The two-time Berks County Player of the Year led the Saints to their first BCIAA Championship since 2018 this season. They outlasted Reading 62-57 in overtime at Santander Arena. McKoy poured in 29 points in the county final.

He came up big once again in the District 3-4A Championship. McKoy erupted for 35 points in a 58-52 overtime victory against Bishop McDevitt. Berks Catholic claimed its second straight District 3 title.

McKoy finished his career with 1,679 points. He was also an elite defender. The Saints went (50-9) in his last two seasons.

Clarke is very familiar with the Berks County hoops scene. He was the men’s basketball head coach at Reading Area Community College from 2004-11. Clarke guided RACC to the Pennsylvania Collegiate Athletic Association championship during the 2005-06 season. He was an assistant on the Alvernia men’s basketball coaching staff in 2014-15.

Clarke played college basketball at Marist in New York and then the University of New Haven in Connecticut. During the mid-‘90s, he was an assistant boys basketball coach at three high schools in Maryland and Washington, D.C. Clarke served as the Director of Berks Red Storm, a youth basketball organization for girls, from 2016-20.

Muhlenberg’s girls basketball program has struggled in recent years. The Muhls finished (0-21) this past season. Only three of those games were decided by single digits. Kenleigh Brill was a bright spot this winter. The sophomore averaged a team-high 12.6 points and was an All-Division selection.

O’Connell guided Cairn to 149 NCAA wins, including a record of (80-53) since 2021. He took over a program that won just two games in the 2013-14 campaign. The Highlanders went (21-7) this past season. They finished third in the nation in 3-pointers per game. Cairn ranked 23rd in the country in scoring at 86 ppg. The Highlanders reached the postseason every year since the COVID-shortened season of 2020-21. O’Connell coached eleven first team All-Conference players and ten 1,000-point scorers.

O’Connell graduated from Lancaster Bible College in 2012 with a degree in Sports Management. He holds master’s degrees from California University of Pennsylvania and Eastern Kentucky University. “I am incredibly grateful and excited for the opportunity to be the head men’s basketball coach at Alvernia University. I am eager to lead this program and establish a culture that represents the university with pride, both on the court and in the campus community, all while striving to compete at a high level,” said O’Connell.

The three-year starter reached 1,000 career points on January 6th at Reading. Super erupted for 31 points as the Mustangs defeated the Red Knights 59-55 at the Geigle Complex. She will enter her senior season with 1,329 points. Ashley Espinosa, a 2012 graduate, is Gov. Mifflin’s all-time leading scorer with 1,803 points.

The Mustangs finished (18-10) this year. They reached the BCIAA semifinals before falling to Exeter 46-40 at Santander Arena. Gov. Mifflin ended up in eighth place in the District 3-6A tournament and qualified for the state playoffs. The Mustangs lost a nailbiter at Canon-McMillan 48-46 in the first round of the PIAA-6A bracket.

The girls senior All-Star Game wasn’t as close. The Red team prevailed 69-54. They were in front 39-28 at halftime. Wilson teammates Laila Jones and Laura Crocona combined for 27 points. Jones provided 15 points and connected three times from beyond the arc. Crocona, a Kutztown University commit, chipped in with a dozen points. They helped the Bulldogs claim BCIAA and District 3 championships this season. Elyssa Sellers from Schuylkill Valley had 14 points. Mekhira Gaskins of Reading ended up with a team-high 13 points for the Blue squad.

Best of luck to all of the seniors in their future endeavors. Today’s games put a wrap on the 2025-26 high school basketball season. I was fortunate to cover 60 games this year. Thanks to all of the coaches, players, and athletic directors for their assistance with my coverage.

Berks Catholic won its first county title since 2018. The Saints went on to capture their seventh District 3 crown and second in a row at Class 4A. Snip Esterly will enter next season with 865 career victories.

