Red Knights score rare win at Chester

Ruben Rodriguez hit both ends of a one-and-one with 18.9 seconds left and Reading High held on for a rare victory at Chester Wednesday, beating the Clippers 67-63.

Rodriguez, coming off a career-high 35-point performance at Harrisburg, finished with a game-high 20 points for the Red Knights (10-1), who won their fourth straight. He scored 10 points in the final quarter.

Myles Grey and Joey Chapman each scored 12 points for Reading.

The win was the first for the Red Knights at Chester in 13 years, and just their second since the 1980’s. Reading’s last win at Chester came in the 2008-09 season when Marcus Dawkins scored 27 points and hit the go-ahead basket in the second overtime to beat the defending PIAA champs.

After two straight wins Reading now trails the series 21-20. Reading has won five of the last seven meetings.

Larenzo Jerkins scored 15 points for the Clippers (4-2), who were playing for the second straight night after being idle for 23 days due to COVID issues. Chester beat Penn Wood 70-66 in double-overtime on Tuesday.

Because of COVID concerns there were no fans present inside Fred Pickett Jr. Gymnasium.

Daniel Alcantara made his first appearance for Reading in over three weeks, coming off the bench to score three points. He had missed the previous five games for disciplinary reasons.

The game was tied 47-47 after three quarters and 55-55 with about four minutes left. Chapman scored on a follow and hit a pair of free throws with about three minutes left to give Reading a 61-57 lead. The Clippers twice pulled within two.

Chapman’s put-back with 1:15 left gave Reading a 65-61 lead.

Reading led 23-14 after one quarter.