Nick Chapman-Reading

Nick Chapman suffered a broken orbital bone a couple of days after Christmas which caused him to miss eight games including Reading’s first matchup with Muhlenberg. The Red Knights fell 87-74 in double overtime on January 9th in Laureldale. Chapman waited nearly a month to get a shot at the Muhls and this time the Division 1 championship was up for grabs. The 5’10 senior had 18 points in a resounding 83-46 victory at the Geigle Complex. The gym was rocking on senior night. “Their energy feeds into us. That’s what makes us stay together,” said Chapman. He was emotional before the game and admitted to coming close to shedding a few tears. Chapman knows that his remaining home games are numbered. The Red Knights put on a show on Tuesday night. Yadiel Cruz finished with 26 points and eight rebounds. The 6’2 senior jammed nine points into the first eight minutes. “He works every day on and off the court. He’s a great role model,” remarked Chapman. Nico Sosa, a senior guard, drilled a 3-pointer at the buzzer to give Reading a 27-18 advantage after the opening quarter. The (15-7, 8-3) Red Knights hit four triples in the first period. They ended up 7-of-15 from beyond the arc and shot a blistering 65% from the field. Chapman only missed two of his eight field goal attempts. He was 6-for-9 from the free throw line. Reading’s defense was also superb. They held Muhlenberg 18 points below its season average. “Without defense there’s no offense,” stated Chapman. The (13-8, 7-4) Muhls were outscored 39-to-16 in the middle quarters. Kyle Archie had all eight of Muhlenberg’s points in the second period. They trailed 43-26 at the break. Weshly Rosario sank a trey from the top of the key with 1:10 remaining before halftime. The sophomore guard converted a putback before the horn. Rosario piled up ten points, seven rebounds, and seven assists. Sosa chipped in with nine points off the bench. The Red Knights are peaking at the right time. They’ve won eight of their last nine contests. Alex Collado led the Muhls with 15 points, but only six came after the first quarter. Archie and Jayden Kantner provided eleven points apiece. Muhlenberg went 12-of-17 from the foul line while Reading was 16-of-23. Ruben Rodriguez was back in the building to cheer on his former teammates. Rodriguez was named the Class 6A Player of the Year in Pennsylvania after helping the Red Knights capture their third state title a season ago. He’s now a freshman guard at Rider. Reading is searching for its 26th Berks County championship. The quarterfinals are set for next Monday. Chapman had a message for the rest of the teams in the BCIAA playoffs. “We’re coming for everybody,” he said.