B.C. beats Cumberland Valley in Opener

Berks Catholic kicked off its 2024-25 season with a bang. The Saints defeated Cumberland Valley 60-57 in the CoBL Winter Classic at Exeter. The Eagles are the defending District 3 champion in Class 6A. They returned four starters from that (25-4) squad. “We have a lot of things to improve on, but to beat a seasoned team like them, I’m very happy for our ball club,” said longtime head coach Snip Esterly. All-State guard Kingston McKoy struggled in the first half. The 6’2 junior managed just two points as the Saints trailed 26-19. McKoy, however, erupted in the second half. He jammed 15 points into the third quarter and finished with a game-high 25. “That was the Kingston that we see every day,” replied Esterly. Cumberland Valley didn’t have an answer for McKoy who scored at all three levels. Berks Catholic opened the second half on a 14-0 run and a dozen of those points came from McKoy. The Saints outscored the Eagles 24-10 in the third period. Zach Suski, the quarterback of Berks Catholic’s football team, drilled a 3-pointer from in front of his bench midway through the fourth quarter. That shot made it 52-44, but Cumberland Valley didn’t go away quietly. McKoy missed a pair of free throws with 27 seconds left. A layup by physical 6’3 senior Nolan Buzalka trimmed the Eagles’ deficit to 58-56 with 18 seconds remaining. After a Saints’ turnover in the backcourt, Sam Parsons was fouled on a putback attempt. The 6’3 junior went 1-for-2 from the foul line. Bryce Gumby, who didn’t play basketball a season ago, converted two clutch free throws with eight seconds to go. Gumby provided twelve points off the bench. The 5’11 senior gave Berks Catholic a 60-57 cushion. JJ Lebo, a 6’3 senior guard, didn’t hit the rim on a 3-pointer from the right wing at the buzzer. Creston Austin led Cumberland Valley with 15 points. Sophomore Jared Dolimpio chipped in with 13 points and Buzalka added ten. The Eagles were 9-of-14 from the foul line, while the Saints went 8-of-14. McKoy hit two of Berks Catholic’s four treys. Cumberland Valley only connected twice from long range. Freshman guard Carmelo Harper gave the Saints a boost with ten points. Esterly earned his 816th victory over 36 years as a head coach. “It was a nice win over a very nice team,” he said.