Basketball – Berks Sports Report

Brady Murray-Exeter

Paul Roberts — Sat, 22 Feb 2025 05:21:56 +0000

Brady Murray has made more 3-pointers than any player in Berks County this season. Exeter’s 6’2 senior guard gives all the credit to his father. “I couldn’t do it without him. He’s the whole reason why I’m a good shooter so shout out to my dad,” said Murray. During the summer, Brady practices his jump shot with his dad every day. Brady will take at least three hundred 3-pointers. The offseason work is paying off. Murray hit five triples and scored a game-high 19 points in a 58-50 win over Spring Grove on Friday night. The (14-11) Eagles advanced to the District 3-5A semifinals on Tuesday at York Suburban. Exeter jumped all over the (11-13) Rockets who were coming off a 45-38 upset of top-seeded Manheim Central. The Eagles led 11-0 after a steal and layup by Jayden Ware with three minutes left in the opening quarter. Cooper Smith, Spring Grove’s leading scorer at 12 ppg., picked up his second foul and headed to the bench just 34 seconds into the second period. Exeter built a 25-9 cushion with four and a-half minutes remaining in the first half. It was 28-13 at the break, but Murray and his teammates understood that they couldn’t relax against the #16 seed. “We knew that they played a really hard schedule like us. We knew that they were battle-tested. It wasn’t like a walk in the park,” emphasized Murray. The Rockets are part of Division 1 in the York-Adams League which includes all Class 6A schools. They caught fire in the third quarter. Six of their ten treys came during that eight minute span. Smith and Kayleb Allen each connected three times from beyond the arc in the third period. Murray responded with a pair of long range shots to keep Spring Grove at a distance. The eighth-seeded Eagles were on top 43-33 entering the fourth quarter. Murray splashed another trey from the top of the key with six and a-half minutes to go. The Rockets were down 48-37 before going on an 8-to-2 run. Owen Renda, who provided seven points off the bench, sank a 3-pointer to cut their deficit to 50-45 with three minutes to play. Aidan Dauble, who poured in 22 points in the first round of the tournament, had back-to-back buckets to increase Exeter’s edge to 54-45 with 55 seconds left. After Dom Pierre knocked down a triple, Carter Redding went 2-for-2 from the foul line to make it 56-48 with 37 seconds remaining. Ware sealed the victory with a breakaway layup with 21 seconds on the clock. Murray thought having home-court advantage was important. “It was great. Fans really were into it, our bench was into it. It’s always fun playing here. I love the rims,” he replied. Dauble (13) and Redding (11) combined for 24 points. Ware chipped in with nine. The Eagles were just 4-of-9 from the charity stripe, but they made eight 3-pointers. Murray has connected 73 times from long range this season. Allen, a 6’2 junior guard, finished with a team-high 14 points. He hit four triples. Pierre added a dozen points. The 6’4 senior had eight points in the fourth quarter. Smith, a 6’3 junior, scored all eleven of his points in the second half. Spring Grove was 2-of-6 from the free throw line. The Rockets outscored Exeter 37-to-30 after halftime. They’ve clinched a spot in the state playoffs for the third time in program history. Spring Grove didn’t qualify for the District 3 tournament a season ago. The Eagles earned their first District 3 championship in 2023. They’re headed back to the Final Four in Class 5A. “I want this season to last as long as possible. I love these guys. I love this team. They’re really fun to be around,” said Murray.

