Reading boys upset by CB West
BETHLEHEM » Wesley Butler raced out for a transition layup, drew a foul and when he completed the 3-point play, Reading had a ninepoint lead on Central Bucks West in the fourth quarter and the Red Knights looked on their way to continuing their state title defense. But there was still 2:11 left on the clock. “We never lost our confidence,” Bucks senior Jake Reichwein said. “We looked for the shots that we practice and they finally went in. We never stopped.”
In those 131 seconds, with a season on the line Wednesday, March 14 in the PIAA Class 6A second round contest, the CB West boys basketball scored nine straight points then held Reading on the final possession of regulation to force overtime.
The Bucks proceeded to dominate the extra period, pulling away at the foul line to knock out the defending champs with a 60-47 victory in front of a heavy Reading crowd at Liberty High School’s Memorial Gymnasium.
“All year long we’ve been trying to tell these guys to focus on the next play. Not hold on to plays and I’m so proud of this group, they really just focused on the next play and didn’t
let plays linger,” CB West coach Adam Sherman said. “Kids have a tendency, mentally to let them kind of stay with them and I thought this group showed tremendous maturity in just kind of focusing on the next situation and not letting it carry with them.”
Reichwein and Collin MacAdams both had a game-high 18 points as the Bucks (23-7) scored 15 straight point after trailing 42-33 in the fourth to take a 48-42 lead in overtime. Reading pulled to within three at 50-47 but West finished 9-for-10 from the foul line in the last 55.1 seconds to finish 16-of-18 at the line in OT.
“It shows we got a lot of composure,” Reichwein said. “I don’t think we’ve every shot free throws that well and it’s just unbelievable cause this type of game.”
West outscored Reading 18-5 in the overtime period.
R.J. Dixon led the Red Knights (25-5 overall) with 16 points. Wesley Butler added 13 while Xavier Starks scored 12 for Reading.
BETHLEHEM CATHOLIC 62, BERKS CATHOLIC 37 » The Saints fell to Becca during the quarterfinal round of the PIAA Class 4A playoffs on Friday, March 16.
With the loss, Berks Catholic (28-3) saw its schoolrecord 24-game winning streak snapped in a game which they were dominated start to finish.
Bethlehem Catholic jumped out to a 30-10 lead by the half and never looked back. Justin Paz scored 15 points while Luis Garcia and Northwestern recruit Ryan Young each scored
14. Casey Jack had 14 points while Luis Garcia posted 12 for the Saints.
BERKS CATHOLIC 56, VALLEY VIEW 36 » The Saints handled Valley View on the way to a win during the second round of the PIAA Class 4A playoffs on Tuesday, March 13.
Garcia led the way with a game-high 20 points while Keba Mitchell added 14 and Jack had 10. Berks Catholic outscored Valley View in all four quarters, most notably a 17-8 advantage in the fourth.
Girls basketball
BERKS CATHOLIC 51, BISHOP MCDEVITT 42 » Berks Catholic is making its return to the PIAA semifinals for the third time in four seasons, this time with a different dominant star in charge.
Berks Catholic (24-5) punched its ticket to the state 4A semifinals Saturday afternoon with a 51-42 conquest of District 3 and Mid-Penn Conference foe Bishop McDevitt in a 4A quarterfinal clash, held at Garden Spot High School.
It is BC’s inaugural visit to the PIAA semifinals under the new 4A classification. The Saints previously reached the state semis in 2015 and 2016 under the former 4-class system, as members of the old 2A.
Dejah Terrell played perhaps her finest game of her final high school season against McDevitt, scoring 26 points.
ARCHBISHOP WOOD 48, TWIN VALLEY 35 » The Raiders’ season came to a close with a loss against Wood during the second round of the PIAA-5A playoffs on Wednesday, March 14.
Twin Valley finished the season 26-4.