Reading was the runner-up in the BCIAA tournament after falling to Berks Catholic 62-57 in overtime at Santander Arena. Jostin DeCastro, Cameron “Bron Bron” Jones, Javon Merriweather, Jamier Jacob, and Raybin Rubio will all be back for Rick Perez.

Exeter knocked off Wilson 43-41 in the Berks County quarterfinals thanks to Aidan Dauble’s bucket with one second left. The Eagles qualified for the PIAA field for the fifth consecutive year.

The Bulldogs advanced to the state playoffs for the fifth time in the past eight seasons. Wilson has a talented group of sophomores to keep an eye on. Matt Coldren holds the school record with 449 wins.

A promising season in Laureldale ended in a flash. The Muhls dropped a nailbiter to rival Reading 60-57 in the BCIAA semifinals. Muhlenberg was eliminated in the first round of the District 3-6A bracket by #13 seed Cedar Crest. The Falcons stunned the Muhls 66-60 in overtime. The good news is that Eli Hemmings, LJ Armstrong, and Nelson “Coco” Malave will return.

Schuylkill Valley defeated Wyomissing 63-52 to reach the District 3 semifinals for just the second time. The Panthers made their third appearance in the PIAA tournament.

Antietam finished on top of the Division 4 standings. The Mounts blew out Wyomissing 61-40 in a key crossover matchup on January 8th. Antietam’s season ended with a 87-71 loss to Lancaster Catholic in the District 3-3A third place game.

The Spartans overcame some midseason turmoil to qualify for the state playoffs for the first time since 2011. Second-year head coach Konlan Krick deserves credit for keeping his troops together after two starters quit. Wyomissing took fifth place in the District 3-4A field.

Gov. Mifflin receives an honorable mention. The (10-12) Mustangs didn’t have a single bad loss on their resume. Life in Division 1 of the BCIAA is no picnic.

Without further ado, here is the final edition of the “Roberts Rankings” for the Berks Conference. Remember that no matter where your favorite team is ranked, the sun will come out tomorrow!

“The Great 8”

1.Berks Catholic (25-3)

2.Reading (18-8)

3.Exeter (18-11)

4.Wilson (17-11)

5.Muhlenberg (16-8)

6. Schuylkill Valley (16-11)

7.Antietam (16-9)

8.Wyomissing (16-11)

Wilson trailed 8-1 early after Catie Doogan drained a 3-pointer from the right wing. The 6’ sophomore is the daughter of head coach Chrissie Doogan, a 1993 graduate of Cardinal O’Hara. Chrissie was a two-time MVP in the Philadelphia Catholic League who led the Lions to three PCL titles. She went on to rack up 1,818 points and 914 rebounds at La Salle. Doogan is a member of the Hall of Fame at both schools, as well as the Big 5. This is her eighth season at the helm of Cardinal O’Hara.

Leah Hudak hit a triple from the left corner to put the Lions on top 11-5 after eight minutes. Kailani Hardy, the BCIAA Player of the Year, picked up her second foul one minute into the second quarter. The 5’10 junior guard returned to the game a minute later. Hardy got her third foul with 5:13 left before halftime. Laila Jones, a 1,000-point scorer, splashed a trey from the top of the key to even things at 11-11. That was the lone field goal of the night for the Penn State Harrisburg commit. Jade Lee provided a spark off the Bulldogs’ bench. The 5’9 sophomore had all seven of her points in the first half. Despite its offensive woes, Wilson was within 16-15 at the break.

A layup by North Carolina lacrosse commit Ryan Leaman gave the Bulldogs their first lead at 17-16 with 4:27 remaining in the third quarter. They only scored one point the rest of the period as the Lions built a 24-18 cushion. Megan Rullo, a 5’8 Drexel commit, made a pair of layups in the third quarter. Rullo missed last season due to a knee injury. The 5’8 senior is averaging a team-high 14 ppg. this year.

