Game of the year? Here are the Top 10 from Berks’ historic postseason run
The most successful postseason in Berks boys basketball history provided a slew of memorable games – four of which went into overtime.
With Reading High winning the Class 6A title, Exeter reaching the 5A title game and Muhlenberg winning its state opener, Berks boys teams combined to win a record 10 PIAA Tournament games.
That’s one more than in 1998, when Central Catholic and Holy Name each won four times en route to championship games and Tulpehocken won its opener.
In 1972, Berks teams combined for eight PIAA Tournament wins, with Mount Penn going 5-0 to capture the Class C title, Reading winning twice and Exeter once.
Here are the 10 best games of the 2022-23 postseason; earlier in the week we picked the 10 best regular season games.
For this one we’ll go in Letterman style, starting with No. 10 . . . ending with No. 1.
(Click on the score to see game story and box score.)
Wilson 55, Fleetwood 54
It took a blocked shot by Ofure Odiale in the final seconds for the Bulldogs to hold off the Tigers in a Berks quarterfinal. Odiale’s putback with 23 seconds left gave Wilson the lead for good; he finished with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
Madyx Gruber was key for the Bulldogs, hitting 6-of-10 shots from 3-point range – including a halfcourt buzzer-beater to end the first half – and scored a career-high 26 points.
Exeter 67, Manheim Central 53
The Eagles got another big performance from their big, Anthony Caccese, and saw Reece Garvin make an incredible return from the injury list to capture their first District 3 championship after three earlier misses.
The Eagles began to pull away late in the second quarter, led by nine at the half and were never threatened as they effectively kept Barons’ scoring ace Trey Grube under wraps.
Caccese had 22 points and 10 rebounds and Garvin, playing for the first time in two weeks, had 11 and 10.
Muhlenberg 79, Milton Hershey 77 (2 OT)
They Muhls, sparked by Jay’Daniel Mosquera, rallied from a seven-point deficit in the first overtime and won it in the second extra period in the District 3 Class 5A fifth-place game.
Mosquera matched his career high with six 3-pointers and scored 25 points as the ninth-seeded Muhls topped the sixth-seeded Trojans.
Milton Hershey’s Malachi Thomas lit the Muhls up for 35 points but scored just one basket in the second OT.
Exeter 50, Hershey 46
Teddy Snyder’s three-point play with 1:12 left bailed out the short-handed Eagles, who were playing without injured Reece Garvin and saw All-Berks point guard Zyion Paschall foul out with 1:41 left.
They barely made it to the finish line as Alex Kelsey fouled out with 39 seconds left and Anthony Caccese played the final two minutes with four fouls.
Caccese finished with 16 points and 11 rebounds and Paschall scored 16.
Reading High 55, Cumberland Valley 54 (OT)
You’d think a District 3 championship game that goes to overtime would rank higher on this list but, really, the Red Knights were not sharp. They shot just 35 percent, were badly out-rebounded, were lax with their interior defense and missed eight free throws.
Yadiel Cruz made the two that counted most, hitting a pair of foul shots with 2.9 seconds left in OT to clinch Reading’s third straight Class 6A title – a feat not accomplished in the highest classification in District 3 since the Red Knights did it from 1955-57.
Aris Rodriguez kept the Red Knights in it with four 3-pointers and 18 points.
Exeter 62, Fox Chapel 57
The Eagles saw their 11-point lead cut to one with 2:05 left before Alex Kelsey’s drive with 18 seconds left stopped the bleeding to secure Exeter’s first PIAA victory since 1974.
Kelsey, one of five double-digit scorers for the Eagles, finished with a team- and career-high 13 points. Anthony Caccese had 12 points and 12 rebounds.
The win came with a cost as Kelsey was ejected in the final seconds and suspended for the second round of state play.
Exeter 51, Cathedral Prep 47
It was only fitting that the game that sent the Eagles to their first state championship game in nearly 50 years again came down to the final seconds and required several clutch plays.
Kevin Saenz, who hadn’t scored since the opening minute of the game, hit four free throws in a row over the final 7.2 seconds after the Ramblers rallied from an 11-point deficit to make it a one-possession game.
“When I’m out there with my guys, I’m never concerned,” said junior Reece Garvin.
Freshman Aidan Dauble came up big for the Eagles, with nine points, five rebounds and a couple of key assists in the final minutes.
Reading High 70, Exeter 63
Aris Rodriguez, struggling with his shot all night, hit a 3-pointer from deep in the corner to give the Red Knights the lead for good, helping them complete an epic comeback in the Berks Conference championship game at Santander Arena.
Exeter, playing at the top of its game, was positioned for its first championship in four decades and had a 10-point lead with 4 ½ minutes left. The Eagles, who played the entire second half without their No. 2 scorer, injured Reece Garvin, couldn’t hold on.
It all fell apart when Kevin Saenz fouled out with Exeter leading 57-49. The Red Knights increased their fullcourt pressure, scored 18 straight points and won their record 25th Berks title.
Exeter 75, Peters Township 72 (OT)
Most years a game of this caliber would be No. 1 on the list, but it was a state quarterfinal, not a championship. So, it’ll settle for second.
Kevin Saenz saved the Eagles in overtime, scoring the final six points of the game, and rarely used freshman Ayden Ware had a huge putback in overtime.
“He refused to allow our season to end,” Exeter coach Matt Ashcroft of Saenz.
The Eagles played the final minutes without the All-Berks tandem of Anthony Caccese and Zyion Paschall and sixth man Alex Kelsey, each of whom fouled out.
Peters Township had a three-point lead in OT but missed three free throws over the final 1:01.
Reading High 63, Roman Catholic 56 (OT)
The Red Knights were on the brink of another state championship heartbreak when Roman’s All-State guard Xzayier Brown was fouled with 1.7 seconds left in regulation, his team down one. He missed the first of a two-shot foul, letting the Red Knights off the hook, then made the second.
Once in overtime the Red Knights played like champions. They didn’t allow a field goal and made 8-of-10 from the foul line to wrap up their second PIAA Class 6A championship in three years and third in the last six tournaments.
“A lot of people don’t like to look at us when you talk about (the top programs in) PA basketball,” Ruben Rodriguez said, “but now you have to.”
