Top players to watch in Berks III boys basketball
2023 Berks basketball coverage presented by
Utilities Employees Credit Union
Danny Fleischood
Wyomissing
The 6-foot guard emerged as one of the top players in a promising and deep Berks Class of 2026.
That was verified when he was selected to join the West Reading All-Stars on their summer trip to Sacramento; he was one of just two freshman selected for that elite squad.
Fleischood is expected to take another quantum leap and be one of the top scorers on a talented and balanced Spartans team this season.
“He has it all,” said Wyomissing coach Garrett Etzel. “He’s got a great mid-range game. He attacks the basket. His ‘3’ is getting better. He’ll be able to do everything for us: Rebound, shoot, defend.”
Fleischood scored 12 points against Berks Catholic in early February and followed that up with eight points in the Spartans 35-34 upset over Berks III champ Fleetwood – the Tigers’ only league loss.
Dominic Giuffre
Schuylkill Valley
(PhilMarPhoto)
The offseason training that helped Giuffre earn All-State honors at running back as a junior carried over to the court where he was more explosive and got to the rim – and above it – more often.
He used his quickness and defensive skills to create offensive opportunities and averaged 10.0 points per game.
“He took it on himself to go to the basket and make some plays,” said Panthers coach Taylor Grim. “He felt he could get to the basket anytime he wanted. He became more assertive on offense.”
Giuffre emerged as a ball-hawking defender in football as a senior and he’ll use those same instincts to again trigger the Panthers’ transition game on the court.
“Dom’s a strong open-court defender,” said Grim. “What we did best last year was get points in transition and he was a key to that.”
Nate Herb
Fleetwood
(Tim Macrina photo)
The 6-foot senior has been one of the cornerstones in the Tigers’ rise, helping them improve from 11 wins to 16 to 22 last season, when they reached the District 3 Class 4A championship game and won their second straight Division III title.
The four-year starter will be a key in securing a Three-Peat as the Tigers’ point guard.
“He distributes the ball, he’s great handling the ball in traffic and he gets to the basket,” said Tigers coach Terry Sitler.
He’ll get a late start to the season after an elbow injury suffered in soccer; he’s still a couple weeks away from playing in a game.
Herb was an All-Berks pick in soccer, helping the Tigers win the Berks and District 3 Class 2A championships.
He plays soccer for FC Revolution and will play that sport in college.
Cooper Hohenadel
Schuylkill Valley
(PhilMarPhoto)
The 5-11 guard emerged as one of the league’s best deep threats as a sophomore and was a consistent scorer for the Panthers, whose 17 wins were their most in six seasons. He averaged 11.9 points, second on the team.
He’s expected to take another step up this season, though he is expected to miss a month or more after suffering a fractured elbow late in football season.
“He was one of our main scorers this summer,” said Panthers coach Taylor Grim. “He started going to the basketball more, which was a good thing to see.”
Most of Hohenadel’s points last season came from beyond the 3-point arc. He was among league leaders with 48 3’s and shot a team-best 32 percent from distance. He had at least one 3-pointer in 21-of-24 games and three or more eight times.
He came on late in the season, with 19 points the final week of the season against Hamburg and 21 the next night against Susquehanna Township.
Hohenadel was a standout in football as a wide receiver, running back, defensive back and special teams player. He earned all-league honors at three different spots and helped the Panthers earn a share of the Lancaster-Lebanon League Section 5 title.
Dylan Latourelle
(PhilMarPhoto)
Wyomissing
The 6-foot junior guard is a pure shooter. He knocked down 30 3’s last season, second on the team, and shot a team-leading 83.3 percent from the foul line (in limited appearances).
He averaged 7.1 points and came on late in the season, scoring 21 against Hamburg and 14 against Ephrata.
“He had a very good summer and has really developed his game,” said Wyomissing coach Garrett Etzel. “He can shoot the heck out of the ball. When he’s hot, he’s hot.”
He’s a force on both ends of the court, Etzel said.
“He never stops working,” Etzel said. “He’s 100 percent all the time. It’s the same on defense: he can get after it.”
Aiden Soumas
Fleetwood
(PhilMarPhoto)
Soumas played Robin to Jake Karnish’s Batman the last few seasons; now he’ll take the lead role on what promises to be another strong Tigers team.
The 6-foot guard was a consistent scorer last season, reaching double figures in 23-of-27 games. He had four 20-point games, including in the season finale against Cardinal O’Hara in the PIAA Tournament, and averaged 13.6 points.
“Aiden’s fearless,” said Tigers coach Terry Sitler. “He attacks the basket. He wants to play against the best player on the court and he has a desire to be the best he can be. He wants to win. Not many (players) have that.”
Soumas, a rare four-year starter, begins his final season Tuesday with 706 career points.
He is committed to play baseball at Kutztown University.
Other top players to watch:
- Alex Campbell, Wyomissing
- Justice Hardy, Wyomissing
- Mason Musitano, Fleetwood
- Kowen Gerner, Schuylkill Valley
- Aiden Schippers, Wyomissing
- Hunter Svoboda, Fleetwood
