Reading High falls to 2-3 with loss to Philly powerhouse Imhotep Charter
2023 Berks basketball coverage presented by
Utilities Employees Credit Union
Reading High will go into league play next week with a losing record for the first time in more than a decade.
The Red Knights fell to 2-3 Saturday with a 78-54 loss to Imhotep Charter in the Diane Mosco Classic at Archbishop Wood High School in Warminster.
The game matched a pair of defending state champions, Reading High in Class 6A and Imhotep in Class 5A. The Red Knights, of course, lost most of the firepower from the winningest team in program history. The Panthers graduated the state’s top-ranked player, Justin Edwards, who is now playing at Kentucky.
Imhotep (4-0) still has plenty left, including University of Connecticut recruit Ahmad Nowell, who scored a game-high 28 points Saturday.
Yadiel Cruz scored 20 points for Reading, which trailed 25-16 after one quarter.
Nowell hit a pair of 3-pointers in the third quarter as the Panthers broke loose for 31 points and extended their lead to 66-41.
Carnell Henderson had 14 points, nine in the first quarter, for Imhotep.
Reading freshman Jeremiah Camara scored a season-high 14 points and Nick Chapman had 13 before fouling out.
The Red Knights open Berks Conference Division I play Tuesday at home against Gov. Mifflin (0-1, 3-3). The Mustangs opened league play Thursday with a loss to Muhlenberg.
The Red Knights went 11-0 in Berks I play last season.
The last time Reading entered league play with a losing record was in 2012-13, also at 2-3.
The Red Knights beat Wilson in their league opener that season and finished 8-2 to win Berks I; they went 15-15 overall. That was Rick Perez’s second season.
The Knights were the preseason pick this year in Division I, ahead of Wilson and Muhlenberg, though the race is expected to tight, what with Reading replacing four starters, including All-Berks picks Ruben Rodriguez, Myles Grey and Aris Rodriguez.
Wilson is off to a strong start; it is 5-1 after beating O.J. Roberts 65-54 Saturday. Muhlenberg improved to 5-2 with a 75-51 win over Easton.
Reading dropped its season-opener 90-73 at Central York, expected to be the top team in the York-Adams League this season. It also lost to Bonner-Prendergast.
Imhotep ended last season with its ninth PIAA title, beating Exeter 78-40. Edwards scored 19 points and Nowell 12.
