Caraline Herb of Berks Catholic is UECU Player of the Week
Uilities Employees Credit Union Player of the Week
Carline Herb is already one of the greatest 3-point shooters in Berks girls basketball history, but that’s just part of her all-around game.
“Shooting, that’s the first thing that catches your eye,” said Berks Catholic coach Bob Birmingham of his 5-7 junior guard, “but when you spend time watching her you see she’s got the full game.”
That was on display in the Saints’ critical Berks League Division I opener against Gov. Mifflin last week when scored 20 points, blocked four shots and grabbed four rebounds in the 65-48 win.
That performance earned her Utilities Employees Credit Union girls basketball Player of the Week.
Herb hit a Berks-leading 60 3-pointers as a sophomore and matched a state record by hitting 12 in a game.
She’s always had great shooting form; she won a Knights of Columbus state free throw championship when she was 11 years old.
Defense wasn’t part of her game when she arrived at Berks Catholic but now Birmingham calls her his best defender.
“She’s worked really, really hard on that,” he said. “She’s worked her tail off and listened. You watch the way she blocks shots, she does it with two hands. She goes straight up; it’s unbelievable.”
Herb earned All-Berks honors last season when she averaged a team-leading 11.6 points and helped the Saints win a county championship.
She set a program record by scoring 38 points against Reading High when she made an incredible 12-of-15 shots from beyond the arc.
This season she’s averaging 12.0 points, shooting 46 percent from 3-point range this season, 65 percent from the floor and 74 percent from the free throw line.
“She’s a special type of kid,” Birmingham said. “She doesn’t take it for granted, either; she works really, really hard every single day. If she’s not shooting well, she usually shoots herself out of it. She’ll go home and shoot outside, even in winter.”
Herb credits older brother Janssen, a senior at Berks Catholic, with helping her develop her form and stay sharp.
“Her form from her feet to her follow through are the same every time she shoots,” Birmingham said. “She had that before she came to us. Her form back then (when she won the free throw shooting contest) was awesome.”
Herb is the second Utilities Employees Credit Union Player of Week for the 2021-22 season. Berks League coaches nominate their top players each week. At the end of the season a Utilities Employees Credit Union Player of Year will be selected.
Previously selected for the Utilities Employees Credit Union Player of Week:
- Dec. 20: Kya Washington, Reading High.