Defending champ Saints loom as top seed in BCIAA girls basketball tournament

By Mike Drago Last updated Feb 2, 2022

Schuylkill Valley and Brandywine Heights have clinched division titles in the Berks Girls League; Berks Catholic and Twin Valley will join them with wins Friday night.

They’ll be among the eight quarterfinalists when the BCIAA girls basketball tournament tips Feb. 12, with games played at the home of the higher-seeded teams.

The final two rounds will be played at Santander Arena, with a semifinals double-header Feb. 15 and the title game on Feb. 18 as part of a girls/boys championship doubleheader.

Berks Catholic defeated Wyomissing 55-45 in last year’s championship game.

The Saints (10-0 Berks I, 17-3) are back on top this season and should be the No. 1 seed for the tournament. With a win over Exeter (1-8, 2-14) on Friday they will clinch the Berks I title and should have the highest power rating, which will determine the seeding order.

Twin Valley (6-3, 12-6) needs one win to clinch the Berks II title, by beating either Muhlenberg Friday or Conrad Weiser Monday in its final game.

Schuylkill Valley (9-0, 17-1) has clinched the Berks III title and Brandywine Heights (9-1, 14-3) is the Berks IV champ.

Brandywine Heights’ Olivia Moyer (Susan L. Angstadt photo)

Wilson (8-2 Berks I, 13-4) has the edge over Gov. Mifflin (7-3 Berks I, 13-7) in the battle for the Berks I-II runner-up spot. They split their season series but the Bulldogs have the higher power rating. Each has defeated both Conrad Weiser and Twin Valley and would earn the runner-up spot over either.

Wyomissing (6-3, 12-6) and Fleetwood (6-3, 11-7) are tied for second place in Berks III and each has two league games remaining. The Tigers have the tougher schedule as they play the two division champs, Schuylkill Valley and Brandywine Heights; the Spartans play Schuylkill Valley and Hamburg.

The Spartans and Tigers split their regular season games. If they finish tied for second place the team with the higher power rating will finish second. Fleetwood currently has a slight edge there.

If Wyomissing finishes second it will earn the Berks III-IV runner-up spot by virtue of beating Oley Valley, which has clinched second place in Berks IV. If Fleetwood finishes second Oley Valley will earn that spot by virtue of a 55-53 win over the Tigers.

Fleetwood’s path to the Berks playoffs is via one of the two wild card spots, which will go to the remaining teams with the highest power rating. Right now that would be Gov. Mifflin (.682) and Fleetwood (.623).

Teams will be seeded one through eight based on power ratings. However, coaches from any of the eight qualifiers can contest the seeding order, and qualifying coaches will vote on any appeals.