Carmelo Harper-Berks Catholic

Paul Roberts — Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:18:43 +0000

Berks Catholic was the top seed entering the BCIAA playoffs last week. The Saints fell to Reading 48-41 in the semifinals at Santander Arena. That loss didn’t sit well with Carmelo Harper. “It really had me broken because we lost and my teammates weren’t happy. I feel like I let them down,” he said. The 5’10 freshman guard used that game as motivation. Harper scored a career-high 15 points in a 51-32 victory over eighth-seeded Bishop McDevitt in the District 3-4A quarterfinals. He knocked down three of of Berks Catholic’s eight 3-pointers at Lloyd Wolf Gymnasium. Harper doesn’t mind coming off the bench. “I get to see how the game is paced. Once I get in the game and I score, it slows down for me,” he explained. Brady Altimar also established a new career-high with a dozen points. The (19-5) Saints went scoreless for nearly five and a-half minutes before Altimar hit a triple from the left wing. The 5’9 junior followed with another trey. Berks Catholic led 8-7 after eight minutes. Altimar was 6-for-6 from the foul line in the fourth quarter. “He always finds his open teammates,” added Harper. Zach Suski drained a 3-pointer from the top of the key to give the Saints a 15-12 edge midway through the second quarter. The 6’ senior chipped in with eleven points. He was 4-of-5 from the charity stripe in the final period. Johnny Giesa splashed a triple to open the second half and put Berks Catholic in front 24-16. The 6’1 sophomore started in place of Gavin Welker. Welker, who averaged 8 ppg., isn’t eligible after transferring from Daniel Boone before the season. Bryce Gumby connected from long range with one minute remaining in the third quarter. The football standout gave the top-seeded Saints a 33-24 cushion entering the last period. A three-point play by Suski made it 40-26 with 4:15 to go. The (10-11) Crusaders have lost six of their last eight games. They were without leading scorer Damir Arp. The 6’3 freshman guard was academically ineligible. He averages 17 ppg. Berks Catholic participated in Bishop McDevitt’s Catholic Christmas Showcase where Arp poured in 26 points against Pittsburgh Central Catholic on December 27. Pat Denisco, a 5’10 junior, finished with a team-high twelve points. Max Henderson, a 6’6 senior, had six points. The Crusaders only hit two 3-pointers. They were 6-of-9 from the free throw line, while the Saints ended up 15-of-17. The top five teams in Class 4A qualify for the state tournament. Bishop McDevitt will have to win a pair of consolation games to advance. The Crusaders visit fourth-seeded Wyomissing on Monday. Kingston McKoy had a quiet night on Thursday. The All-State guard was limited to three points and didn’t make a field goal. McKoy leads Berks County in scoring at 21 ppg. The 6’2 junior was part of a terrific defensive effort. Bishop McDevitt didn’t reach ten points in any quarter. Head coach Snip Esterly earned his 834th career win over 36 seasons. He has always stressed hard-nosed, man-to-man defense. “Big time, we get screamed at a lot but it’s worth it,” replied Harper. The Saints host fifth-seeded Susquehanna Township in the semifinals on Monday at 7pm. Berks Catholic has already secured a berth in the PIAA-4A playoffs.

