“Roberts Rankings”-Boys Basketball

Here are my rankings for the Berks Conference. There’s no doubt which team deserves top billing. Berks Catholic remains perfect with suffocating defense and a trio of scoring options. The Saints took down Exeter and Muhlenberg in a span of 24 hours. Parker Nein and the McKoy brothers, Kingston and Josh, are each averaging between 15 and 18 points per game. Congratulations to Snip Esterly on surpassing 800 career victories!

Exeter moved up three spots in my poll. The Eagles are the highest-scoring team in the county at 72 ppg. They can fill it up in a hurry from beyond the arc. Kevin Saenz has emerged as a Player of the Year candidate. Reading, Wilson, and Muhlenberg seem interchangeable. The Red Knights rallied to beat Wilson at the Geigle Complex before falling at Muhlenberg in double overtime. Reading is still without senior guard Nick Chapman due to an eye injury suffered two days after Christmas. The Bulldogs fell two positions in my rankings. They’ve dropped three of their last five contests after an (8-1) start. Keep in mind that there’s only one senior in Wilson’s starting lineup. Bulldogs’ coach Matt Coldren earned his 400th win last week. The Muhls have lost three of their last four. They square off with Exeter this evening in Laureldale. All five of the Eagles’ losses have come against high quality opponents.

Fleetwood remains at #6. The Tigers are on top of Division 3. They’re allowing just 38.5 ppg. Schuylkill Valley jumps up one spot to #7. Conrad Weiser is back in my poll. The Scouts blew out Gov. Mifflin 57-38 in Shillington last Thursday. That result knocked the Mustangs out of my rankings. Gov. Mifflin did snap a 5-game slide on Saturday by defeating Hempfield 35-24. The Black Knights managed just three points in the final quarter.

“The Great 8”

1. Berks Catholic (10-0)

2. Exeter (7-5)

3. Reading (8-6)

4. Wilson (10-4)

5. Muhlenberg (8-6)

6. Fleetwood (11-2)

7. Schuylkill Valley (10-3)

8. Conrad Weiser (6-5)