Rick Perez (above) and Reading hosted the five-game Geigle Shootout on Saturday. (Photo: Mark Jordan/CoBL)
Michael Bullock (@thebullp_n)
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READING — Xavier Starks didn’t need any reminders.
While the 6-2 senior guard knew the next opponent on Reading’s basketball schedule was sporting a perfect record and lugging a lofty state ranking, those nuggets merely fueled his hunger.
Seems the rest of the Red Knights were ready to dig in as well.
Using the second quarter to erase an early deficit and eventually construct a fairly comfortable lead, Reading capped its own Geigle Shootout by downing Hazleton 65-56 in the fifth and final contest held Saturday at the Red Knights’ Geigle Complex playpen.
Starks finished with 15 points — nine in the opening half — and Wesley Butler chimed in with 14 as Rick Perez’s Red Knights (13-2) stretched their winning streak to seven games by knocking off the No. 3 team in City of Basketball Love’s latest set of Class 6A state rankings.
Ricki Lopez, Daniel Colter, newcomer Larry Wingo and Hector “R.J.” Dixon combined for an additional 32 points for Reading, which trailed 16-10 after one quarter yet led 29-20 at the break.
Reading’s physicality and its effectiveness on the offensive glass were additional factors that swung the game toward the home folks during those pivotal eight minutes just before halftime.
“It was on our mind, heavy,” Starks said. “We knew they were the favorite and we love that. We’re underdogs. … We just continue to drive with the same focus and the same drive every day.”
“Most physical team we’ve played up to this point,” Joseph confirmed.
Joey Grula racked up a double-double for Hazleton (10-1), scoring 21 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. Josh Samec added 15 points before fouling out, while Jeff Planutis finished with 10. Mike Joseph’s Cougars also received a terrific effort from Da’Mir Faison on the glass (14 boards).
“That’s a great team,” Starks added. “We just had to come into the game and outphysical them. We feel like we’re a really strong team and together we pack a punch.”
Nonetheless, Hazleton’s early advantage disappeared fairly quickly as the host Red Knights opened the second quarter with a 12-0 run, then responded to a pair of Planutis freebies by rattling off seven more points. Butler’s 3-ball, off a Wingo feed, made it 29-18 with just over a minute to go.
“That second quarter was the telling quarter,” lamented Joseph, whose Cougars were just 1-for-10 from the floor and 2-for-5 from the line during that stretch. They also committed six turnovers.
“That second quarter they kind of imposed their will of being aggressive and being very physical on the offensive boards.
Although Hazleton showed plenty of resolve early in the third quarter, Perez’s bunch soon had the lead up to 13 points (38-25) as Starks buried the last of his 3-pointers, Colter canned an elbow J and Lopez worked inside for another deuce. Reading continued to dig, its lead growing as large as 15 (49-34).
While Joseph’s group was able to cut its deficit down to four (53-49) on Grula’s stickback just before the midway point of the fourth quarter, the reigning Class 6A state champs did enough at the foul line down the stretch to put a satisfying result firmly in the win column.
In fact, Dixon, Starks, Butler, Lopez and Wingo took turns at the stripe, combining to go 12-for-16 in the final 3:44 as the Red Knights were able to fend off Hazleton’s comeback bid.
Butler was 6-for-8 at the line, 3-for-4 in the fourth quarter.
“We held Wes Butler to three baskets,” Joseph stated. “If you told me going into the game that we’d hold Wes Butler to three baskets, I’d think we’d be in pretty good shape.”
Yet the Cougars were not.
“It was a great atmosphere,” Joseph added. “It’s the kind of game you want to play in January. Nobody won any kind of championship tonight. We knew that was the case coming in, but we wanted to make sure we came out and competed and I think we did.”
“We’ve been here so many times,” Starks said. “Throughout the summer tournaments, we played big teams. We were just more hungry. Every time it was a tough situation, I trust my point guard, I trust my other guard, I trust my bigs. I trust my whole team in general.”