Aidan Dauble-Exeter

Paul Roberts — Wed, 19 Feb 2025 16:16:36 +0000

Exeter coach Jeff VanGorder was extremely disappointed that Aidan Dauble wasn’t named to the All-County team on Sunday. The 6’2 junior guard used that snub to fuel him on Tuesday night against Middletown. “It motivated me a lot because that was one of my goals this season. To not get it really made me strive to do good tonight and push through it,” remarked Dauble. He scored a game-high 22 points as the eighth-seeded Eagles outlasted the ninth-seeded Blue Raiders 60-53 in overtime in the first round of the District 3-5A playoffs. Dauble nailed a 3-pointer with two minutes left in the extra period to put Exeter on top 54-51. “Carter [Redding] came off a screen and I’m trailing him. I had a little bit of space and I was feeling good all game so I just let it fly,” explained Dauble. After Aleel Batts missed a tough scoop shot in the lane, Braylon Reinert sank a pair of free throws with 1:10 remaining. Avery Askins misfired on a triple from the right corner on the next possession. Redding then converted four consecutive foul shots to extend the Eagles’ margin to 60-51 with 24 seconds to go. Exeter outscored Middletown 11-to-4 in overtime. Reinert finished with 17 points including nine after the third quarter. The 6’4 sophomore tied it at 49-49 in the final seconds of regulation. VanGorder used a baseline out of bounds play called “4 down” for the first time this season, and it worked to perfection. The Eagles had four players along the baseline, while the Blue Raiders were in a zone defense. One defender ran to the right corner to cover sharpshooter Brady Murray, but they left Reinert wide open underneath the basket for an easy layup. Landon Keyser went 1-for-2 from the free throw line with 14 seconds to play which made it 49-47. The 5’11 senior, who averages 8 ppg., had 17 points. Batts led Middletown with 19 points. The crafty 6’ senior went 3-for-6 from the stripe. “He got to the free throw line a lot. He was able to get downhill and use a slow step to get to the basket. He’s a good player,” said Dauble. Batts is providing nearly 22 points a night this year. Kylin Noon, a 6’2 freshman forward, chipped in with seven points off the bench. The (13-10) Blue Raiders won the Colonial Division of the Mid-Penn Conference. They trailed 17-6 late in the opening quarter at Reiffton. Middletown went on a 14-to-3 run to even things up at 20-20 with 3:15 left in the first half. Exeter was down 25-24 at the break after getting outscored 15-to-7 in the second period. Murray splashed a 3-pointer from the right wing with two minutes remaining in the third quarter. His 68th trey of the season put the (13-11) Eagles in front 37-30. Batts scored five points to cut the deficit to 39-38 with 5:18 to go. A layup by Askins gave the Blue Raiders a 41-39 lead with 3:45 to play. That was his first bucket of the contest. He made another layup one minute later for a 43-41 edge. Jayden Ware answered on the other end with a drive for Exeter. The 6’1 junior had eight points, as well as the difficult task of guarding Batts. Keyser scored along the baseline with 1:40 left and Middletown regained the lead at 45-44. Dauble was then whistled for an offensive foul which wiped his bucket off the board. Keyser connected twice from the foul line with 39 seconds remaining to give the Blue Raiders a 48-45 advantage. A layup by Murray cut the deficit to one point with 21 seconds to go. The 6’2 senior guard ended up with seven points. The Eagles were 13-of-20 from the charity stripe, while Middletown went 10-of-19. The Blue Raiders made just one 3-pointer. They fell into the consolation bracket after dropping their fifth straight game. The Eagles advanced to the District 3-5A quarterfinals and clinched a berth in the state tournament. Exeter hosts #16 seed Spring Grove on Friday at 7pm. The Rockets upset top-seeded Manheim Central 45-38. “It’s crazy. It’s gonna feel amazing with the home crowd for a second round game in District’s. We’re ready to win,” stated Dauble. He’s averaging 16.6 points and nine rebounds while shooting 51% from the field. Dauble is one of four football players that start on the basketball team. The Eagles reached the District 3-5A championship game this fall. They’re motivated to make another run on the court.

