Saints use late run to pull away from Mustangs

Jack Miller and Tyler Givens each hit a pair of free throws in the final minute to complete Berks Catholic’s late run in a 53-43 victory over Gov. Mifflin Friday night in a Berks Conference Division I game at Shillington.

The win was the seventh straight for the Saints (7-2, 15-2), who maintained their grip on second place in Berks I and the top spot in the District 3 Class 4A power ratings.

Ryan Koch scored 11 of his 13 points in the second half and leading scorer Josiah Jordan scored all of his 10 points after the intermission as the Saints battled back following a slow start.

The Mustangs (3-6, 7-10) led 10-4 after one period. Givens scored five of his season-high 14 points in the second quarter to help the Saints pull even at halftime, 21-21.

Gerrell McNeil scored a game-high 18 points and helped Mifflin dig out of a nine-point hole after three quarters.

He opened the fourth quarter with a pair of 3-pointers and the Mustangs got as close as 42-41 when Matt Harley put back a rebound with 4:53 remaining. That was the only basket for Mifflin’s leading scorer.

The Mustangs scored just one basket the rest of the way. The Saints ended the game on an 11-2 run and scored the final eight points.

Koch scored consecutive baskets in transition, both off feeds from Jordan, to push Berks Catholic’s lead to 49-43 with 1:13 left. Miller hit both ends of a one-and-one with 37 seconds left and Givens followed with a one-and-one with 16 seconds left.

The Saints were good on 11-of-14 free throws, including their last five. The Mustangs got to the foul line just four times — twice on a technical foul — and did not make a free throw.

The Mustangs were playing without one of their top scorers, Delsin McNeil, who was ill.

Xavier Price scored 16 points for Mifflin; he had a season-high 17 against the Saints in a 72-70 loss at

Berks Catholic on Dec. 21.