Berks boys playoff preview: No. 3 Berks Catholic vs. No. 6 Muhlenberg
No. 3 Berks Catholic (19-3) vs. No. 6 Muhlenberg (14-8)
When, where: Monday, 7, at Wolf Gymnasium.
Head to head: Muhls took the only meeting this season, 48-46 at Laureldale as Xzavion Robertson went for 24 points.
The Saints: Opened season with 12 straight wins before loss to Muhls on Jan. 13. Later fell to Reading High by five points and Exeter by four.
Earned impressive non-league wins over Trinity (19-2), Octorara (15-6) and Abington Heights (18-3), as well as league wins over Wilson (16-6) and Exeter (17-5). Compiled top power rating in District 3 Class 4A and the highest strength-of-schedule rating among the 10 district playoff qualifiers.
Josiah Jordan, an All-Berks pick as a junior, leads the team in scoring at 14.3 per game and is program’s all-time scoring leader with 1,128 points. He had a career-high 32 points in 73-63 win over Exeter.
Senior wing Ryan Koch, committed to play at Pitt-Johnstown, is averaging 13.9 points per game.
He leads the team with 46 3-pointers and is the program’s all-time leader with 152. He could finish among Berks’ all-time Top 10 in 3’s.
He’s the league’s top free-throw shooter, at 82.7 percent. Had a season-high 31 points in 71-59 win over Octorara.
Senior Jack Miller is also among the program’s all-time 3-point leaders. He has hit 37 this season and 81 in his career.
Josh McKoy, a 6-3 junior who transferred from Antietam, averages 9.1 points and gives an otherwise small lineup length. Younger brother Kingston is the top freshman in the league and has been receiving starter’s minutes off the bench the second half of the season. He’s a strong defender with a high offensive ceiling.
Saw streak of nine straight Berks II titles snapped after finishing second to Exeter.
Team averaging 63.3 points per game, second in the league to Reading High; allowing 45.1 points, third-best in the league. Winning margin of 17.5 is also third-best.
Fast fact: The Saints are 21-7 in Berks playoff games: 2-5 vs. Reading and 19-2 vs. all other opponents. They have reached the title game nine times in their first 11 seasons, with three championships.
The Muhls: Finished in third place in Berks I after winning back-to-back Berks II titles. Lost twice each to Berks I rivals Reading High and Wilson, and to Berks II champ Exeter in a crossover.
Earned big non-league wins over Dallas (18-3) and Columbia (19-3) and a league crossover win over Berks Catholic. Strength-of-schedule rating is the highest among the 29 Class 5A teams in District 3.
Backcourt duo of seniors Xzavion Robertson (14.6) and Jay’Daniel Mosquera (13.6) lead potentially explosive offense that tops the league with 187 3-pointers. Mosquera has knocked down 46 3’s and shoots 82.1 percent from the foul line. Robertson has 44 3’s. Four other players have hit 15 or more 3’s.
Have also been effective at stopping the 3, allowing only 82, the third-fewest in the league.
Lack of height has been a problem on the boards and with interior defense.
Did you know? Muhlenberg and Reading High are the only teams to win first-round Berks games in each of the past two seasons; the Muhls beat Fleetwood last year and Gov. Mifflin in 2021.
Monday’s quarterfinal match-ups
| 1 | Reading High | vs. | 8 | Schuylkill Valley | 7:00 |
| 4 | Fleetwood | vs. | 5 | Wilson | 7:00 |
| 2 | Exeter | vs. | 7 | Oley Valley | 7:00 |
| 3 | Berks Catholic | vs. | 6 | Muhlenberg | 7:00 |
