Wyomissing Physical Therapy Player of the Week: Reading High’s Ruben Rodriguez
Wyomissing Physical Therapy Offensive Player of the Week
The shots weren’t falling for Ruben Rodriguez in the Berks Conference championship game Friday night. Reading’s two-time All-State guard missed five straight shots at one point in the second half and struggled throughout the game at the foul line, where he was just 6-of-17.
Still, he kept plugging away and came up big at the end, with a pair of baskets and a key assist as the Red Knights scored 18 straight points to blow past Exeter for a 70-63 victory.
“I just kept fighting,” said the senior guard. “No matter how many free throws I missed, I was still trying to block a shot or grab a rebound. Scoring isn’t the only thing I bring and that’s why I pride myself on working really hard on the defensive end. And I feel like I did a good job working hard, and that really helped us bounce back.”
Rodriguez finished with a game-high 23 points and averaged 20.3 points through the three-round tournament to earn Wyomissing Physical Therapy Player of the Week for the second time this season.
Rodriguez had 10 rebounds in the championship game, as he did in a 54-30 semifinal win over Wilson.
He ended the tournament with 1,838 career points to move past Lonnie Walker IV and into 10th place on Berks’ all-time scoring list.
Walker IV maintains the program scoring record; Rodriguez scored 288 of his points as a freshman at Muhlenberg.
“It’s an honor to be with a name like that,” Rodriguez said of Walker IV. “It’s a blessing.
“I’m just blessed to be with my team and be able to get the dub. Honestly, I didn’t even know how many points I had (tonight); I was just scoring.”
Two days after the championship Rodriguez became the third Reading player in the past decade to collect multiple Berks Player of the Year honors; he was also named as a junior.
Wesley Butler was the pick in 2018 and 2019; Walker IV was named in 2015, ’16 and ’17.
“The great thing about Ruben is, he respects the people that came before him,” said Reading coach Rick Perez, “he respects his mentors and he followed in their lead, everything that they have taught him.”
Rodriguez, a Rider recruit, is bidding for a second straight Berks scoring title. He’s averaging 21.9 points, just behind Fleetwood’s Jake Karnish, who leads the league at 22.1.
Rodriguez has 40 3-pointers, is shooting 66.4 percent from the foul line and leads the team in assists-to-turnover ratio and 3-point shooting percentage (37.3). He’s tied for the team lead in steals (2.7 per game) and second in rebounds (5.2) and assists (4.1).
Rodriguez averaged 19.8 points as a junior and 14.6 as a sophomore, leading Reading both seasons. He averaged 10.3 points as a freshman with Muhlenberg, second on the team.
Rodriguez is Reading High’s fourth Wyomissing Phyical Therapy Player of the Week selection this season, along with Myles Grey and Yadiel Cruz. Rodriguez was selected twice last year, and was the Player of the Year as well.
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:
- Kingston McKoy, Berks Catholic
- Anthony Caccese, Exeter
- Alex Kelsey, Exeter
- Zyion Paschall, Exeter
- Yadiel Cruz, Reading High
- Aris Rodriguez, Reading High
- Madyx Gruber, Wilson
Players selected earlier this season:
- Dec. 12: Jake Karnish, Fleetwood
- Dec. 19: Mark Rajnath, Schuylkill Valley
- Dec. 26: Ryan Koch, Berks Catholic
- Jan. 2: Myles Grey, Reading High
- Jan 9: Jake Karnish, Fleetwood
- Jan. 16: Yadiel Cruz, Reading High
- Jan. 23: Ruben Rodriguez, Reading High
- Jan. 30: Aiden Soumas, Fleetwood
- Feb. 6: Anthony Caccese, Exeter
- Feb. 13: Cooper Hohenadel, Schuylkill Valley
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
