Alex Collado-Muhlenberg

Muhlenberg had a lot of time to think about its disappointing loss at home to Gov. Mifflin last Tuesday. Senior guard Alex Collado made sure the Muhls got out to a fast start against Wilson on Monday night. The 6’2 lefty crammed 14 points into the first quarter of a 61-56 victory over the Bulldogs in Laureldale. “It was senior night. It was emotional. I knew I had to come out with a bang,” said Collado. He finished with a game-high 20 points including six in the fourth quarter. Collado’s three-point play put Muhlenberg up 13-0 with 4:36 left in the opening period. He gave credit to the fans. “They always help a lot. They’re always hype. They’re always lit. It gets us going. It gives us energy,” he replied. The Muhls led 26-12 early in the second quarter, but Wilson came roaring back. Sophomore guard Correll Akings scored seven points in that period to pull the Bulldogs within 30-27 at halftime. Wilson, however, couldn’t keep the momentum. The (13-6, 6-3) Bulldogs were limited to four points in the third quarter. Junior guard Jayden Kantner came alive after the break with eight points in the period. The Brandywine Heights transfer added 11 points overall. “He takes care of the ball. He finishes his layups. He plays defense. He’s a great addition,” noted Collado. Kantner averaged nearly 13 points for the Bullets a season ago. A three-point play by 5’6 freshman Justin Armstrong gave Muhlenberg a 47-31 advantage with 6:17 remaining. Wilson battled back once again behind Akings and Madyx Gruber. They combined for 16 of the Bulldogs’ 25 points in the final quarter. Akings ended up with 19 points and Gruber provided 14. Kyle Archie, who was also recognized in the pregame senior night ceremony, converted a three-point play with 3:15 to go. That boosted the Muhls’ cushion to 50-41. Archie chipped in with 11 points. 6’2 junior guard Shermar Killen had nine. Collado iced the game with a pair of free throws with 16 seconds left. Muhlenberg was 7-of-9 from the foul line in the fourth quarter and 9-of-12 overall. The Bulldogs went 7-for-9 from the stripe. They hit five 3-pointers compared to just two for the (12-7, 6-3) Muhls. Muhlenberg, Wilson, and Reading are tied for first place in Division 1. The Muhls visit Daniel Boone on Thursday, while the Bulldogs host the Red Knights. Collado explained what they worked on since falling to Gov. Mifflin. “We were switching some things defensively. We knew that we had to share the ball a lot. We knew that we had to play as a team more,” he said. Muhlenberg bounced back with a key win thanks to a memorable senior night performance by Collado.