Berks Conference playoff preview: No. 1 Reading High vs. No. 8 Schuylkill Valley
No. 1 Reading High (21-1) vs. No. 8 Schuylkill Valley (17-5)
When, where: Monday, 7, at Geigle Complex.
Head to head: Did not meet this season. Red Knights have 2-1 lead over Panthers in the Berks playoffs.
The Red Knights: Enter postseason with the program’s best regular season finish in 15 years, and best under head coach Rick Perez. Have won 12 straight and have not lost to a Pennsylvania team. Lone loss came to Gonzaga College of Washington, D.C.
All-State guard Ruben Rodriguez, a Rider recruit, is second in the league in scoring at 22.1 points per game. He leads the team in assists-to-turnover ratio (1.52) and 3-point shooting percentage (37.9%) and is second in rebounds (4.8), assists (3.9) and free-throw shooting (72%).
All-Berks candidate Myles Grey, a senior and three-year starter, averages 13.8 points and leads the team in assists (5.1 per game) and defensive deflections (2.5).
Breakout senior Aris Rodriguez averages 14.5 points and leads the team with 37 3’s and in steals (1.7).
Yadiel Cruz, a 6-2 junior transfer from the Dominican Republic, leads the team in rebounds (7.7), is shooting a team-best 56% from the field and averages 8.5 points.
Had several close calls in league play, beating both Exeter and Wilson by five and Berks Catholic by four.
Will go into the District 3 Class 6A Tournament as the No. 1 seed and seeking its third straight championship.
Did you know? The Red Knights are seeking their record 25th Berks championship, their second straight and sixth in nine years.
The Panthers: Have emerged as one of the surprise teams in the league, matching their best win total in Taylor Grim’s 11 seasons, since they finished 17-11 in 2017 and reached the PIAA Tournament.
Lone league losses came to Berks III champ Fleetwood (twice) and Berks IV champ Oley Valley.
Senior Mark Rajnath, a lengthy defender and consistent scorer, has emerged as one of the league’s top players. He leads a balanced scoring attack at 14.0 points per game, is shooting a team-best 72.6 % from the foul line and leads the team in assists (3.1 per game), steals (3.9) and deflections (3.6).
Sophomore Cooper Hohenadel is emerging as a scoring threat. He scored a season-high 19 points, then topped it with 21, in his final two games. He’s averaging 12.5 points and is among the league’s top 3-point threats, with 47, and is hitting a team-best 32.2 % from beyond the arc.
Junior Dominic Giuffre, an All-State running back, averages 10.3 points and leads the team in rebounding ( 5.5 per game) and is second in deflections (2.2).
Senior Elijah Houser leads the team in field goal percentage (52.5) and assists-to-turnover ratio (1.48) and is second in rebounding (5.2).
Enter postseason with five straight wins. Will go into the District 3 Class 4A Tournament as the No. 7 seed.
Did you know? Schuylkill Valley pulled off one of the biggest upsets in Berks Conference playoff history when it beat Reading High 79-72 in a 2012 semifinal. That’s the Panthers’ last Berks playoff victory.
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 |
