Top Players to Watch in Berks I girls basketball for 2022-23 season
Coming Tuesday: Top Players to Watch in Berks II girls basketball.
By Sean McBryan — MikeDragoSports.com correspondent
A two-time All-State and three-time All-Berks selection . . . All-Berks selections from each of the county finalists . . . and a talented sophomore class return to highlight Berks girls basketball for the 2022-23 season, which tips Friday.
Defending champion Gov. Mifflin hopes to defend its county hardware while Berks I rivals Berks Catholic, Reading High and Wilson again aim to stake their claim.
Exeter and Muhlenberg have swapped divisions, with the Muhls moving to Berks I and the Eagles going to Berks II — a division that’s up for grabs.
Twin Valley All-Berks selection Natali Foster and all-division selections Anna Kaplan and Rachel Knight have graduated. Conrad Weiser all-division selections Ellie Miller, Kailee Richmond and Natalia Moll were also seniors a season ago.
Wyomissing looms as the favorite in Berks III, with all of its starters returning; Schuylkill Valley hopes to defend its division title.
Brandywine Heights is the early favorite to defend its Berks IV crown, with upperclassmen returnees from Oley Valley and Kutztown hoping to change that narrative.
Here are the Players to Watch in Berks I (listed in alphabetical order):
Sydney Brown, senior, Berks Catholic: Two-year starter led the Saints in scoring in last season’s district final loss to Delone Catholic.
Ashanti Chapman, senior, Reading High: The Red Knights will run through this all-division pick. She averaged 7.6 points per game last year and is also a menace on defense.
Sydney Corado, sophomore, Berks Catholic: The 5-10 wing will see a boost in production after averaging 3.4 points as a freshman.
Isis Dojan, senior, Wilson: The 6-2 center was an All-Berks selection last season, averaging 11.2 points per game in the post for the league-finalist Bulldogs.
Caraline Herb, senior, Berks Catholic: Led league with 49 3-pointers. Four-year varsity player with a chance to reach 1,000 points.
Ryanna Hightower-Prentice, sophomore, Muhlenberg: One of many talented youngsters in the Class of 2025 jumps up into Berks I this season after averaging 9.5 points per game last year.
Laila Jones, freshman, Wilson: Takes the reins as starting point guard for Bulldogs, who hope to get back to county championship.
Taylor Koenig, junior, Gov. Mifflin: Sharpshooting junior hit 48 3’s, second most in league, and led defending county champs with a 12.9 scoring average. Recovering from knee injury but hopes to return during season.
Madison Langdon, sophomore, Berks Catholic: 5-4 guard steps into even bigger role after impressive freshman campaign in which she finished as the Saints’ fourth-leading scorer.
Shakyla Mayo, senior, Gov. Mifflin: Returning All-Berks selection hit game-winner in Berks League semifinals, averaged 11.8 points and hit 32 3-pointers.
Anyah Ortiz, senior, Gov. Mifflin: All-Division honorable mention choice was third-leading scorer on county champion Mustangs at 10.2 points per game.
