Snip Esterly-Berks Catholic

Everyone in Lloyd Wolf Gymnasium knew who was taking the last shot for Berks Catholic. “We just wanted to spread it and let Kingston go to work because he’s so hard to cover. He can go either left or right,” said Saints’ coach Snip Esterly. McKoy went behind his back, used a hesitation dribble, and then drilled a pull-up jumper from the left side of the lane with five seconds left. The 6’2 junior guard gave Berks Catholic a thrilling 51-49 win over Wilson. McKoy finished with a game-high 22 points including seven in the fourth quarter. “He’s so patient and under control. It’s a joy just to watch him play,” replied Esterly. The longtime coach improved his overall record to (826-225) in 36 seasons. The Saints led 17-10 after the opening quarter thanks to a 3-pointer at the buzzer by Gavin Welker. They scored the first four points of the second period to build a 21-10 cushion. The Bulldogs battled back and went on a 16-to-4 run. They were in front 26-25 at halftime. Wilson entered the evening as the #1 seed in the District 3-6A power rankings. Berks Catholic was on top of the District 3-4A rankings. This Division 1 battle lived up to expectations. The (15-3, 6-2) Bulldogs were up 36-34 after the third quarter. Bryce Gumby came off the bench and splashed a top of the key trey with six and a-half minutes left. The football standout gave the Saints a 39-38 advantage. Zach Suski, Berks Catholic’s quarterback in the fall, hit a triple from the right corner with 2:45 remaining. The Saints’ 46-43 lead didn’t last long, however, as Madyx Gruber made a pull-up jumper to even the score at 46-46 with 2:22 to go. McKoy connected from beyond the arc on the right wing with 1:50 to play. Correll Akings answered with a 3-pointer of his own from the top of the key with 55 seconds left. It was 49-49 until McKoy sank the go-ahead shot over the hand of Tommy McFadden in the final seconds. McFadden is Wilson’s best defender and an Albany soccer commit. The Bulldogs called a timeout down 51-49. Gruber raced up the right side of the court and took an off-balance 3-pointer. It hit the backboard and bounced off the rim as time expired. Gruber ended up with a team-high 16 points. The 5’11 senior reached 1,000 career points in a victory over Harrisburg on Saturday. Akings added 14 points. They each made three treys. Akings, a 5’10 junior, provided eight points in the first quarter. Wilson has had issues this season at the foul line. The Bulldogs were 6-of-12 on Tuesday, while Berks Catholic went 2-for-3. Each team connected seven times from long range. McKoy and Welker hit two triples apiece. Welker chipped in with ten points and freshman guard Carmelo Harper had eight off the bench. The (11-3, 6-2) Saints defeated Wilson for the second time this season. “It gives us confidence because we know Wilson is a darn good program. I think they’re one of the favorites to win District’s,” stated Esterly. Berks Catholic took the first meeting 54-49 in West Lawn on December 9th. Life in Division 1 of the Berks Conference isn’t easy. “I’m not liking it too much,” joked Esterly. The Saints committed just five turnovers and ended the Bulldogs’ nine-game winning streak. “It’s always a battle. Every night there’s a good game out there,” he said.