PIAA Tournament preview: Exeter (18-9) vs. Upper Dublin (19-4)
2024 Berks basketball coverage presented by
Utilities Employees Credit Union
What: PIAA Class 5A Tournament, first round
When: Friday, 7:00
Where: Upper Dublin High, Fort Washington
Upper Dublin’s schedule/results
About the Cardinals (1-2)
(Cityofbasketballlove.com photo)
Defensive-minded squad that likes to press and run the floor won Liberty Division of Suburban One League, beat C.B. West for the league championship and was the No. 2 seed in District 1 Tournament.
Beat No. 10 Penncrest and No. 6 Sun Valley in district tourney handily before being throttled by top-seeded Unionville 63-36 in championship game — their first title-game appearance since 1985.
Shot just 3-of-21 from 3-point range in the loss, 13-for-44 overall and were out-rebounded 28-12 as they finished with a season-low scoring total.
Top scorer is Ryan Mulroy, a 6-3 all-league guard and college prospect. He had just one point through the first three quarters against Unionville before scoring 10 in the final quarter.
Other top player is Kobe Bazemore, a 5-9 point guard who can score. Some length up front, with 6-4 Brady Fogle and 6-3 Idris Rines.
Return to state tournament for first time since 2002 after finishing 15-7 last season and losing their district opener.
“We play fast, we want to run,” second-year coach Derek Brooks told the Lansdale Reporter. “We may not have the biggest, strongest athletes at every position but we do have pretty-high IQ players and skill players who can think fast. So even if the game’s fast we can think in that pace.”
Allowing just 45.0 points per game and have held seven teams below 40 points. Have allowed 59 or more points four times and lost each.
Enjoy playing at home, where they are 11-1.
Have not won a state playoff game since 1985, when they beat Norristown.
About the Eagles (3-5)
(Tim Macrina photo)
Beat Muhlenberg and Warwick in playback round to finish fifth in District 3 Tournament and return to state playoffs for second straight season.
All-Berks point guard Kevin Saenz and all-division picks Alex Kelsey and Reece Garvin trigger Berks’ most explosive offense, one averaging a league-high 69.3 points with 238 3-pointers, tied for second-most in Berks Conference history.
Only Muhlenberg, which averaged 10.4 3’s per game in 2019-20, have averaged more 3-pointers per game.
Saenz leads way, averaging 17.4 points and 6.1 assists with 47 3’s.
Kelsey averaged 14.3 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.5 assists over four district playoff games.
Garvin averages 10.6 points, leads the team in rebounding (7.1 per game) and has 41 3’s.
Aidan Dauble averages 10.0 points and has 32 3’s. Brady Murray leads team with 48 3’s; he had six against Muhlenberg.
Beat Fox Chapel, Mechanicsburg, Peters Township and Cathedral Prep in last year’s state tournament before losing championship game to Imhotep Charter.
Have beaten three PIAA qualifiers: Reading High, Berks Catholic and Muhlenberg.