"At a smaller school, I don't know how they do it," Gaither said.

"With the size of our school, we are not affected as much. But to look at Clairton and what they are doing now, you have to admire them -- you have to admire those guys and that coach for working through this."