“Roberts Rankings”-Boys Basketball

Here are my Berks County high school boys basketball preseason rankings. Remember that no matter where your favorite team is ranked, the sun will come out tomorrow! It’s Reading and then everyone else. That seems to be the consensus among local hoops fans. The Red Knights won the Class 6A state championship and only lost two players to graduation. They’ll miss Moro Osumanu on the interior, but all-state picks Ruben Rodriguez and Daniel Alcantara are back. Joey Chapman, Myles Grey, and Amier Burdine provide depth in the backcourt. Opponents better find Grey when he’s beyond the arc. Xavier Davis is the inspirational leader for Reading. The Red Knights are searching for their 24th county title.

Snip Esterly has a nice trio at Berks Catholic. JayJay Jordan, Ryan Koch, and Aidan Sands helped the Saints win the West Reading Summer League. Berks Catholic isn’t going (6-11) again this year. That was just the second losing season for Esterly over 32 years as a head coach. He has a Berks County record 746 career victories. Exeter has the size to give a lot of teams trouble. Joey Schlaffer and Anthony Caccese are both 6’7. The question in Reiffton, as well as Wyomissing, is how quickly will their football players get into basketball shape. Schlaffer has committed to Penn State where he’ll play tight end. Colin Payne, the Eagles’ record-setting QB, and perimeter threat Teddy Snyder will lead the way in the backcourt. Four of the projected starters for Wyomissing are in the Class 3A state championship football game on Saturday. Senior guard Julian O’Brien has really improved since last season when the Spartans went (12-4).

All Wilson has to do is replace the leading scorer in school history and the fourth-leading scorer to ever play in Berks County! Stevie Mitchell is at Marquette after pouring in 2,060 career points. Mitchell helped the Bulldogs win a remarkable 42 of their last 44 games including back-to-back county championships. Cam Jones will be the focal point of Wilson’s offense. Foday Sillah adds length in the paint along with Ofure Odiale. Speaking of the paint, that’s where Edwin Suarez goes to work. The Muhlenberg senior is a double-double machine. Muhlenberg graduate Matt Flowers brings intensity to Laureldale. The longtime Reading assistant has taken over for Tyrone Nesby as the Muhls’ head coach. Gov. Mifflin will have a much different look this season with five new starters. Southpaw Matt Harley has a quick release and can shoot over defenders. Backup quarterback Delsin McNeil will be a much bigger piece of the puzzle in Shillington this year.

If you’re looking for a small school that could surprise some people, take a peek at Antietam. Hector Tiburcio put up 18 points a night last season. The senior is already over 1,000 points. The Mounts are my preseason favorite in Division 4. The season hasn’t even started, yet Conrad Weiser and Schuylkill Valley are dealing with injuries. Scouts’ star QB Logan Klitsch is out indefinitely. Klitsch was an All-Division selection on the basketball court as a junior. Former Mansfield University and Penn State Berks head coach Rich Miller will be on the sideline in Robesonia after Billy Harrison stepped down. Meanwhile, Schuylkill Valley track standout Luke Seymour likely won’t be back in action until late this month. He’s the Panthers’ leading returning scorer at eight points per game.

“The Great 8”

1. Reading (26-2) last year

2. Berks Catholic (6-11)

3. Exeter (3-14)

4. Wilson (20-2)

5. Muhlenberg (15-4)

6. Gov. Mifflin (9-9)

7. Wyomissing (12-4)

8. Antietam (12-7)