Streaking Reading High finishes off Muhlenberg, claims Berks I title
2024 Berks basketball coverage presented by
Utilities Employees Credit Union
(This story will be updated later tonight with additional details and postgame reaction.)
After a difficult and challenging opening two months of the season, everything came together for Reading High Tuesday night at the Geigle.
The Red Knights hit buzzer-beaters at the end of each of the first two quarters and played sharply on both ends of the floor to beat visiting Muhlenberg 83-46 and clinch the Berks Conference Division title.
The Red Knights (8-3, 15-), who were just one game above .500 a month ago, have won five straight and eight of their last nine heading into the BCIAA Tournament, which tips Monday. They’ll be either a No. 2 or 3 seed and open the tournament back at the Geigle.
The division title is Reading’s fourth straight and 10th in the last 11 seasons. Only Wilson, with Stevie Mitchell, has interrupted that streak.
The Red Knights led 27-18 after Nico Sosa ended the first quarter with a long 3-pointer, just beating the buzzer. They extended their lead to 17 at the half with Weshly Rosario putting back a miss in the final second.
The Muhls (7-4, 14-8) couldn’t stop Berks scoring leader Yadiel Cruz, who finished with a game-high 26 points. Senior Nick Chapman, playing his final regular season game at the Geigle, again triggered the defense and scored 18 points.
The Red Knights set the running clock in motion with 90 seconds left in the third quarter and ended the game with alley-oop dunk by Xavier Beatty, courtesy of Rosario’s ninth assist.
Muhlenberg won the first game in two overtimes, outscoring the Red Knights 15-2 in the second overtime for a 87-74 win.
The Red Knights scored eight points over the final 61 seconds of regulation to send it to overtime. They scored the final bucket of overtime to send it to a second extra period.
Once there, they were gassed. They missed 9-of-10 shots, saw three players foul out and watched helplessly as the Muhls shot them down at the line, making 13-of-14 free throws over the final three minutes.
The Red Knights have gone 9-2 since, their only losses at Coatesville and at Berks Catholic. They are playing their best ball of the season right now, with senior guard and defensive stopper Nick Chapman back in the lineup after an injury sidelined him a month. They are 6-1 since he returned Jan. 18 and they nearly knocked off the Saints, unbeaten at the time, a few days later..
The Muhls are also playing some of their best ball right now, with five wins in their last six games. They won a key crossover game against Exeter 59-56 on Jan. 15 and beat Wilson 61-56 last week. They also dropped a game to Gov. Mifflin, which cost them sole possession of first place right now.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Final | |
| Muhlenberg | 18 | 8 | 8 | 12 | 46 |
| Reading HIgh | 27 | 16 | 23 | 17 | 83 |
| Muhls (13-8) | FG | FT | 3’s | A | R | Points |
| Kantner | 5-8 | 0-2 | 1-2 | 2 | 2 | 11 |
| Archie | 3-7 | 4-6 | 1-1 | 2 | 9 | 11 |
| Killen | 1-10 | 3-4 | 0-2 | 0 | 4 | 5 |
| A Collado | 5-10 | 5-5 | 0-1 | 1 | 4 | 15 |
| J Collado | 1-2 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Leclair | 1-2 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Armstrong | 0-4 | 0-0 | 0-2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Martinez | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Urbaez | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Hemmings | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Perez | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Totals | 16-45 | 12-17 | 2-8 | 6 | 21/26 | 46 |
| Red Knights (15-7) | FG | FT | 3’s | A | R | Points |
| Cruz | 10-16 | 4-4 | 2-5 | 0 | 11 | 26 |
| Camara | 2-6 | 3-4 | 0-2 | 0 | 1 | 7 |
| Chapman | 6-10 | 6-9 | 0-1 | 4 | 5 | 18 |
| Rosario | 4-5 | 0-0 | 2-3 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
| Osumanu | 1-4 | 1-4 | 1-2 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Burgess | 1-4 | 0-0 | 0-3 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Beatty | 2-2 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 4 | 4 |
| Sosa | 3-4 | 2-2 | 1-1 | 1 | 1 | 9 |
| Sheriff | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Pantaleon | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Totals | 30-52 | 16-23 | 7-18 | 13 | 33/33 | 83 |
Turnovers: Muhlenberg 15, Reading High 8. Team rebounds: Muhlenberg 4, Reading High 0.