Red Knights’ playoff opener far from upsetting (updated)
Even amateur bracketologists know that when a No. 7 seed beats a No. 2 it’s an upset, right?
When a team that’s 12-10 and barely squeezed into the playoffs beats a team with a 20-1 record, that’s an upset, right?
Not necessarily. Not when Reading High is playing the kind of attacking defense it did against Schuylkill Valley Saturday in a BCIAA girls basketball quarterfinal. Not when Kya Washington is out there, scrapping for loose balls, disrupting passing lanes and dropping shots.
“I don’t consider it an upset,” said Reading coach Rashida Suber after the Red Knights advanced to the semifinals with a 43-33 victory at Leesport. “We just came out here, did what we had to do. Our record doesn’t indicate the team that we actually are.”
The Red Knights (13-10) were relentless on defense. They pressured full-court the whole way. Made it seem like an achievement for the Berks III champion Panthers (20-2) to advance the ball into the front court. Once there they challenged with some superb on-ball defense.
No wonder the Panthers shot just 27 percent from the floor and finished with the third-lowest scoring total of what’s been one of the best seasons in program history.
“That’s us,” Suber said. “That’s Reading High basketball. We play defense. We’re going to pressure. We’re going to be in your face. We’re not gonna let up. We’re gonna bring constant pressure the whole time.”
The Red Knights forced a string of early turnovers and scored nine straight points to go up 9-2 after five minutes. They weren’t threatened the rest of the way. They led by 10 at the half and 17 after three quarters.
“That’s a hard, fast pace that Reading played,” said Schuylkill Valley coach Jason Bagenstose. “It’s hard to prepare for a pace that Reading plays. They’re playing Mifflin, Wilson, Twin Valley, Berks Catholic, so they’re more battle-tested. We really haven’t played anyone (like that). It’s tough.”
The Panthers hadn’t faced a team that plays with that kind of intensity all season, and it showed. They turned the ball over 20 times and struggled to get to the basket. They were in scramble mode the whole way.
The only opponent that’s brought similar pressure was Susquehanna Township, which handed the Panthers their only loss, 40-36 at midseason.
Reading High played Susquehanna a week ago; it won 47-39. That was the beginning of a rush to the wire, one that saw the Red Knights knock off Harrisburg and Gov. Mifflin on consecutive nights, win four times in eight days and grab the league’s second wild card spot.
The Red Knights played Saturday like there was no tomorrow, which there wasn’t. They didn’t make the District 3 Tournament so their next loss means the end of the season.
“We don’t wanna go home,” said Washington, who finished with a game-high 18 points and grabbed eight rebounds. “(That’s) pushed us more. Who wants to go home?”
The Red Knights seemed to lose their edge in the final quarter. They turned ball over seven times. Didn’t make a single field goal. Saw both Mey Bonilla and Washington foul out. They allowed the Panthers to sneak back into the game, closing within 40-33 with a little over a minute to go.
Suber called that final eight minutes a “travesty.”
It was also a win, and that’s all the Red Knights needed. They’ll advance to play either Wilson or Twin Valley in the semis; the Bulldogs and Raiders play later Saturday.
“We’re living in the moment, unfortunately,” Suber said. “What happened last week (to get us into the playoffs) happened last week. Yes, it was great, but it’s different now. It’s zero-zero. It’s anybody’s game. We’re kind of one-and-done. That’s what’s at stake right now.”
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Final | |
| Reading High | 14 | 15 | 10 | 4 | 43 |
| Schuylkill Valley | 11 | 8 | 3 | 11 | 33 |
| Red Knights (13-10) | FG | FT | Points |
| Bonilla | 2 | 2-2 | 6 |
| Chapman | 2 | 2-6 | 7 |
| Washington | 9 | 0-0 | 18 |
| Duncan | 0 | 0-0 | 0 |
| Ortiz-Gonzalez | 0 | 1-2 | 1 |
| Rodriguez | 1 | 4-5 | 6 |
| Ruiz | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Pimental | 2-5 | 0-0 | 5 |
| Hernandez Albino | 0 | 0-0 | 0 |
| Collier | 0 | 0-0 | 0 |
| Totals | 16 | 9-15 | 43 |
| Panthers (20-2) | FG | FT | Points |
| Heck-Hoppes | 2 | 3-10 | 7 |
| Ziska | 4 | 3-4 | 11 |
| Solomon | 2-6 | 2-4 | 6 |
| Gilbert | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| White | 1 | 0-0 | 3 |
| Stichter | 2 | 0 | 6 |
| Camlin | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Totals | 11 | 8-18 | 33 |
Turnovers: Reading High 16, Schuylkill Valley 20.
3-pointers: Chapman, Pimental; Stichter 2, White.