Hardy came up with a steal and a transition basket to cut Wilson’s deficit to 24-20 with 6:15 to go. Olivia Craft, a 6’3 freshman, answered with a layup on the other end. Hardy finished a drive down the right side of the lane to make it 26-22 with 5:06 to play. She split a pair of free throws to get the Bulldogs within 26-23 with 3:37 left. They didn’t score again until Hardy sank a 3-pointer from the top of the key with nine seconds on the clock. During their final drought, Hardy missed a scoop shot and had a drive down the middle of the lane rattle out. Rullo converted six of her eight foul shots in the fourth quarter. She ended up with a team-high twelve points. Brigidanne Donohue added ten points and went 2-for-2 from the stripe with 1:52 remaining. The 5’10 junior gave Cardinal O’Hara a 28-23 advantage. Doogan and Hudak chipped in with five points apiece.

The Lions were 14-of-19 from the free throw line. They went 22-for-23 during a 61-49 victory over Wilson back on December 11th. Cardinal O’Hara connected four times from beyond the arc on Tuesday. The Lions only hit one triple after the opening quarter. The Bulldogs struggled at the foul line, going 6-of-12. Hardy was 3-for-8, but still managed a team-high twelve points. Wilson only made two shots from long range as their 20-game winning streak came to a halt.

The Bulldogs did bring two trophies back to West Lawn this year. They defeated Exeter 54-44 at Santander Arena for their first Berks County title since 2014. Wilson then outlasted Dallastown 42-37 in overtime to earn its seventh District 3 crown. Jones, Violet Houck, and Laura Crocona have all been starters since they were freshman. Crocona will continue her career at Kutztown. Houck is headed to Jacksonville University for track and field. They helped the Bulldogs pile up 72 wins over the past three seasons. “I can’t begin to express how proud I am of this team. They’ve accomplished so much this season, and were so fun to watch and coach. They’ve made an impact that will last for years to come,” said Raquet.

Class 6A:

The Wilson boys fell at New Castle 68-38. The Bulldogs finished (17-11).

The Wilson girls defeated Conestoga 59-46 in West Lawn.

The Gov. Mifflin girls battled District 7 champion Canon-McMillan down to the wire, but the (18-9) Mustangs came up short 48-46.

Class 5A:

Exeter ran into a buzz saw at Chartiers Valley. The Colts went 15-of-28 from 3-point range. The (18-11) Eagles lost 66-42.

Class 4A:

Berks Catholic was upset by Carver High School of Engineering & Science 40-35 at Lloyd Wolf Gymnasium. The Saints end their season at (25-3).

Schuylkill Valley got tripped up by District 2 champion Scranton Prep 65-48. The (16-11) Panthers made their third appearance in the PIAA playoffs.

Wyomissing fell to Archbishop Carroll from the Philadelphia Catholic League 77-52. The Spartans finished (16-11).

Berks Catholic came out hot on Friday with four 3-pointers in the opening quarter. Kingston McKoy and Carmelo Harper hit back-to-back triples to put the Saints in front 16-10. Fareed Brown, a first team selection in the Public League, picked up two fouls in the first quarter and didn’t play the rest of the half. The 5’9 senior guard averages a team-high 13 points and four assists. Matt McField, another first team pick in the Public League, stepped up with Brown on the bench. The 6’ senior guard scored eight points in the first eight minutes and drilled two treys. However, the Engineers trailed 16-12 entering the second period.

Oye “Junior” Guilavogui splashed a 3-pointer from the right corner to make it 20-14. That was the only shot Berks Catholic made in the entire quarter. Carver E&S struggled on the offensive end as well. The Engineers outscored the Saints 6-4 in the period to pull within 20-18 at halftime. Brown connected on a jumper to begin the third quarter. A spin move by McKoy gave the Saints a 30-24 cushion with 2:20 left in the quarter. Berks Catholic was limited to five points over the final ten minutes. Samir Roberts-Mouzon came off the bench and nailed a triple from the right wing at the buzzer. His only field goal of the contest evened things up at 30-30.

