Chapman – Berks Sports Report

Nick Chapman-Reading

Paul Roberts — Wed, 07 Feb 2024 01:24:00 +0000

Nick Chapman suffered a broken orbital bone a couple of days after Christmas which caused him to miss eight games including Reading’s first matchup with Muhlenberg. The Red Knights fell 87-74 in double overtime on January 9th in Laureldale. Chapman waited nearly a month to get a shot at the Muhls and this time the Division 1 championship was up for grabs. The 5’10 senior had 18 points in a resounding 83-46 victory at the Geigle Complex. The gym was rocking on senior night. “Their energy feeds into us. That’s what makes us stay together,” said Chapman. He was emotional before the game and admitted to coming close to shedding a few tears. Chapman knows that his remaining home games are numbered. The Red Knights put on a show on Tuesday night. Yadiel Cruz finished with 26 points and eight rebounds. The 6’2 senior jammed nine points into the first eight minutes. “He works every day on and off the court. He’s a great role model,” remarked Chapman. Nico Sosa, a senior guard, drilled a 3-pointer at the buzzer to give Reading a 27-18 advantage after the opening quarter. The (15-7, 8-3) Red Knights hit four triples in the first period. They ended up 7-of-15 from beyond the arc and shot a blistering 65% from the field. Chapman only missed two of his eight field goal attempts. He was 6-for-9 from the free throw line. Reading’s defense was also superb. They held Muhlenberg 18 points below its season average. “Without defense there’s no offense,” stated Chapman. The (13-8, 7-4) Muhls were outscored 39-to-16 in the middle quarters. Kyle Archie had all eight of Muhlenberg’s points in the second period. They trailed 43-26 at the break. Weshly Rosario sank a trey from the top of the key with 1:10 remaining before halftime. The sophomore guard converted a putback before the horn. Rosario piled up ten points, seven rebounds, and seven assists. Sosa chipped in with nine points off the bench. The Red Knights are peaking at the right time. They’ve won eight of their last nine contests. Alex Collado led the Muhls with 15 points, but only six came after the first quarter. Archie and Jayden Kantner provided eleven points apiece. Muhlenberg went 12-of-17 from the foul line while Reading was 16-of-23. Ruben Rodriguez was back in the building to cheer on his former teammates. Rodriguez was named the Class 6A Player of the Year in Pennsylvania after helping the Red Knights capture their third state title a season ago. He’s now a freshman guard at Rider. Reading is searching for its 26th Berks County championship. The quarterfinals are set for next Monday. Chapman had a message for the rest of the teams in the BCIAA playoffs. “We’re coming for everybody,” he said.

Joey Chapman-Reading

Paul Roberts — Sun, 06 Mar 2022 10:49:00 +0000

December 18, 2018 was the date of Joey Chapman’s first game for the Red Knights. He scored 12 points and had four assists. Those numbers become much more noteworthy when you consider the opponent and site of that contest. Chapman’s first varsity appearance came against perennial power Chester at the “Clip Joint.” That’s certainly not a place that allows anyone to ease into their high school basketball career. Chapman has never been intimidated on the court. It helps when you can bench press 350 pounds! The 6’1 senior guard has always been known for his tremendous vision. On Saturday night in Hershey, he showed that he can score as well. Chapman erupted for a career-high 19 points in a 68-43 rout of #7 seed Warwick. Reading claimed its record 23rd District 3 championship and second in a row. The (25-3) Red Knights were up 35-23 at halftime after outscoring the (20-6) Warriors 18-8 in the second quarter. The Section 2 champs from the Lancaster-Lebanon League cut the deficit to five in the third quarter when Reading committed six turnovers. Ruben Rodriguez gave the Red Knights momentum in the closing seconds of the period. The all-state guard stole an inbounds pass and banked in a deep 3-pointer at the horn for a 50-36 advantage. Chapman provided the first six points of the fourth quarter; part of a 16-2 run by Reading that sent their fans into a frenzy. Chapman told me that he was more focused on defense than scoring. He did a terrific job of passing out of the high post, especially in the second quarter when he found Xavier Davis alone on the baseline. Davis, a 6’2 senior forward, had five points in that quarter. He finished with nine. Myles Grey added seven points and nailed his 53rd trey of the season. Chapman once again wore #21 in honor of his close friend Daniel Alcantara. The all-county forward broke his left hand in the District 3-6A quarterfinals versus Wilson. Chapman said he feels like Alcantara is with him on the floor when he puts on his jersey. Alcantara, a 6’5 senior who was averaging 16 points, gives Chapman words of encouragement before each game. Chapman emphasized that while he loves playing at the Giant Center, the Geigle Complex is still his favorite venue. Warwick fell to (1-4) all-time in the District 3 Finals. The Warriors’ lone title was in 1984. Tate Landis, Avery Sapp, and freshman Caleb Johnson had ten points apiece. Landis, the grandson of legendary Warwick coach Dave Althouse, made three triples to increase his season total to 44. The 5’11 senior averages 18 points, but was limited to three in the second half. Landis is committed to York College. He was guarded most of the night by Amier Burdine, one of Reading’s top defenders. The top-seeded Red Knights improved to (134-51) in the District 3 playoffs. This is the fourth District 3 championship for head coach Rick Perez. Chapman, who has 548 career points, stressed that he’s taking the state tournament one game at a time. Finally, keep an eye out for a guest appearance during the interview by sophomore Malik Osumanu. His brother, Moro, guided Reading to a state title last year.

Joey Chapman-Reading

Paul Roberts — Sat, 11 Dec 2021 00:10:00 +0000

Joey Chapman made the biggest steal in the history of Reading High basketball. His defensive effort in the final seconds helped the Red Knights hold off Archbishop Wood 58-57 in last season’s Class 6A state championship game. Chapman came up with another defensive gem tonight to close out Reading’s 60-57 season-opening win over Imhotep Charter. Chapman stripped Ahmad Nowell with one second left to end the thriller at Albright. Nowell is one of the highest-ranked sophomores in the nation. He finished with 20 points to lead the Panthers who were without Rider commit Mo Abdullah for the Hoop Group showcase. The Red Knights raced out to an 11-2 advantage. They trailed 28-24 at halftime before outscoring Imhotep 16-9 in the third quarter. Reading was up eleven with six minutes to go, but the Panthers didn’t go away. They clawed within two points in the final minute. Chapman made two critical free throws down the stretch. He shot just 42% from the foul line last season. The physical senior guard spent a lot of time practicing this offseason. Chapman told me that he’s looking to score more this year. He didn’t disappoint with 16 points against Imhotep; one shy of his career high. Chapman averaged just six points as a junior. He has been a fixture in Rick Perez’s rotation since his freshman year. Chapman opened a lot of eyes with 12 points in his first game at Chester. We talked about the fan support at Albright, and the bond that Chapman has with his teammates. He managed to keep his composure during our interview despite the antics of Xavier Davis who made two unexpected appearances. Chapman stressed that Davis is a tremendous leader. We also discussed the advice that Chapman received from his coaches before the game. Daniel Alcantara erupted for 27 points, tying his career high. All-state guard Ruben Rodriguez added six points. Rodriguez took a hard fall and left the game late in the third quarter. He later told me that it was just a cramp and he’s fine. Reading struggled at the FT line. The Red Knights were 6-for-13. 6’8 junior Justin Edwards came alive late for the Panthers. He scored 13 points while dealing with foul trouble. Edwards is ranked #16 in the Class of 2023 by ESPN. He has nearly twenty Division I offers including Kentucky. Reading will now get ready for a matchup with McCaskey on Tuesday.