Penn Playmakers’ strong lineup, schedule, helps Berks players sharpen their games

Hector Tiburcio transformed his game last summer playing with the Penn Playmakers.

He was a forward and key inside presence for Antietam during his sophomore season with the Mounts but the Playmakers, with active bigs such as Edwin Suarez and Lamereon McFarlane, didn’t need him in the paint. He did most of his work on the perimeter and developed his ballhandling and shooting skills.

It paid big dividends last winter as Tiburcio led the Mounts to the District 3 Class 2A championship game.

He figures to bring even more to the table next season after another successful summer campaign with the Playmakers.

“It definitely gives me a perspective on things, and gives me (an idea) of what a complete team is like,” he said after the Playmakers opened the Flex at the Plex tournament Saturday afternoon at Alvernia University with a 39-25 win over the Family Basketball Club of Wilmington.

“You’ve got 6-7, 6-8 bigs, guards that can shoot from deep out,” Tiburcio said. “So you really learn how to become a better teammates (rather) than just trying to go out there and do it yourself.”

The Playmakers’ 17-and-under team is indeed stacked. They look a Berks all-star team, what with the 6-7 Suarez, 6-5 McFarlane and 6-4 Xavier Price playing near the basket, Tashiro Alexis and Jahsire Sheriff at guard and Xavier Davis and Tiburcio on the wing.

The team was put together by Quincy Twyman and Tim Rivera, co-directors of the Penn Playmakers, several years ago. The nucleus has remained together. Rivera and Twyman formed the AAU club six years ago.

The Playmakers entered the Flex at the Plex — a 50-team tournament for boys and girls from grades three through high school — with a 24-6 record. Five of the losses came in championship games of tournaments across the country; they won the Big Time Hoops Tournament in Houston, where they went unbeaten.
“We’re doing the best we can to get these guys exposure,” said Twyman, who played on Berks Catholic’s 2013-14 Berks Conference finalist. “I do skill training, weight training, whatever I can do to make these guys better prospects in the college game.”

Twyman’s also been good at luring McFarlane and Sheriff, who live in Berks in the summer months, back to the team.

McFarlane played at Wyomissing as a sophomore in 2019-20 before transferring to American Collegiate Academy in Florida. He’s a true defensive presence in the middle.

Sheriff played his freshman season at Reading High before leaving to play out of state. Last season he played at Springfield Commonwealth Academy in Massachusetts; next season he’ll play at P.R.I.S.E. Academy in Columbia, Mo.

He’s now a flashy 6-3 guard and fits in well with a team that’s long across the board.

“He can shoot, create,” said Davis, a former teammate at Reading High. “He’s everything you want in a guard.”

Alexis, a guard who started his high school career at Reading High and now plays at Muhlenberg, has added to his game, as well.

“Tashiro has been a real leader for us,” Twyman said. “He has a chance to be a real leader and effective player for Muhlenberg his senior year under Coach (Matt) Flowers. It should be a real good season for him.”

Suarez, who played with Davis at Reading High before transferring to Muhlenberg last season, continues to elevate his game. He was an All-Berks pick as a junior and has been dominant on both ends for the Playmakers.

“He’s active on the offensive and defensive glass,” Twyman said. “He does a lot for me. He’s been one of my catalysts all year.”

Davis, a “glue guy” for the Playmakers just as he was for the PIAA Class 6A champion Red Knights, enjoys playing for a team with a different style and temperament in the summer.

“It shows me a different range, a different variety of competition,” said the rising senior. “It shows me who I’m paired up against within the country, and it shows me what I have to bring back to my foundation to help make them a better team.

“This team helps me get better individually, and I bring these individual talents back to our high school team.”