Ryan Leaman-Wilson

Paul Roberts — Tue, 18 Feb 2025 04:30:22 +0000

Lacrosse is Ryan Leaman’s favorite sport, but she’s not too shabby at basketball. The 5’9 sophomore is Wilson’s starting point guard. She’s also the top 3-point shooter for the Bulldogs. Leaman hit a key triple in front of her bench as the third quarter came to a close. “I saw her hand down a little so I just shot it and it went in…We were all excited,” said Leaman. Wilson defeated tenth-seeded Cedar Crest 48-39 in the first round of the District 3-6A playoffs. The (17-8) Bulldogs advanced to the quarterfinals on Thursday night at second-seeded Dallastown. They also qualified for the state tournament. Leaman got off to a great start. She scored half of her 14 points in the opening quarter. “I know that if I’m open I should shoot. Sometimes I hold back a little. It was fun,” replied Leaman. Kailani Hardy finished with a game-high 18 points. The 5’9 sophomore was 8-for-8 from the free throw line. “We’ve been playing together as long as I can remember,” noted Leaman. Hardy was voted to the All-County team on Sunday. Juniors Violet Houck and Laura Crocona were both All-Division selections. They had important defensive assignments on Monday in West Lawn. Houck, who was injured when Wilson beat Cedar Crest 48-43 on December 21st, guarded Colgate commit Kaila Francis. Crocona covered promising freshman Elli Malinoski. Francis, a 6’2 junior center, and Malinoski were scoreless in the first half. “Once we shut them down, it opened up shots for us on the other end,” explained Leaman. First-year head coach Matt Raquet also utilized a 1-2-1-1 full court press that created turnovers and sped up the tempo. The Falcons turned the ball over ten times in the first 16 minutes. The seventh-seeded Bulldogs were in front 13-9 after a quarter and 23-13 at halftime. Cedar Crest didn’t score in the first three minutes of the game. The Falcons were blanked for nearly three minutes in the second quarter and fell behind 19-9. Lilyanna Thomas sank a 3-pointer from the left wing with 40 seconds remaining in the third period. The 5’11 senior pulled Cedar Crest within 35-29, however, Leaman answered with a trey of her own before the buzzer. Wilson increased its margin to 13 points before Thomas splashed a triple from the top of the key with 4:15 to go to make it 44-34. The Falcons never threatened the Bulldogs though as Hardy made all six of her foul shots in the final quarter. Crocona chipped in with eight points and Janai Tisdale added five off the bench. The Bulldogs bounced back from a tough 60-56 loss to rival Gov. Mifflin in the BCIAA semifinals. Cedar Crest hadn’t played since February 5th when the Falcons outlasted Gov. Mifflin 51-47 in overtime. Malinoski poured in 21 points against the Mustangs. The 6’ guard was limited to eight points by Crocona and company. Thomas led Cedar Crest with 13 points. She entered the night averaging 4.6 ppg. Francis ended up with ten points. The Falcons finish (13-10) in Ashli Shay’s second year at the helm. She scored 2,169 career points while at ELCO and went on to play for Penn State. Shay served as the Raiders’ head coach for twelve seasons before stepping down in 2022. Cedar Crest outscored Wilson 26-25 in the second half. The Falcons were 8-of-10 from the stripe and made three 3-pointers. The Bulldogs went 13-of-18 from the foul line and only connected once from beyond the arc. Wilson forced 18 turnovers including seven in the fourth quarter. The Bulldogs and Falcons have combined for ten District 3 championships with Wilson winning six titles. Both of these programs have bright futures. Of the ten starters on the court, only two were seniors. The Bulldogs reached the District 3 semifinals a season ago. They’ll have to upset Dallastown on Thursday at 7pm to return to the Final Four.

All-Berks Boys Basketball Team

Paul Roberts — Mon, 17 Feb 2025 01:13:39 +0000

Congratulations to Wilson’s Matt Coldren who was named the Berks Conference Coach of the Year for the second consecutive season. Coldren guided the Bulldogs to their second straight BCIAA championship and fourth title in the past six years. Wilson knocked off Reading 55-39 on Friday night at Santander Arena.

Kingston McKoy from Berks Catholic was honored as the Berks County Player of the Year. The 6’2 junior guard is averaging 22 points per game. Here is the 2024-25 All-County team. Voting was done by the head coaches in the league.

Kingston McKoy-Berks Catholic-Jr.

Madyx Gruber-Wilson-Sr.

Shermar Killen-Muhlenberg-Sr.

Matt Koehler-Gov. Mifflin-Sr.

Brendan Gaines-Daniel Boone-Sr.

Weshly Rosario-Reading-Jr.

Correll Akings-Wilson-Jr.

All-Berks Girls Basketball Team

Paul Roberts — Mon, 17 Feb 2025 01:03:09 +0000

Congratulations to Reading’s Rashida Suber for being voted the Berks League Coach of the Year. Suber, who scored 2,111 points in her career for the Red Knights, led them to their first BCIAA championship since 2010. Reading defeated Gov. Mifflin 63-57 on Friday night at Santander Arena.

Amaya Stewart of Wyomissing was named the Berks County Player of the Year for the third consecutive season. The 6’1 Albany commit is averaging nearly 20 points per game this year. Here is the 2024-25 All-County team. Voting was conducted by the head coaches in the league.

Amaya Stewart-Wyomissing-Sr.

Madison Langdon-Berks Catholic-Sr.

Yamilex Rodriguez-Reading-Sr.

Addison Benner-Brandywine Heights-Sr.

Hailey Kilgore-Twin Valley-Jr.

Bella Super-Gov. Mifflin-Soph.

Kailani Hardy-Wilson-Soph.