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Berks Catholic explodes in second half, claims eighth straight victim
Scoring the first 20 points of the second half, Berks Catholic blew open a tight opening contest and motored to a 69-50 victory over Octorara that extended the Saints’ winning streak to eight games.
Luis Garcia pocketed a career-high 18 points — six during Berks Catholic’s timely outburst — while Keba Mitchell popped a double-double (16 points/10 rebounds) and Casey Jack added 13 points.
The 6-5 Mitchell also blocked seven shots for the Saints (12-2), who led 35-29 at the break.
“Very solid. Very fundamental,” Octorara assistant coach Keith Lambert said. “They’re a really good team.”
Dominik London poured in 19 of his 27 points in the first half to keep things close for the Braves (5-10). London’s first hoop pushed the innovative senior over 1,000 career points.
“He’s been the rock for us,” Lambert added. “He’s the one who has the most varsity experience. Our other guys, at times, don’t know how to score. He knows how to score.”
Octorara, which is moving from the Ches-Mont League to the Lancaster-Lebanon League when the school year ends, is playing without long-time head coach Gene Lambert. Lambert is dealing with some medical issues that likely will prevent him returning to the bench by the end of the season.
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Effective at the foul line late, Cedar Crest turns back Williamsport
Logan Thomson pocketed 15 points, while Cole Laney and Logan Horn each added 13 as Cedar Crest won its second game in as many days by holding off Williamsport 59-55 in Game 2.
While Thomson’s spin move snapped a 49-all tie with 2:22 to play, Horn wouldn’t allow Tom Smith’s Falcons (14-3) to yield the lead by making seven of his eight free throws in the final 1:37.
Thomson also was 1-for-2 during that stretch for Crest, which also played on Thursday.
Marcus Simmons netted 17 points for the Millionaires (8-5), who led briefly in the early part of the fourth quarter before Crest used a 7-0 spurt to regain the lead for good. Darryl Wilson also reached double figures for Allen Taylor’s club, scoring 14 points, while D’Angelo Strachon snared 11 rebounds.
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York snaps late tie, defeats Math, Civics & Sciences
Kyree Generett bucketed 28 points, including four in the final 33.5 seconds, as York outran Math, Civics & Sciences 82-80 in the third game of the day. Clovis Gallon Jr. also had a big outing for the Bearcats (9-6), scoring 20 points, snaring 12 rebounds and dishing out a handful of assists.
Jihad “Squid” Watson rang up 32 points for the Mighty Elephants (7-8), including a deuce with 48 seconds remaining when he was able to get a runner to fall that tied the game at 78-all.
Generett answered immediately, as his teardrop from the right edge of the paint splashed through the net to push the Bearcats in front to stay. Generett added two freebies at the 14.4 mark to make it 82-78.
Watson slashed to the hoop with 9.3 to go to halve Math, Civics & Sciences’ deficit to a pair, then sent Gallon to the free-throw line with just 7.4 showing. Gallon missed both, however, but York’s tenuous advantage stood as Semaj Mills’ 3-ball just before the horn was off the mark and Gallon clutched the miss.
Zakee Fleming added 18 points for MCS, while Mills totaled 11.
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Dialed-in Hadley propels CD East to victory over Lancaster McCaskey
Battling foul problems in the opening half, Rayquan Hadley certainly shrugged those off once the halftime intermission was over, draining all seven of his treys and scoring 23 of his 25 points in the third and fourth quarters as Central Dauphin East edged Lancaster McCaskey 63-60 in Game 4.
Hadley pocketed five 3-balls in the third quarter as East (5-8) held on to a 45-43 lead, then added two more and a pair of free throws to help the Panthers bring it home. Jaylen Hawthorne added 19 points to the East effort, including a 6-for-8 effort at the stripe that kept McCaskey (3-14) at bay.
Eddie Simmons cranked out a double-double for the Red Tornadoes, scoring 13 points and snaring 12 rebounds. Brian McKenzie scored all 10 of his points in the final quarter.
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