5 Berks boys teams ready to rebound this season
Here’s a look at the five most-improved Berks teams for the 2021-22 basketball season:
Berks Catholic
The Saints experienced the first losing season in program history last year but longtime coach Snip Esterly wasn’t distraught. He had a young team and played a brutal scheduled that included two games against eventual PIAA Class 6A champ Reading High, two against Wilson and two others against eventual state champs — Allentown Central Catholic (4A) and Nativity (1A).
That accounts for six of their 11 losses. They lost three other times by two points and once by four points.
“This team was so close (to winning) last year,” said Esterly. “We played some tough, tough teams: Reading High, Wilson, Muhlenberg. Other than those, we were in every other game.”
The Saints showed good signs in the summer, beating Wilson for the West Reading League championship. They are off to a fast start this season, opening with wins over Loyalsock, Lancaster Catholic and Pottsville.
They returned a veteran lineup, led by point guard Josiah Jordan and 6-4 forward Ryan Koch, both juniors. Seniors Aidan Sands and Tyler Givens, 6-4 and 6-3, respectively, return to the starting lineup. Junior Jack Miller gives Esterly another solid guard and another perimeter shooter on what he says could be the best-shooting team he’s ever coached.
The Saints finished 6-11 in 2020-21. It was the first losing season for Esterly since 2004.
“Nobody likes to lose, but I wasn’t discouraged,” he said, “because I knew we were young. Hopefully we’ve learned from it.”
No one is expecting Berks Catholic to unseat Reading High in Division I of the Berks Conference but the Saints should make the Berks Conference playoff field and have as good a chance as any team of making it to the finals.
Exeter
The Eagles had high hopes last year, especially after opening the season with a win over Berks Catholic. They won just twice more the rest of the season, finishing 3-14 — the worst record at Exeter in at least 50 years.
“Obviously, we were disappointed,” said Eagles coach Matt Ashcroft. “That kind of year is difficult on anybody, but we grew as a program, and we grew together.”
Three starters return, including their top two scorers, Colin Payne and Joey Schlaffer. Also back is junior guard Teddy Snyder, who emerged as a deep threat after breaking into the lineup.
The Eagles have plenty of size and strength, with 6-6 junior center Anthony Caccese — the all-league football tackle — teamming inside with the 6-6 Schlaffer — a Penn State tight end recruit.
Payne averaged 14.5 points as a junior and figures to be one of the league’s top scorers and outside threats this season.
Schlaffer scored a team-high 20 points in a season-opening win Friday against Cedar Crest; Payne had 24 Monday as they improved to 2-0 with a win over Elizabethtown.
“We have a lot of talent,” said Ashcroft. “Everyone likes each other. We’re hoping to turn the corner.”
Fleetwood
The Tigers haven’t made the Berks Conference playoffs in 18 years or the District 3 playoffs since 2000. They haven’t won a division title over the past 40 seasons.
All of that could change this season. They return four starters from a team that finished 11-8, including junior guard Jake Karnish, who averaged 13.9 points as a sophomore and figures to be one of the league’s top scorers this season.
Karnish scored 14 and 20 points, respectively, in season-opening wins against Steel-High and Hanover.
The Tigers won those games without either of their bigs — 6-4 senior center Will Ryan and 6-6 sophomore center Hunter Svoboda. They were out due to illness or injury.
Those guys, along with promising sophomore guard Aiden Soumas, a starter last year, give the Tigers a chance to unseat Wyomissing as the Berks III champ.
Brandywine Heights
The Bullets missed the playoffs last year for the first time in four seasons and finished with their worst record (5-12) in seven years.
They return five of their top six scorers from last season, including 6-5 senior Gunnar Wetzel, their leading scorer and the top big in Division IV.
They’re off to a fast start, with a pair of 30-point wins, over Annville-Cleona and Hamburg, respectively.
The Bullets figure to be right in the thick of the Berks IV playoff race and have a chance to return to districts.
Tulpehocken
The Trojans showed signs of a turnaround last season, winning four of their final five regular season games to qualify for the District 3 Class 3A Tournament.
They’re off to a fast start, winning twice over the weekend.
They return their starting lineup intact and have one of the best scoring tandems in the league in junior David Bendarczyk and senior Bryce Mellen, who combined for over 33 points per game and 58 3-pointers a year ago.
Mellen scored 25 in a 52-44 season-opening win over Upper Perkiomen Friday and 23 in a 60-31 win over Pequea Valley. He was named tournament MVP.
The Trojans finished 7-15 last year.
