It’s back-to-back Wyomissing Physical Therapy Player of the Week honors for Ruben Rodriguez
Wyomissing Physical Therapy Offensive Player of the Week
It’s Ruben Rodriguez’s time of the year.
You can tell by looking at the calendar or at the scoreboard; it’s undeniable the Reading High senior finds another gear come the postseason.
“I’m happy it’s playoff time,” he said after the Red Knights opened defense of their District 3 Class 6A championship with a 69-58 win over Chambersburg on Friday. “This is where times get really tough and the ‘real ones’ come out at this time.”
Rodriguez is a ‘real one,’ for sure. The two-time All-State pick dropped a season-high 42 points in one of the finest performances of his stellar career to earn Wyomissing Physical Therapy Player of the Week for the second straight week and third time this season.
“Nobody could stop him,” said teammate Myles Grey after Rodriguez made 14-of-19 shots from the field, 3-of-5 from 3-point range and 11-of-14 from the free throw line.
He went 7-for-7 from the field in the first quarter and had 17 points by the first rest. By time he was done he had matched a program record for points in a postseason game and passed the career scoring totals of Reading High greats Stu Jackson (1,563), Dick Nyquist (1,576) and Donyell Marshall (1,581).
“That’s a highly efficient game,” said Chambersburg coach Shawn Shreffler. “It’s not like he was just chucking the ball. He didn’t miss many shots.”
It well may be the best performance of Rodriguez’s unmatched career.
He set a program record last season with 50 points against Daniel Boone, but that was a January game against a last-place team.
This one came at the start of Reading’s run toward a potential third straight district title – and possible fourth straight for Rodriguez, who also won one as a freshman at Muhlenberg.
“Maybe, maybe, I don’t know,” Rodriguez said when asked if this was his best game. “This is definitely better than the 50.”
The two-time Berks Player of the Year has scored 30 or more 11 times in three seasons at Reading – more than any player in program history.
He has scored more points in a Red Knights uniform (1,592) than anyone not named Lonnie Walker IV (1,828).
Only three other Reading players have topped 40 points in a game: Brian D’Amico, who had 42 in a 1986 district playoff game against Wilson; Marshall, who scored 43 against Williamsport in 1991; and Buck Friedman, who scored 48 against Tamaqua in the 1918-19 season.
Rodriguez moved up to No. 9 on the all-time Berks scoring list, with 1,880 points. He passed Conrad Weiser’s Greg Brizek (1,853). Rodriguez scored 288 points as a freshman at Muhlenberg.
Rodriguez is Reading High’s fifth Wyomissing Phyical Therapy Player of the Week selection this season, along with Myles Grey and Yadiel Cruz. Rodriguez was also 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:
- Noah Archambault, Antietam
- Josiah Jordan, Berks Catholic
- Jake Karnish, Fleetwood
- Ryan Koch, Berks Catholic
- Zyion Paschall, Exeter
- Jowen Reyes-Rodriguez, Antietam
- Kevin Saenz, Exeter
- Aiden Soumas, Fleetwood
- Teddy Snyder, Exeter
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
- Feb. 20: Rubin Rodriguez, Reading High
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
