Bulldogs shut down Saints, set up showdown against Spartans
2024 Berks basketball coverage presented by
Utilities Employees Credit Union
(This story will be updated later tonight with additional details and postgame reaction.)
By Mike Drago — MikeDragoSports.com Managing Editor
Wilson relied on its defense and rebounding to power past Berks Catholic 41-24 Wednesday and set up a long-awaited BCIAA championship game match-up against unbeaten Wyomissing.
The top-seeded Bulldogs (22-2) held the fourth-seeded Saints (12-11) to just two first-half baskets and to a season-low scoring total in winning their 16th straight. They will face Wyomissing in the championship game Friday at 6 back at Santander.
Sophomore Laila Jones scored a team-high 12 points, had four steals and triggered the defensive effort that limited Saints scoring leader Madison Langdon to three first-half points. Wilson led 20-7 at the half after holding BC without a basket in the second quarter.
The Saints turned the ball over 14 times in the first half.
Violet Houck grabbed a game-high 16 rebounds — including 10 on the offensive end — as the Bulldogs hammered the Saints on the boards, where they had a 40-21 advantage. They got 22 offensive rebounds, including seven from freshman reserve Kailani Hardy.
Langdon, who finished with 12 points, hit a teardrop with three minutes left in the third quarter to cut the deficit to 22-14. The Bulldogs responded with a 6-0 run, Janai Tisdale scoring twice on runouts to make it 28-14.
Wilson extended its lead to 34-17 in the fourth quarter, holding Berks Catholic without a point for nearly five minutes.
The Berks I champion Bulldogs have not lost since late December, when they fell to Dallastown.
Wilson last appeared in the championship game in 2022, losing 47-34 to Gov. Mifflin. The Bulldogs last won a title in 2014, which completed a three-peat. Wilson has won nine titles and appeared in the championship 21 times — the most of any Berks team.
Berks Catholic had won 5-of-6 and three straight after defeating Exeter 54-35 in the quarterfinals.
Jones scored a game-high 24 points in a 43-31 victory over the Saints Dec. 15 and a game-high 13 points in a 39-26 victory Jan. 22.
As the top seed last year, Berks Catholic was upset by No. 4 Reading High in the semifinals. Wilson was also defeated in the semifinals last season, falling as the No. 3 seed to eventual champ Wyomissing.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Final | |
| Berks Catholic | 6 | 1 | 10 | 7 | 24 |
| Wilson | 12 | 8 | 8 | 13 | 41 |
| Saints (12-11) | FG | FT | 3s | A | R | Points |
| Roberts | 0-2 | 0-0 | 0-1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Mad. Langdon | 4-7 | 3-7 | 1-2 | 1 | 1 | 12 |
| McFadden | 1-7 | 0-0 | 1-3 | 0 | 5 | 3 |
| Mirenda | 0-3 | 1-4 | 0-0 | 0 | 3 | 1 |
| Corado | 2-5 | 0-0 | 1-1 | 0 | 5 | 5 |
| E. Linderman | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| K. Linderman | 1-1 | 0-0 | 1-1 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Mac. Langdon | 0-2 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Esterbrook | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Newswanger | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Wolf | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Pegram | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Totals | 8-27 | 4-11 | 4-8 | 1 | 18/21 | 24 |
| Bulldogs (23-1) | FG | FT | 3s | A | R | Points |
| Jones | 5-17 | 1-2 | 1-3 | 2 | 5 | 12 |
| Moncada | 0-5 | 2-2 | 0-3 | 0 | 4 | 2 |
| Crocona | 2-5 | 0-0 | 1-1 | 0 | 2 | 5 |
| Williams | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Houck | 3-6 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 1 | 16 | 6 |
| Hardy | 4-11 | 2-3 | 0-2 | 0 | 7 | 6 |
| Tisdale | 3-8 | 0-0 | 0-1 | 0 | 1 | 6 |
| Leaman | 0-2 | 0-0 | 0-1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Evans | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Waibel | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Peacock | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Totals | 17-55 | 5-7 | 2-11 | 3 | 37/40 | 41 |
Turnovers: Berks Catholic 20, Wilson 10. Team rebounds: Berks Catholic 3, Wilson 3.
