Yadiel Cruz leads Reading High into holiday tournament title game
2023 Berks basketball coverage presented by
Utilities Employees Credit Union
Reading High will go after its second straight holiday tournament title after senior forward Yadiel Cruz led the Red Knights to a 55-46 victory over Bethlehem Liberty Wednesday in the opening round of the Reading Holiday Tournament.
Cruz scored nine fourth-quarter points and finished with a game-high 19 as the Red Knights (4-3) held off the Hurricanes (6-3).
The Red Knights will meet Cardinal O’Hara in the championship game Thursday at the Geigle at 7:30. O’Hara (5-2) defeated Middletown, De., 41-40 in the opening game.
Cruz scored eight first-quarter points as the Red Knights moved out in front 16-6 after one period. They maintained a double-digit lead entering the final quarter.
Sophomore guard Wesley Rosario scored a season-high 13 points for the Red Knights. Freshman Jeremiah Camara scored nine points and senior Malik Osumanu eight.
Reading High beat Devon Prep 58-50 in last year’s championship game but has not had a strong recent history in its own holiday tournament. Before last season the Red Knights had won the title game just three times in the previous nine years.
This will be the first championship match-up between Reading and O’Hara in the 50-year history of the tournament, which began in 1974.
The Red Knights have won the tournament 28 times.
There was no tournament in 2020 due to the national coronavirus outbreak.
