Ruben Rodriguez of Reading High named MikeDragoSports.com Player of the Year

After a junior season in which he did everything well, Reading High’s Ruben Rodriguez has only one goal in mind for the offseason: To get stronger and better.

“I feel can improve on everything,” Rodriguez said after a season which saw him lead Berks in scoring at 19.8 points per game and lead the Red Knights to the Berks Conference and District 3 Class 6A championships. “I’m trying to work on building more body weight and getting physically stronger, so I can start getting ready for the college level.”

Rodriguez, in his present state, was easily good enough to earn the inaugural MikeDragoSports.com Player of the Year award, sponsored by Wyomissing Physical Therapy. He averaged 4.7 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 3.4 steals per game, shot 50 percent from the field and 71 percent from the free throw line. He set a program record with 50 points in a game, went over 1,000 points in his two seasons with Reading and has nearly 1,300 in three seasons.

“Wyomissing Physical Therapy is excited to be the inaugural sponsor of the MikeDragoSports.com Player of The Year, and to congratulate its first recipient, Ruben Rodriguez,” said Joe Miller, owner of Wyomissing Physical Therapy.

“Ruben’s incredible individual statistics for this year only briefly touch on the impact he made for his Reading High team,” said Miller. “Anyone who watches enough basketball immediately sees that Reuben makes everyone he plays with better.

“When his team needed a basket, he came through; if they needed a defensive stop, it was Ruben who stepped up. His teammates will attest to his unselfishness as he led the team in assists.

“Wyomissing PT is proud to sponsor this award given to Ruben Rodriguez, the epitome of a team player.”

Rodriguez was twice named Wyomissing Physical Therapy Player of the Week during the season and earned more Player of the Week votes throughout the season than any other player. Ten different players were selected Player of the Week; Oley Valley’s Danny Turchi was also named twice.

Finalists for the award were: Myles Grey, Reading High; Matt Harley, Gov. Mifflin; Jake Karnish, Fleetwood; Colin Payne, Exeter; Edwin Suarez, Muhlenberg; Hector Tiburcio, Antietam; Turchi; and Kannon Zdimal, Twin Valley.

Players were nominated each week by their coaches, or by MikeDragoSports.com.

As soon as Reading High’s season ended, in the second round of the PIAA Tournament, Rodriguez dove into offseason workouts at Garage Strength. The 6-1 guard played at about 160 pounds this season; he’s hoping to get close to 180 by the time he reaches college.

“I’m trying to work on building more body weight and getting physically stronger, so I can start getting ready for the college level,” said Rodriguez. “This summer I’m trying to get in front of the colleges, and get as much recruitment as possible.”

Rodriguez has scholarship offers from St. Peter’s and the University of Jacksonville; other major college programs have been in contact. He’ll play AAU ball this spring with Team Final Red, in Philadelphia.

Rodriguez scored 21 points in his final game this season to top 1,000 with the Red Knights, becoming the 17th player in program history to reach that milestone. He stands at 1,003.

Rodriguez, who scored 288 points as a freshman at Muhlenberg in 2019-20, went over 1,000 career points earlier this season. Overall, he has 1,291 points and is on pace to top 1,800 career points; he has chance to finish among Berks County’s all-time Top 10 scorers.

Rodriguez, who was named Berks Player of the Year by the league’s coaches, had several other noteworthy accomplishments this season.

He became just the fifth Reading player to lead Berks in scoring average over the past 50 years. The others: Stu Jackson (23.6, 1972-73); David Lawson (19.0, 2006-07); Walker IV (18.4, 2016-17) and Wesley Butler (21.2, 2018-19).

His scoring average is tied for eighth-highest in program history. Donyell Marshell set the record at 24.8 in 1990-91; Bill Jankans averaged 23.7 in 1964-65 and Jackson 22.6 in 1971-72.

Rodriguez’s 593 points as a junior rank 10th most in a season by a Reading player. Marshall set the record with 794, in 1990-91.

His 593 points are fourth-most by a Reading High junior. Only Dick Nyquist (677, 1917-18), Jackson (655, 1971-72) and Marshall (626, 1989-90) have had more.

His 410 points as a sophomore are third-most in program history, behind Marcus Dawkins (461, 2008-09) and Walker (459).

Rodriguez set the program record with 50 points in a game in a 111-43 win Jan. 19 over Daniel Boone. Only three other Reading players have topped 40 in a game: Buck Friedman (48, in 1918-19), Marshall (43, in 1990-91) and Brian D’Amico (42, 1985-86).

Rodriguez also had a pair of 35-point games, against Berks Catholic and Harrisburg. He is the only Reading player to score 35 or more points three times in the same season, and only the second to do it in a career. Walker did it three times, once as a junior, twice as a senior.