Berks Catholic escapes Trinity, remains unbeaten

Ryan Koch hit a pair of free throws in the final seconds as unbeaten Berks Catholic held off the host Shamrocks 67-63 Thursday in the opening round of the Trinity Shootout.

The Shamrocks, trailing 65-63, had a chance to take the lead with 13 seconds left but Owen Schlager, who scored a game-high 23 points, was off the mark with a 3-pointer.

Koch and Josiah Jordan combined for 15 fourth-quarter points to keep the Saints (7-0) ahead down the stretch. They each finished with 17 points. Josh McKoy scored 14 points and Jack Miller 10.

Schlager scored 11 fourth-quarter points as the Shamrocks (5-2) erased most of a 12-point deficit and made it a one-possession game in the final minute. His 3-pointer with 1:14 left cut BC’s lead to 62-59.

Berks Catholic made 10-of-14 free throws in the fourth quarter.

The Saints were up 40-35 at the half and stretched it to 53-41 with 6:01 remaining.

Berks Catholic faces Pharos Academy Friday at 2; Trinity plays Archbishop Curley at 3:30.

The Shamrocks managed just four points in the third quarter after scoring 35 in the first half.

The Saints are off to their best start since opening 14-0 in 2011-12. They finished 28-3 and won Berks Conference and District 3 Class AAA titles, the latter coming against Trinity.

Berks Catholic is the top-ranked team in District 3 Class 4A; Trinity is No. 2 in Class 3A.

The Saints now hold a 5-2 series lead over the Shamrocks; they won last year 61-54, with Jordan scoring 21 points.

The Saints got off to a 6-0 start last year before falling to Reading High 67-51.

Prior to the game, Trinity coach Larry Kostelac, in his 40th season with the Shamrocks, was honored when the school dedicated the basketball floor to him, naming it the Lawrence L Kostelac Jr. Court.