Fleetwood’s Jake Karnish is Wyomissing Physical Therapy Player of the Week
Wyomissing Physical Therapy Offensive Player of the Week
Jake Karnish was an All-Berks pick last season, the first from Fleetwood in more than 30 years.
A couple games into his senior season its clear to see the 6-2 guard has taken his game to a new level. He matched his career-high with 30 points in a win over Bishop McDevitt Friday and topped it with 33 the next night against Red Land as the Tigers improved to 3-0.
“Jake’s gotten much better since last year,” Tigers coach Terry Sitler said. “He’s developed his game and his leadership.”
Karnish was named MVP of the York Suburban Tournament and is the inaugural Wyomissing Physical Therapy Player of the Week for the 2022-23 season.
Karnish averaged 17.2 points per game last year. He topped that with 23 in a season-opening win over Conrad Weiser, then dominated the weekend tournament.
“He was taking these good athletes from McDevitt to the hole,” Sitler said. “If he wanted to, he could get a good shot every time down the floor. He’s somebody people have to stop.”
Karnish was good at getting to the foul line last season, and converting. He had 157 free throw attempts; only Exeter Colin Payne had more. He made 73.8 percent, fourth-best in the Berks Conference.
He got to the line 23 times in the two games at York Suburban, making 20 free throws.
Karnish hit a buzzer-beater at the end of the first quarter to spark the win over McDevitt. He also had 19 rebounds in that game — 11 off the offensive glass.
His overall understanding of the game has improved after a strong summer league campaign, Sitler said.
“He talks to us now like a coach,” he said. “That’s the type of mentality you want from somebody who leads the team.”
Karnish played for Team Final Red Select in the Lehigh Valley during the summer; he also played a few games with Oley Valley. (Fleetwood did not have a summer league team.)
Karnish has 924 career points and will soon become the first Fleetwood boys basketball player to reach 1,000 in 40 seasons. He has a chance to top Dave Angstadt’s program record 1,201 points.
He has offers to play at Wilkes, Elizabethtown and DeSales.
Karnish had a season-high 30 points last year in a 54-49 win over Schuylkill Valley. He had 20 or more points seven other times.
Fleetwood went 16-8 last season and won the Berks III title, its first outright division title in more than 40 years.
Karnish is also a pitcher in baseball and helped the Tigers reach the PIAA Tournament last season.
Players considered for Player of the Week honors are nominated by their coaches or by members of the MikeDragoSports.com coverage team.
Also considered for Wyomissing Physical Therapy Player of the Week:
- Noah Walakovitz, Brandywine Heights
- Mason Sacarello, Daniel Boone
- Reece Garvin, Exeter
- Xander Menapace, Hamburg
- Xzayvion Robertson, Muhlenberg
- Ben DeBalko, Oley Valley
- Myles Grey, Reading High
- Mark Rajnath, Schuylkill Valley
- Nolan Sweitzer, Tulpehocken
- Kannon Zdimal, Twin Valley
- Aidan Melograna, Wilson
Players selected last season:
- Dec. 20: Matt Harley, Gov. Mifflin
- Dec. 27: Colin Payne, Exeter
- Jan. 3: Jake Karnish, Fleetwood
- Jan. 10: Myles Grey, Reading High
- Jan. 17: Danny Turchi, Oley Valley
- Jan. 24: Ruben Rodriguez, Reading High
- Jan. 31: Julian O’Brien, Wyomissing
- Feb. 7: Xavier Goodman, Kutztown
- Feb. 14: Danny Turchi, Oley Valley
- Feb. 21: Ruben Rodriguez, Reading High
- Feb. 28: Hector Tiburcio, Antietam
- March 7: Joey Chapman, Reading High