Luke Levan-Wilson

Paul Roberts — Sat, 15 Feb 2025 16:48:09 +0000

We’ve often heard that defense wins championships. Matt Coldren has preached about the importance of defense over his 24 years as Wilson’s head coach. He learned that approach from the legendary Reggie Weiss who won 362 games with the Bulldogs. Wilson allowed ten points or less in three quarters of a 55-39 victory over Reading in the BCIAA Championship on Friday night. Luke Levan stuffed the stat sheet with 15 points, 14 rebounds and six blocks in front of 1,800 fans at Santander Arena. “When we have good defense, it sets up our offense. We gotta keep that going in District’s,” said Levan. The 6’6 senior provided nine points in the fourth quarter, and made it difficult for the fourth-seeded Red Knights to finish in the lane. Reading had won nine of its previous ten contests. All-County guard Madyx Gruber poured in a game-high 23 points. “He’s incredible, he’s a really good player. I’m excited to see where he goes after this,” remarked Levan. Gruber made two of his team’s four 3-pointers. The 5’11 senior was 9-of-12 from the foul line with five rebounds and four steals. The second-seeded Bulldogs attempted just two free throws before the fourth quarter. They ended up 17-of-24 from the stripe. Wilson only committed ten turnovers. “In a game like this, the refs aren’t gonna call as many fouls which makes it even harder. They’re a really good pressuring team. I thought we did a really good job beating the pressure and playing strong,” noted Levan. The (20-5) Bulldogs earned their second straight Berks County title and fourth in six years. Levan was asked where this one ranks among the best performances of his career. “I think it’s gotta be up there. I gotta say thanks to all my teammates for getting me the ball and trusting me,” he replied. The (13-12) Red Knights saw their season come to an end. They trailed 9-8 after the opening quarter and 20-15 at halftime. Wilson began the second half with a 10-to-2 run. Tommy McFadden hit a triple from the left corner and scored on a fast break. Six of his eight points came in that period. Much like the second half of the season, Reading wouldn’t go away. The Red Knights battled back with nine consecutive points. Weshly Rosario fired a sweet pass to Xavier Beatty for a layup with 1:24 left in the third quarter. After a timeout, Gruber answered with a deep trey from the left wing for a 33-26 lead. Jeremiah Camara banked in a 3-pointer from the top of the key with 35 seconds to go. Reading was within 33-29 entering the final period. Camara and Jostin DeCastro, both sophomore guards, had ten points apiece. The Bulldogs were in front 41-35 with just over three minutes to play. They went on a pivotal 9-to-2 run to put the game on ice. Levan had a pair of layups during that stretch. Camara was called for a personal foul and then a technical foul after pushing a Wilson player with 56 seconds left. Gruber made three of his four free throw attempts for a 50-37 cushion. Rosario, who averaged nearly 13 ppg., was limited to five points. The Red Knights were 5-of-13 from the foul line and connected just twice from beyond the arc. They were searching for their 26th BCIAA championship. Meanwhile, Coldren improved his overall record to (428-202). The former All-County guard for the Bulldogs has guided them to six Berks County titles. Wilson has eight seniors on its roster including four in the starting lineup. The Bulldogs will host #12 seed Cedar Crest in the first round of the District 3-6A playoffs on Tuesday. “I’m excited for Cedar Crest because they kicked us out last year,” stated Levan.

