New cast, new coach, same old story for Red Knights in District 3 opener
2024 Berks basketball coverage presented by
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Reading High didn’t enter the District 3 Class 6A Tournament Tuesday as one of the top seeds, but the Red Knights did have something no one else does: A nine-game district playoff winning streak and three straight championships.
The three-time defending champs extended that streak to 10 as Berks Player of the Year Yadiel Cruz scored a team-high 17 points in a 70-55 victory over Penn Manor in a District 3 Class 6A opener at the Geigle.
The sixth-seeded Red Knights advance to play at No. 3 Carlisle Friday in a quarterfinal; they need one win in their next two games to return to the state tournament. The Thundering Herd earned a first-round bye.
The 11th-seeded Comets saw their season end despite a 20-point effort from 6-6 senior Ethan Benne.
Daquan Burgess hit a pair of 3-pointers in the third quarter to fuel a 13-0 run as the Red Knights (18-8) outscored the Comets (17-8) 24-11, pushing their lead to 59-37.
Benne scored 16 first-half points but was held to just one bucket after intermission.
Senior Nico Sosa, playing what could be his final home game, came off the bench to score 11 points; his six first-quarter points helped Reading get out to a 15-9 lead.
All-Berks guard Nick Chapman and all-division guard Weshly Rosario each scored 10 for Reading.
Reading won it’s record 24th District 3 championship last season when Cruz hit a pair of free throws with 2.9 seconds left in overtime to beat Cumberland Valley 55-54.
The Red Knights became the first team to win three straight district titles in the highest classification since 1957, when they did it.
The top three Reading scorers from that game — Ruben Rodriguez, Aris Rodriguez and Miles Grey — were seniors. The Red Knights are making their run at a fourth straight title with a mostly new cast and a first-year head coach, Francis Camara.
