Reading’s Season Ends in Final 4

Most high school teams are fortunate to have one 1,000-point scorer in their lineup. Central York has three of them. The Panthers showed off their offensive firepower in a 79-65 win over Reading in the PIAA-6A semifinals. The Red Knights held McDowell to 47 points in the second round and Coatesville to 44 in the quarterfinals. Central York demonstrated why its averaging 72 points per game. The (28-3) Panthers can beat you inside or outside. They splashed six 3-pointers in the first half. Greg Guidinger, the school’s all-time leading scorer, sank three treys in the first quarter. The 6’6 senior jammed eleven points into the first eight minutes. He finished with 22. Ben Rill, a 6’8 junior, had a game-high 26 points. He was 10-for-15 from the free throw line. Ben Natal, who’s also in the 1,000-point club, exploded for ten points in the second period. The 6’2 junior guard drained a triple from the right corner to end the third quarter. Natal provided 13 points. Reading led 11-to-6 early. Central York was in front 20-19 after a quarter and 37-31 at the break. There was confusion at the scorer’s table in the third quarter. Central York was mistakenly awarded two extra points. The Red Knights trailed 57-43 entering the final period. They never threatened the Panthers in the fourth quarter. Yadiel Cruz contributed a team-high 21 points. The 6’2 senior racked up 1,010 points in just two seasons at Reading. Cruz was 9-of-9 from the foul line. He averaged 22 ppg. and was named the Berks County Player of the Year. Nick Chapman, a scrappy 5’10 senior, scored 14 of his 16 points in the first half. Sophomore Weshly Rosario added 13 points. The game included 56 free throw attempts in front of a packed house at Warwick. Central York was 20-of-30 from the stripe, while the Red Knights were 22-of-26. Reading began its quest for back-to-back state titles with a 90-73 loss at Central York on December 5th. The Panthers ended the Red Knights’ season three and a-half months later. Central York will make its first appearance in the PIAA Finals on Saturday night. The Panthers face Parkland at 8pm at the Giant Center. After a (7-6) start, Reading finished with a mark of (22-11). First-year head coach Francis Camara was extremely grateful for the six seniors on the team. “They trusted me, believed in me, and stood by my side through all the adversity. They helped me grow as a coach through my mistakes and held me accountable. They are the definition of what it means to be a Red Knight,” he remarked.