Xiani Beatty-Reading

Paul Roberts — Sat, 15 Feb 2025 06:07:20 +0000

Reading surprised a lot of people by beating top-seeded Wyomissing 40-38 in the BCIAA semifinals. The Spartans had won the previous two Berks County titles. The Red Knights weren’t satisfied with just reaching the championship game at Santander Arena. “We didn’t fight all the way just to lose in the game that counted the most. We had to come back and we did,” said Xiani Beatty. The 5’6 freshman guard had a team-high 16 points in a thrilling 63-57 victory over Gov. Mifflin. Beatty scored eight points in the fourth quarter, including two free throws with 25 seconds left that gave Reading a 62-57 advantage. Tamyia Collier had only made seven 3-pointers all season entering Friday night. The 5’9 senior hit a triple from the right corner with one and a-half minutes remaining. Collier put the fourth-seeded Red Knights on top 60-57. “She was clutch,” replied Beatty. Brooklyn George and Bella Super misfired on 3-point attempts on the ensuing possession. Beatty’s foul shots then made it a two possession game. The third-seeded Mustangs led 16-12 after eight minutes and 21-16 in the second quarter. Reading responded with a 6-0 run, but Gov. Mifflin went into halftime with a 32-31 edge. The (17-8) Red Knights trailed 49-45 after the third quarter. Saray Renninger converted a three-point play early in the fourth period. The 5’11 freshman, who provided eight points, put the Mustangs in front 52-49. A floater by Yamilex Rodriguez capped a 6-0 run for the Red Knights. Super answered with a trey to even it at 55-55 with three and a-half minutes to go. The 5’7 sophomore erupted for 28 points. Super connected on four of her team’s six 3-pointers. She went 12-for-18 from the foul line. Collier broke the tie with three minutes to play, however, Bridget Martin’s layup knotted the contest at 57-57. That set the stage for Collier’s pivotal shot from beyond the arc. She’s one of five seniors on Reading’s roster and all five contribute. “It feels amazing, especially knowing that they’ve been wanting this moment for four years and they finally got this feeling,” said Beatty. The Red Knights claimed their tenth BCIAA championship and first since 2010. Collier (13) and fellow senior Zaniaya Bradley (10) combined for 23 points. Bradley was a force on the offensive glass as Gov. Mifflin struggled to rebound without Mia Vasquez. The 5’11 senior center also missed the semifinals due to a medical issue. The Mustangs’ starters played almost the entire game. Martin chipped in with nine points before fouling out late. Jayda Armstrong knocked down a couple of triples and finished with eight points. Gov. Mifflin was 21-of-29 from the charity stripe, while Reading went 6-of-12. Rodriguez had eight points and JilliAnn Laws added seven. Head coach Rashida Suber guided the Red Knights to a Berks County title in her fifth season at the helm. “She’s a great coach, great person. She inspires me in many ways,” stated Beatty. Reading and the (16-9) Mustangs are headed to the District 3-6A tournament which begins on Monday. Gov. Mifflin visits fifth-seeded Central Dauphin and Reading travels to fourth-seeded Mechanicsburg.

Bulldogs and Red Knights Advance-BCIAA Boys Semifinals

Paul Roberts — Fri, 14 Feb 2025 14:28:19 +0000

It’s fair to say that Wilson and Gov. Mifflin are pretty evenly matched. The Bulldogs won in Shillington by three points in their first meeting. The Mustangs prevailed 65-59 in overtime at West Lawn. The rubber match went down Thursday night at Santander Arena in the BCIAA semifinals. Wilson, the defending champion, led 8-6 after the first quarter and 15-12 at halftime. Gov. Mifflin trailed 30-27 entering the final period. It was a defensive battle from the opening tip. Ian Fleming scored in transition to put the third-seeded Mustangs on top 35-34 midway through the fourth quarter. The junior guard finished with eleven points. A nifty move in the lane by Jahmair Johnson made it 37-36 with 2:45 left. The 6’3 senior had six of his team-high twelve points in the last quarter. Madyx Gruber’s layup gave the second-seeded Bulldogs a 38-37 edge with 2:10 remaining. The All-County guard scored again for a 40-37 advantage. Gruber ended up with 18 points. Matt Koehler tied it with a 3-pointer from the top of the key with 1:22 to go. That was just the second triple of the night for Gov. Mifflin. Wilson attempted to hold for the last shot, but Fleming came up with a steal. With four seconds on the clock, the Mustangs threw the ball away and Correll Akings got off a shot from beyond the NBA 3-point line at the buzzer. His attempt while on the move hit high off the backboard which meant overtime. Luke Levan’s three-point play put the (19-5) Bulldogs in front 43-40 and they never looked back. The 6’6 senior had a game-high 19 points including five in overtime. “I think he was effective because we gave him a lot of touches. I don’t think we gave him enough touches throughout the year, mostly because our guards had a lot of success on the outside. We needed him to step up and he did,” said head coach Matt Coldren. Cam Zullinger found Levan for an easy bucket with 1:20 left in overtime. The (16-8) Mustangs trailed 49-41 at that point. Gruber shut the door with four consecutive free throws in the last minute. Zullinger was 4-for-6 from the stripe in the extra session. The 6’ senior provided ten points off the bench. Wilson was 11-of-13 from the foul line with eleven of those attempts coming in overtime. Gov. Mifflin struggled with its free throws. The Mustangs were 9-of-17 overall and 3-of-8 in the extra period. Koehler, who averages nearly 15 ppg., was limited to six points. Senior point guard Andrew Galantuomo chipped in with ten. The Bulldogs survived and advanced. They’ve won three Berks County titles in the past five years. “I have the opportunity to coach some really great kids. This group has been really dedicated to my program. It’s just a great example of when you put time in, good things happen to you,” remarked Coldren.

