Daniel Alcantara hits milestone, sparks Red Knights
Daniel Alcantara wasted little time taking care of business Monday night; neither did his Reading High teammates.
The senior forward scored 11 first-quarter points to reach 1,000 for his career and spark a fast start as the top-seeded Red Knights raced past eighth-seeded Wyomissing 83-42 Monday in a Berks Conference quarterfinal at Geigle Complex.
| Career scoring leaders | Senior Year | Points |
| Lonnie Walker IV | 2017 | 1,828 |
| Donyell Marshall | 1991 | 1,581 |
| Dick Nyquist | 1919 | 1,576 |
| Stu Jackson | 1973 | 1,563 |
| Jordan Burdine | 2008 | 1,435 |
| Bill Jankans | 1966 | 1,423 |
| Jermaine Jackson | 2008 | 1,400 |
| Brian D’Amico | 1986 | 1,359 |
| Wesley Butler | 2019 | 1,315 |
| Trenity Burdine | 2010 | 1,281 |
| Tyrone Nesby IV | 2017* | 1,157 |
| Ruben Rodriguez | 2023 | 1,147 |
| Jaren Burdine | 2002 | 1,094 |
| Jalan Branford | 2013 | 1,094 |
| Neil Christel | 1978 | 1,081 |
| Daniel Alcantara | 2022 | 1,009 |
| Khary Mauras | 2016 | 1,005 |
| Robby Pollard | 1994 | 1,004 |
The Red Knights (19-3) advance to a rematch against fourth-seeded Muhlenberg — the only Berks team to beat them this season — Wednesday in a semifinal at Santander Arena at 8.
Alcantara, a 6-5 senior, finished with 20 points in the game and 1,009 in his career.
He is the program’s 18th 1,000-point scorer and the second to hit the milestone this season. Junior Ruben Rodriguez passed that mark last month in a win over Vertical Academy at Santander.
Rodriguez and Alcantara are the third pair of Red Knights teammates to reach 1,000 points in the same season.
Lonnie Walker IV and Khary Mauras did it in 2016, when Walker was a junior and Mauras was a senior. Jordan Burdine and Jermaine Jackson did it in 2008, when each were seniors.
Alcantara hit three 3-pointers and helped Reading to a 31-14 first-quarter lead and the Red Knights continued to pull away. They were up 48-24 at the half and by 31 points after three quarters.
Aris Rodriguez came off the bench to score a team- and career-high 21 points for Reading; he had 16 in the fourth quarter.
Xavier Davis scored 13, Myles Grey 12 and Ruben Rodriguez 11 for Reading.
Julian O’Brien scored a game-high 26 points for the Spartans (12-11). Wyomissing’s season will continue in the District 3 Class 4A tournament Feb. 21 at No. 8 Elco.
Muhlenberg defeated Reading 63-61 last week at Laureldale.
Alcantara is the fourth Berks player to reach 1,000 points this season, following Bryce Mellen of Tulpehocken, Danny Turchi of Oley Valley and Rodriguez.
Antietam senior Hector Tiburcio passed 1,000 last season.