Here’s the lowdown on the District 3 Tournament: Who’s in, who’s out

Reading High has cast a long shadow over the rest of the Berks Conference this season.

The Red Knights might be better than they were a year ago, when they won a PIAA Class 6A championship, and they’ve drawn a lot of attention, accordingly.

Reading’s domination obscures what a banner season it’s been overall for Berks basketball.

Berks Catholic has been outstanding. The Saints are 15-3 and a top contender — perhaps the favorite — to win the District 3 Class 4A championship.

Antietam is 16-3 and ranked No. 1 in the Class 2A power ratings. Tulpehocken is 15-3 and ranked No. 2 in 3A. Fleetwood is on the way to its first district tournament since 2000.

Three teams — Reading High, Berks Catholic and Antietam — could enter the tournament as a No. 1 seed. That would be significant; the league hasn’t produced three No. 1’s in the same season going back at least 30 years.

With less than a week to go before the qualifying deadline — games through Feb. 9 will count in the power ratings — 12 of 18 Berks Conference teams are position to qualify for the district tournament. You would have to go back to 2010, when as many as 20 teams qualified in some classifications, to find more.

Here’s a breakdown, by classification:

Class 6A

12 qualify/7 make PIAA Tournament

Reading High (17-2) has a slight edge over No. 2 Chambersburg and may need to win out, against Gov. Mifflin, Muhlenberg and Wilson, to hold on. Berks Catholic is the only league team to stay within 20 of the Red Knights, so that shouldn’t be a problem. If they hold the top spot they’ll get a first-round bye and home games through the semifinals.

Wilson (12-5) is young and improving, with eight wins in its last nine games. The Bulldogs are No. 7 but could slip a couple spots with a few losses, and their final-week schedule is brutal: They play Methacton, which is 18-1 and the top-ranked Class 6A team in District 1, at Berks Catholic and at Reading High. They could end up No. 9, which means they’ll open on the road.

Muhlenberg (14-5) is on the bubble: Ranked No. 12 in a 12-team field. Wins over Twin Valley (tonight) and Bethlehem Liberty (Saturday) should be enough to hold that spot. The Muhls close against Reading High.

Gov. Mifflin (9-10): The Mustangs are No. 14 and pretty much out of it. Some close losses in December — to Hempfield in overtime, at Berks Catholic by two points, at Manheim Township by five — sunk them.

Class 5A

16 qualify/9 make PIAA Tournament

Exeter (10-8): The Eagles are No. 1 and should earn a first-round home game. If they win their district opener they’ll qualify for the PIAA Tournament. Tough games ahead, against Berks Catholic and Perkiomen Valley (14-6).

Fleetwood (14-4): The Tigers are No. 11 and could move up a few spots, maybe enough to grab a home opener, if they win their final three games. Like everyone in the 5A field they’re just one win away from making states. The Tigers haven’t done that since 1990.

Twin Valley (7-9): The Raiders are close to doubling their win total of last season but they’re No. 19 and unlikely to move up enough to make the field unless they win all of their five remaining games, including at Muhlenberg tonight.

Class 4A

10 qualify/5 make PIAA Tournament

Berks Catholic (15-3): The Saints have a huge lead over No. 2 Middletown; they could probably drop each of their remaining games and hold the top spot. They’re in line for a first-round bye and a home opener; if they win one of their first two district games they’ll make states.

Oley Valley (11-6): The Lynx are No. 9 and safely in the field despite three straight losses.

Wyomissing (8-8): Same goes for the Spartans. They’re at No. 10 but there’s a huge gap between them and No. 11. If they win half their remaining six games they’re safely in. Beating Schuylkill Valley tonight will be big.

Schuylkill Valley (7-10): The Panthers are No. 11 and nearly 70 points back of Wyomissing. They’ll have to win out, starting tonight at Wyomissing, and hope the Spartans collapse down the stretch.

Class 3A

6 qualify/3 make PIAA Tournament

Tulpehocken (15-3): The Trojans are No. 2 after winning five straight and eight of nine. They have clinched a spot in the tournament. To hold the No. 2 spot, and the first-round bye and home opener that go with it, they’ll likely need a couple more wins. Those won’t come easily. Kutztown, which they face tonight, is playing better lately. Then they head to Upper Dauphin (13-4) and meet Antietam in the Berks IV showdown.

Kutztown (8-9): The Cougars are No. 5 and have unofficially clinched a spot after winning five of their last seven. They have a chance to pass No. 4 Lancaster Catholic and secure a home opener.

Brandywine Heights (5-12): The Bullets are No. 6 after losing nine straight; they have seen their lead over No. 7 Camp Hill shrink. The Lions haven’t done much better: They’ve dropped four of their last five. The Bullets have a tough stretch ahead, with Fleetwood tonight, Northwestern Lehigh (10-9) Saturday and Oley Valley on Tuesday.

Class 2A

6 qualify/3 make PIAA Tournament

Antietam (16-3): The Mounts have pretty much clinched the top spot, which means a quarterfinal-round bye and a home opener in the semifinals. They’ll need to win just one of their first two games to make the state tournament.