‘Phenomenal’ Kingston McKoy plans to add to his game after Player of the Year season
He’s months away from returning to the basketball court – he faces a lengthy rehab after breaking his leg — but already Kingston McKoy is making plans to add to an already outstanding all-around game.
“I want to work on creating 3-point shots for myself,” said the Berks Catholic sophomore, looking ahead to next season, “and work on finishing at craftier angles.”
As a sophomore McKoy was one of the best on-ball defenders in the Berks Conference, one of the best passers, one of the best rebounders – and one of the best teammates.
With him on the floor, creating, breaking down defenses, dishing to open wing shooters, the Saints hummed on offense – and didn’t lose a game.
“I’ve had some great players,” said Berks Catholic’s Snip Esterly, one of the winningest coaches in Pennsylvania history, “(but) as a leader . . . I don’t know if I’ve ever had a sophomore like him.”
McKoy’s sophomore season lasted only 14 games but it was an impressive season at that, one deserving of the MikeDragoSports.com Player of Year, presented by the Weeber/Langdon Team of Merrill Lynch.
Finalists for the award were Yadiel Cruz of Reading High, Josh McKoy of Berks Catholic, and Kevin Saenz of Exeter.
“High school athletics can have such a profound and positive impact on a student athlete’s life,” said Matt Langdon, Senior Vice President of the Weeber/Langdon Team, “from their coaches to their teammates to the experiences of both the highs and the lows.
“Our team is happy to support all the hard work, sacrifice, and dedication these young men and women display throughout their season, and we are very proud to see such a great young man as Kingston be honored with this award.”
The Saints were certainly a different team after McKoy was lost for the season in the first half of a Jan. 23 game against Reading High. Before he went down the Saints were the favorite to win the Berks Conference championship and a third straight District 3 Class 4A title. Without him they went 8-5 in the final weeks of the regular season and in the postseason.
He brought so many things to the table – he handled the ball against the press, defended the opposition’s best player, and averaged 14.9 points per game – there was just no replacing him. There too many holes to fill.
“They fought really hard,” McKoy said of his teammates, “they did really well. (There’s) no way we’ll ever know (how things would have turned out with me on the court, but) if I was out there it would’ve been a way better season.”
McKoy showed right away what good things were in store for him and the Saints. In the season-opener he scored a game-high 21 points and had seven rebounds in a 54-32 win over Cedar Crest, which went on to win the Lancaster-Lebanon League championship.
He had perhaps his best game a few weeks later in a 77-73 overtime win at Trinity. He scored 29 points, including 10 of BC’s 12 in overtime, against a Shamrocks team headed for the District 3 Class 3A championship game.
He scored 15 points and had a game-high 11 rebounds in a 44-40 win at Wilson – the eventual Berks champ – but his impact was greater than the stats. Matt Coldren, the Bulldogs coach, saw that.
“Kingston is the best player in the league,” Coldren said after that game. “When he develops a consistent jumper, and can catch-and-shoot, he’s gonna be tough.”
Muhlenberg coach Matt Flowers shares the same high opinion.
“He’s phenomenal,” Flowers said McKoy. “He’s a legit D1 player.”
Esterly saw that from the beginning. Before McKoy stepped on the court for his first varsity game Esterly compared him to Wilson’s Stevie Mitchell at the same stage. Midway through McKoy’s sophomore season Esterly’s opinion hadn’t changed.
“I don’t know how he’s going to develop,” Esterly said, “but he’s just as good as Stevie as a sophomore. (If he doesn’t reach that level) it won’t be because he’s not gonna work hard or because he doesn’t have a passion for the game.”
McKoy will miss the AAU spring season and won’t play with the Saints during summer league ball as he rehabs his leg. He likely won’t be able to work seriously on his game until late summer or the fall.
When he does he plans to work on improving his 3-point game. He already has a great first step, one that frees him to get to the basket or pull up for mid-range jumpers. He made 13 3-pointers in 14 games this season; he’s capable of doubling that output as a junior.
At this point the strength of his game remains his defense. At 6-2 he has a long wingspan, good lateral movement, and true defensive instincts. And he enjoys playing that part of the game; he earned starters’ minutes as a freshman because of his ability to come off the bench and be a lock-down defender, often guarding the opposing’s team’s top scorer.
In his first year as a starter McKoy made huge strides on the offensive end of his game.
“This season you got to see a more attacking side of me,” he said. “I knew I had to attack and create for my teammates, so that’s what tried to show. I think I had a good season, creating for my teammates, creating for myself. Obviously there’s room for improvement.”
Selected as Player of the Week this season:
- Dec. 11: Alex Collado, Muhlenberg
- Dec. 18: Madyx Gruber, Wilson
- Dec. 25: Nate Herb, Fleetwood
- Jan. 1: Yadiel Cruz, Reading High
- Jan. 8: Kevin Saenz, Exeter
- Jan. 15: Kingston McKoy, Berks Catholic
- Jan. 22: Shermar Killen, Muhlenberg
- Jan. 29: Josh McKoy, Berks Catholic
- Feb. 5: Aiden Soumas, Fleetwood
- Feb. 12: Nick Chapman, Reading High
- Feb. 19: Madyx Gruber, Wilson
- Feb. 26: Yadiel Cruz, Reading High
- March 4: Alex Kelsey, Exeter