A layup by Brown started the fourth quarter. His three-point play with 6:42 to go put Carver E&S on top 35-31. McKoy, a Colgate commit, threw down a breakaway dunk with just under four minutes left. That was the only shot the Saints made in the last quarter. Sahin Rodriguez, a 6’3 senior forward, went to work in the low post with 2:45 on the clock. His bucket provided the Engineers with a 37-33 edge. McKoy connected twice from the free throw line to make it 38-35 with 2:03 remaining. Roberts-Mouzon missed a pair of foul shots with 48 seconds to play. Carver E&S committed a turnover with 29 seconds left, but Berks Catholic didn’t take advantage. McKoy got trapped in the left corner which led to a steal by the Engineers. McField finished off a 2-on-1 fast break to ice it with four seconds on the clock.

The Saints were held 24 points below their season average of 59 ppg. “They really doubled Kingston. When we had some guys that were open, we just didn’t hit the shot,” explained Esterly. Berks Catholic connected seven times from long range, but just twice after halftime. Carver E&S made three 3-pointers and went 11-for-15 from the foul line. The Saints were 4-for-6 from the stripe. McKoy poured in a game-high 19 points. The two-time All-State guard wrapped up an outstanding career with 1,679 points. McKoy averaged 22 ppg. this year. Harper, a 6’1 sophomore, chipped in with nine points and Johnny Giesa had four. McField led the (21-6) Engineers with 14 points. Rodriguez added nine points and Brown had seven in limited minutes due to early foul trouble.

Berks Catholic ends its campaign with a mark of (25-3). The Saints, who reached the state final a season ago, saw their 19-game winning streak come to a halt. They did bring home BCIAA and District 3-4A championships this winter. “I’m so proud of them, the way they developed over the last two years. We just came up short tonight,” replied Esterly.

Wilson visits District 7 runner-up New Castle on Saturday at 1pm. The (17-10) Bulldogs are in the state bracket for the fifth time in the past eight years. They defeated Cedar Crest 48-36 to finish seventh in the District 3-6A field. Shippensburg football commit Correll Akings is averaging a team-high 11.5 points per game. The 5’9 guard is the only returning starter for Wilson. He reached 1,000 career points in a 50-45 loss at Red Lion in the District 3 quarterfinals. The (23-2) Hurricanes fell 52-51 to Upper St. Clair in the WPIAL Championship. Their only other loss was by two points against Pine-Richland on January 30th. “They’re probably the most well-rounded team that we have faced this season. They can play fast and be effective. They can also be effective in the half-court. When you have three guys that can score from all three levels, it makes them extremely hard to defend. We’re looking forward to the challenge,” replied Bulldogs’ coach Matt Coldren. He added that freshman Marino Graham is the best point guard that he’s seen this year. Graham is also the starting quarterback at New Castle. He threw for 1,425 yards and 18 touchdowns during the fall. Graham ran for another 856 yards and 11 TD.

Exeter is making its fifth consecutive trip to the PIAA tournament. The (18-10) Eagles earned the ninth and final berth from District 3. They won elimination games versus ELCO, Greencastle-Antrim, and Red Land. Aidan Dauble, a 1,000-point scorer and Shippensburg football commit, leads Exeter at 14.6 ppg. The 6’3, 215-pound senior is also an excellent rebounder. The Eagles have a balanced attack with Dylan Donate, Jayden Ware, and Braylon Reinert each providing 10-to-12 points a night. They head west to battle District 7-5A champion Chartiers Valley on Friday at 6pm. The (23-2) Colts ran over Thomas Jefferson 63-37 in the WPIAL Final. Luca Federico, a lean 6’5 sophomore, exploded for 31 points and eight boards. Moon and Fox Chapel are the only teams to beat Chartiers Valley this season. “Chartiers Valley is a very good, well-coached team. They have five guys in the lineup who can all shoot it and play hard defensively. We also have veteran players who have not only played in, but won games in the state tournament. I know they’re excited about the opportunity to compete against another good program on the western side of Pennsylvania,” noted Exeter coach Jeff VanGorder.

