Here’s a look at Saturday’s BCIAA girls basketball matchups
Berks quarterfinal matchups
| 1 | Berks Catholic | vs. | 8 | Wyomissing | at Wolf Gymnasium, 2 p.m. |
| 4 | Gov. Mifflin | vs. | 5 | Brandywine Heights | at Shillington, 4 p.m. |
| 3 | Wilson | vs. | 6 | Twin Valley | at West Lawn, 7:30 p.m. |
| 2 | Schuylkill Valley | vs. | 7 | Reading High | at Leesport, 2 p.m. |
By Jason Guarente — MikeDragoSports.com senior correspondent
One constant has tied together a Berks girls basketball season filled with surprises. Berks Catholic is the favorite to win the title. That was true on Day 1. It’s true on the eve of the playoffs.
What has changed recently is the Saints are no longer perfect in league play. They navigated the Berks I gauntlet unscathed until Wilson knocked them off in overtime in the regular-season finale.
That’s the one chink in Berks Catholic’s armor. There’s also a bit of history working against the defending champs. The top seed has only won this tournament once since 2016.
After much speculation and number crunching, the matchups for the quarterfinals are finally set. The games will be played at the higher seeds Saturday.
Let’s take a look:
No. 8 Wyomissing (13-8) at No. 1 Berks Catholic (18-4), 2 p.m.
About the Spartans
Wyomissing finished with a 7-2 flourish to earn a spot in the field. This will be invaluable experience for a team that has started three freshmen and is building toward a bright future. The Spartans are going to be a championship threat sooner than later and they won’t be seeded this low next time.
Player to watch
Amaya Stewart is a 6-1 freshman with the post moves of a seasoned high school player. It’ll be fun to watch her mature and become the kind of dominant inside force that Berks hasn’t often had in recent years. She’s averaging a team-high 10.2 points. Alexis Hardy and Audrey Hurleman are other freshmen who have started games.
About the Saints
Berks Catholic took on all challengers in the county until Wilson clipped the Saints at the end. Their only other losses against a Pennsylvania team were both to Delone Catholic, the undefeated favorite in District 3 Class 4A. Four key players who cut down the nets last season are anxious to do it again.
Player to watch
If Fleetwood’s Alexis Hess wasn’t in the league, Caroline Reedy would be the frontrunner for Player of the Year. The senior’s versatility is essential to helping the Saints overcome their lack of size. She’s averaging a career-high 13.9 points and is 21 away from 1,000. Reedy, Caraline Herb, Aaliyah Dabney and Mackenzie Gordos have a lot of playoff experience. That matters this time of year.
No. 5 Brandywine Heights (17-4) at No. 4 Gov. Mifflin (14-8), 4 p.m.
About the Bullets
Brandywine returns to the county playoffs for the third consecutive season. It’s different this time. The Bullets aren’t a bottom seed prepping for a one-game cameo. They’re dangerous. They took Schuylkill Valley to the brink twice in a three-week span. Can they pull off a victory against a Berks I power? They’re about to find out.
Player to watch
Addison Benner is perhaps the best of a dynamic group of freshmen who have changed the league. The 5-10 guard is averaging 15.1 points and has made 33 3-pointers. She’s a natural scorer with a soft touch inside and a long-range jumper. That’s a rare combination and she’s headed toward a rare career. Emily Savitz brings senior leadership and 11.4 points per game to a young lineup.
About the Mustangs
Mifflin is trending in the wrong direction at the wrong time. The Mustangs lost to Berks Catholic, Wilson and Reading High the second time through the schedule. That puts them in an unfamiliar position. They’ve been the favorite or top challenger every season since 2017. They’re underdogs now.
Player to watch
Despite its recent slide, Mifflin has four double-digit scorers who are among the top players in the league. Shakyla Mayo is physical, can shoot from 3 and can get to the rim. Elisa Fiore is the floor leader, a strong defender and rebounder. The senior helps tie everything together for the Mustangs, who remain a threat. No team has more talent.
Twin Valley (14-7) at Wilson (15-5), 7:30 p.m.
About the Raiders
Twin Valley rolled through Berks II and remains a league force despite changing coaches and restructuring its starting lineup. The Raiders have been so close to breaking through for their first championship recently. It just hasn’t happened. They’ll take another crack at it with coach Doug Myer returning to his old school with a lot at stake.
Player to watch
Natali Foster has been an important part of Twin Valley’s success for four seasons. She became a go-to scorer for the first time this winter. Foster is averaging 14 points and has connected on 33 3-pointers. Her strength going to the rim makes her difficult to defend. Foster and fellow seniors Anna Kaplan and Rachel Knight have kept the Raiders going.
About the Bulldogs
Wilson entered the season as perhaps the biggest threat to Berks Catholic and that was reinforced with the Bulldogs’ late-season upset of the Saints at West Lawn. The Bulldogs’ size and experience, with four seniors in the starting lineup, is a formidable combination. Wilson’s deliberate style and tough defense knocks teams off-kilter.
Player to watch
Isis Dojan is a 6-2 presence in the paint that almost no other team brings. Keira Levengood is 5-10 with guard skills and hard-to-match athleticism. Add that to a backcourt, Amiyah Nguyen and Gia Borelli, that’s been playing together for years and the Bulldogs have all the ingredients. Wilson finished with eight wins in nine games.
No. 7 Reading High (12-10) at No. 2 Schuylkill Valley (20-1), 2 p.m.
About the Red Knights
Reading High’s victories over Harrisburg and Mifflin this week did more than vault the Red Knights into the postseason. They reminded everyone why this group can be so dangerous in the playoffs. No one plays like Reading. It made the county final as a No. 6 seed and No. 7 seed in 2019 and 2020. Can it make another of those runs?
Player to watch
Kya Washington was All-Berks as a sophomore and essential in leading the Red Knights to the county final two years ago. The senior is back and averaging a team-high 13 points. Ashantin Chapman is another experienced member of the backcourt. Reading has a deep roster with several players capable of going off on a given night.
About the Panthers
What can you say about Schuylkill Valley? The Panthers are a triumph of toughness and togetherness. They went undefeated in league play, sweeping four games against playoff qualifiers Wyomissing and Brandywine Heights. They haven’t lost since Jan. 5 but they might have to beat three Berks I teams to take the title.
Player to watch
There isn’t one. That’s what makes Schuylkill Valley special. Madison Ziska is the top scorer at 13.5 points. Jadyn Heck-Hoppes is second with 11.5 points and is the best man defender. Lekaiah Solomon is the best rebounder and a steals machine. Natane White runs the show. They fit together perfectly.
