West Reading All-Stars conclude California trip with 6-2 record

Schuylkill Valley’s Mark Rajnath scored 16 points to lead West Reading to another win and the championship game of its bracket in the Franklin Tournament Sunday in Sacramento before a loss eliminated the Pennsylvania squad.

Rajnath, a recent grad, led West Reading to a 61-57 win over Monte Vista.

Later, West Reading fell to Pittsburg, Ca., 64-53. Berks Catholic grad Josiah Jordan scored 13 points to lead West Reading.

Pittsburg used an 11-0 fourth-quarter run to pull ahead and finish first in the six-team bracket, one of 10 in the 60-team tournament.

West Reading concluded the basketball portion of its trip with a 6-2 record.

In the eight games, West Reading had five different players lead in scoring.

Jordan, a 1,000-point scorer who will play football at Wilkes this season, was the top scorer three times. Recent Wilson grad Aidan Melograna, who will play basketball at Arcadia next season, led the way twice.

In addition to Rajnath, Fleetwood grad Jake Karnish and Aidan Dauble, a rising sophomore at Exeter, also had high-scoring honors in one of the games.

Karnish and Jordan were co-captains for the 10-player squad, which also included recent Antietam grad Jovan Hollis, rising juniors Andrew Galantuomo of Gov. Mifflin, Reece Garvin of Exeter and Madyx Gruber of Wilson, and rising sophomore Danny Fleischood of Wyomissing.

Former Holy Name coach Tony Balistrere was the head coach; his staff included Wilson assistant coach Jeff Ebner and Ron Krick Memorial League co-director Randy Hinsey.

The team is scheduled to return home Tuesday.