Wyomissing has advanced to the state playoffs for the first time since 2011. The (16-10) Spartans cruised by Oley Valley 67-44 in an elimination contest last week. Wyomissing ended up in fifth place in the District 3-4A tournament. Point guard Dom Arguelles is putting up 17.8 ppg. this year. The All-County selection loves to attack the basket. Sophomore Brady Eisenhower gives the Spartans a threat from beyond the arc. He’s connected 36 times from long range. Daniel Moyer, a 6’ senior forward, is averaging 13.3 points. Wyomissing travels to Radnor on Friday to take on Archbishop Carroll from the mighty Philadelphia Catholic League. They will get underway at 7pm. Don’t be fooled by the Patriots’ record of (14-10). They’ve faced an extremely challenging schedule. “They’re a very good team from one of the top leagues in the state. We look forward to playing them,” stated Spartans’ second-year coach Konlan Krick. Archbishop Carroll knocked off PCL champion Father Judge, Neumann-Goretti, and Bonner-Prendergast in January. Father Judge won the PIAA-6A title a season ago. Neumann-Goretti has claimed ten state crowns in its history. The Patriots had three players named to the second team in the PCL this year in Nasir Ralls, Ian Williams, and sophomore Yasir Turner.

Schuylkill Valley is making its third appearance in the state bracket. Despite losing its top three scorers to graduation, the (16-10) Panthers reached the District 3-4A semifinals for the first time in 22 years. They took third place with a 60-52 victory over Big Spring. Schuylkill Valley has a balanced squad with no one averaging more than 11 points per game. Josiah Urbaez and Alex Aletras have been sparks off the bench. Logan Cammauf, an All-State linebacker, provides some muscle and 10 ppg. The Panthers hit the road on Friday to square off with Scranton Prep at 7pm. The (20-5) Cavaliers took down Dallas 68-52 in the District 2-4A Championship. Sophomore guard Chicky Skoff poured in 28 points and hit three triples. Scranton Prep brought home its eighth District title since 2017. The Cavaliers allowed just 14 points in the second half. “Prep has multiple guards who can shoot consistently from the perimeter and score putting the ball on the floor. Their defensive ball pressure causes turnovers and they’re really strong scoring in transition,” explained Schuylkill Valley coach Taylor Grim. The Cavaliers dropped a nailbiter to Berks Catholic 51-47 in the second round of last year’s PIAA-4A tournament.

Speaking of Berks Catholic, the Saints meet a familiar foe at Lloyd Wolf Gymnasium on Friday at 6pm. They battle Carver High School of Engineering & Science from Philadelphia. Berks Catholic beat the Engineers 53-49 in its season opener at the CoBL Winter Showcase at Exeter. The Saints trailed by five points at halftime. Kingston McKoy took over with 28 points and four 3-pointers. Fareed Brown had a team-high 17 points for Carver E&S. The 5’9 senior averages nearly 14 points and 4 assists. Matt McField (13 ppg.) and Billy Henighan (12 ppg.) are also capable scorers for the Engineers. Carver E&S forfeited its Public League quarterfinal against Constitution due to an altercation. The (20-6) Engineers were up twelve points with one minute remaining when one of their players was pushed. His teammates left the bench and fans came on the court. Carver E&S was ruled eligible for the PIAA tournament and was given the fifth and final seed in District 12-4A. Meanwhile, Berks Catholic outlasted Reading and then Bishop McDevitt in the BCIAA and District 3-4A Finals. Both of those instant classics went to overtime. “I think it builds so much confidence in these guys. We never think we’re out of it,” remarked longtime coach Snip Esterly. He’s (52-30) all-time in the PIAA playoffs. Esterly has 865 career victories over 37 years. The Saints lost to Devon Prep 55-39 in the state championship game a season ago. Berks Catholic is making its 12th appearance in the PIAA tournament.