Good things have been happening to Reading’s basketball team since mid-January. The fourth-seeded Red Knights knocked off top-seeded Berks Catholic 48-41 in the BCIAA semifinals at Santander Arena. Reading has won nine of its last ten games. “The boys started to trust each other more. Earlier in the year, we were turning the ball over at a ridiculous clip. We limited turnovers, our defense has been tremendous,” said head coach Francis Camara. He also stressed that maintaining their composure at the end of games has been crucial to the turnaround. Camara’s son, Jeremiah, led everyone with 19 points. “I’m super proud of him. He has the utmost confidence. The kid has so much confidence because he works so hard,” noted Camara. Jeremiah, a 5’9 sophomore, was relentless in attacking the basket. He had six of the Red Knights’ 13 points in the fourth quarter. “It’s a proud moment as a father. It’s beautiful to see. I got a front row seat to watch my son play high school basketball,” emphasized Camara. Reading went on a 9-0 run to start the second quarter and build a 23-11 advantage. The (13-11) Red Knights were up 27-18 at the break. They went scoreless for nearly five and a-half minutes in the third quarter as the Saints climbed within 27-23. A three-point play by Zach Suski made it 31-28 with 1:42 left in the period. Weshly Rosario fed Xavier Beatty for a layup at the buzzer and a 35-28 lead. A steal and layup by Camara extended Reading’s cushion to 41-30 with five and a-half minutes remaining. He scored again with 90 seconds to go after the Red Knights beat Berks Catholic’s pressure. That layup put the (18-5) Saints in a 45-37 hole. Brady Altimar scored and was fouled with 53 seconds to play. The 5’9 junior missed the free throw, but cut the deficit to 46-41. Reading beat the Saints’ trap again which resulted in a layup for Jostin DeCastro with 45 seconds left. The 6’2 sophomore contributed 14 points including six in the final eight minutes. The Red Knights were 6-for-11 from the foul line, while Berks Catholic went 5-for-9. Each team only made two 3-pointers. Kingston McKoy jammed 14 of his 16 points into the first half. The 6’2 junior guard leads Berks County in scoring at 22 ppg. Suski added seven points and freshman guard Carmelo Harper had six off the bench. The Saints had won ten of their previous eleven contests. They Division 1 champions swept Reading in the regular season. The Red Knights didn’t qualify for the District 3 playoffs for the first time since 2001 when they finished (13-13). Friday night’s BCIAA Championship will be their last time taking the court together this season. They square off with Wilson at 8pm. Reading is looking for its 26th Berks County title.

