Snip Esterly-Berks Catholic

How well did Berks Catholic play against Middletown in the District 3-4A championship? Well, head coach Snip Esterly was at a loss for words after the 60-37 rout. If you know Esterly, you understand that’s a very rare occurrence. The (23-4) Saints raced out to a 19-4 lead after the first quarter. Ryan Koch, Aidan Sands, and Jack Miller drilled 3-pointers in the opening period, while the Blue Raiders were ice cold. Koch knocked down a baseline jumper at the buzzer to end a near flawless quarter for the #1 seed. Aron Reinhart and Sands hit consecutive treys early in the second period to put Berks Catholic on top 25-6. Middletown senior forward Tajae Broadie fouled Koch on a 3-point attempt right before the buzzer. The 6’3 junior calmly sank all three free throws, and the Saints went to the locker room up 32-12. Miller, a 5’10 junior, splashed two more shots from beyond the arc in the third quarter. Berks Catholic extended its lead to 47-21 entering the final period. Third-seeded Middletown finished 2-12 from 3-point range. The (20-4) Blue Raiders shot 27% from the field. They were looking for their second straight District 3 title and sixth overall. Esterly told me that this was the Saints’ best defensive effort of the season. He said Sands did a tremendous job guarding the 6’4, 240-pound Broadie who’s committed to Old Dominion for football. The all-state defensive end is expected to play tight end in college. Broadie had a team-high 15 points. He’s just two shy of 1,000 for his career. Esterly emphasized how important perimeter shooting was in this matchup. Berks Catholic went 8-17 from deep. The Saints have made 182 triples this year, the most in Berks County. Koch, Miller, and Sands have combined for 141. Junior point guard Jay Jay Jordan, a three-year starter, scored eight of his game-high 17 points in the first quarter. Koch added 16, Miller had nine, and Sands chipped in with eight. Reinhart provided seven points off the bench. Esterly stresses balanced scoring and unselfishness. He mentioned that playing at Santander Arena during the Berks Conference playoffs really benefited his team today at the Giant Center. Esterly has won 13 District 3 championships in his 33 years as a head coach. He’s (4-0) in District 3 Finals with Berks Catholic. We discussed how he prepares for big games. Esterly’s all-time record in the postseason is a remarkable (193-70). The Saints are (26-8) in the District 3 playoffs over eleven seasons. This is their first championship since 2018. Esterly hasn’t even glanced at the state playoff bracket. He’s enjoying an incredible turnaround from (6-11) last year to receiving gold medals in Hershey.