Mustangs and Red Knights Rally-BCIAA Girls Semifinals

Paul Roberts — Fri, 14 Feb 2025 07:50:52 +0000

Gov. Mifflin and Wilson kicked off an exciting evening of basketball at Santander Arena. The first of four BCIAA semifinals didn’t disappoint. The third-seeded Mustangs trailed 38-27 with 3:45 remaining in the third quarter. Gov. Mifflin rallied past the second-seeded Bulldogs 60-56. Bella Super, a 5’8 sophomore guard, poured in 25 points. “Hell of a job Bella Super, hell of a job. She’s got the skill set to do that game in and game out,” said head coach Mike Clark. The Mustangs went on a 14-to-4 run to pull within 42-41 late in the third quarter. Brooklyn George splashed a 3-pointer from the left wing with 6:15 remaining to even the score at 46-46. The 5’7 sophomore finished with a dozen points. Super’s steal and layup put Gov. Mifflin on top 51-48 midway through the final quarter. Saray Renninger, a promising 5’10 freshman, hit a triple from the right corner to give the Mustangs a 54-50 cushion. Renninger chipped in with twelve points. Violet Houck’s layup got Wilson within 56-54 with just over one minute remaining. However, Bridget Martin responded with a pair of free throws with 43 seconds to go. The 5’8 sophomore provided eleven points. Kailani Hardy, who scored a team-high 19 points, missed a short shot on the ensuing possession. Martin then found Renninger underneath the basket for an easy bucket to ice it with eight seconds left. Gov. Mifflin fell behind 13-4 early. The (16-8) Mustangs were down 18-13 after eight minutes and 30-23 at halftime. They went 11-for-19 from the foul line, while the Bulldogs were 0-for-1. Wilson connected six times from beyond the arc in the first half, but only twice after halftime. Hardy, a 5’9 sophomore, made three treys. Laura Crocona and sophomore Ryan Leaman each sank two 3-pointers. Crocona ended up with 18 points and Leaman had ten. The (16-8) Bulldogs split with the Mustangs during league play. Gov. Mifflin was without starting center Mia Vasquez due to a medical issue. She averages 10 ppg. Clark has guided the Mustangs to five Berks League championships. This is his 13th year in Shillington. Clark, who has 315 career victories, gives his team the same message before every season. “Just listen to me for 22 games. You get me to Santander [Arena] and I’ll figure something out to get you to the championship game,” he said.

Gov. Mifflin will face fourth-seeded Reading on Friday at 6pm at Santander Arena. The (16-8) Red Knights upset #1 seed and two-time defending champion Wyomissing 40-38. The (20-4) Spartans saw their eight-game winning streak come to a halt. Wyomissing raced out to a 17-8 advantage with three minutes remaining in the second quarter. Reading trimmed its deficit to 17-14 by halftime. The Spartans went in front 30-21 late in the third period. Yamilex Rodriguez hit a pull-up jumper before the buzzer to close the gap to 32-26. The Red Knights opened the fourth quarter with six straight points to tie it up. A runner down the lane by senior Tamyia Collier made it 32-32. “We stuck together and we knew basketball is a game of runs,” replied head coach Rashida Suber. It took Wyomissing three and a-half minutes to get on the board in the final period. A layup by Amaya Stewart was answered by one from freshman Xiani Beatty. Stewart scored again inside for a 36-34 edge with 2:36 to go. The 6’1 Albany commit led everyone with 20 points. Alexis Hardy went 2-for-4 from the foul line to give the Spartans a 38-34 cushion with 1:46 to play. Rodriguez then took charge with consecutive buckets to knot things at 38-38. Audrey Hurleman, who returned on January 28 from a torn ACL, missed a jumper from the right elbow. There was a mad scramble for the loose ball which was won by Beatty. She flipped the ball to Elyssa Spring who fired a long pass down the court that hit Stewart in the back. The ball deflected to Kailani Ocasio who fed Rodriguez for a reverse layup with 15 seconds remaining. “Somehow she got it and she was already determined to get to the basket,” said Suber of Rodriguez. Wyomissing was behind 40-38, but still had time to get a good look. Hurleman threw a pass from mid-court that hit Hardy in stride at the foul line. Hardy drove down the right side of the lane, but missed a layup with four seconds left. The Delaware track and field commit finished with eleven points. The Spartans committed 23 turnovers against Reading’s pressure. “We wanted to keep throwing different schemes at them. I knew if we could pressure their guards, we would be in a good position,” explained Suber. The 2003 graduate piled up 2,111 career points for the Red Knights. She’s in her fifth season as their head coach. Neither team made a shot from beyond the arc on Thursday. Wyomissing was 10-for-19 from the free throw line, while Reading went 4-for-8. Rodriguez, a 5’4 senior guard, had a team-high 16 points. Beatty added eleven points. “She’s a special kid. She’s been around basketball a lot. She has a unique talent,” stated Suber. The Red Knights are searching for their tenth BCIAA championship and first since 2010. They split their regular season matchups with Gov. Mifflin.