Daniel Alcantara’s coaches and teammates warned that he was going be to a handful for Reading High boys basketball opponents this season.
They were right.
Four months after suffering a broken back, the 6-5 Alcantara poured in 27 points to lead the Red Knights to a hard-fought 60-57 victory over Imhotep Charter in a season opener Friday night at Bollman Center.
Alcantara was named the game MVP in a meeting between two of the state’s premier basketball programs in the Hoop Group Showcase. He made 11-of-13 field goal attempts, had six rebounds and showed no ill effects from his summer injury.
“Daniel knows how to pick his spots,” Reading High coach Rick Perez said. “He’s very selective in how he plays and where he shoots from. He was very efficient. When Daniel is poised, he’s going to be in a great place.
“He was the best player on the floor.”
The defending PIAA Class 6A champion Red Knights overcame a six-point deficit early in the third quarter and took a 50-39 lead on Alcantara’s fourth 3-pointer. But the Panthers, who have won three PIAA titles since 2017, refused to wilt.
They twice cut it to two in the final minute on Ahmad Nowell’s floater and Ronny Raphael’s layup. Alcantara made 1-of-2 free throws with 27 seconds to go to give Reading a three-point lead.
Imhotep had four shots, including a trio of 3-pointers, and couldn’t score. The ball went out of bounds off a Knight with 1.6 seconds left. The Panthers got the ball to Nowell behind the arc, but Joey Chapman swatted the ball out of his hands as the horn sounded to seal it.
“We just tried to get a stop,” Chapman said. “I thought (Justin) Edwards was going to get the ball. I just had to do what I do best and play defense.”
Chapman struggled with his ballhandling in the first half, but he scored 12 of his 16 points in the second half and made 7-of-10 shots overall.
“Joey was amazing tonight,” Alcantara said.
Chapman bulled his way to the basket to make it 57-51 with 1:38 left and then made two free throws with 54.8 seconds on the clock.
“He just minimized his dribbles and made them worthwhile,” Perez said. “He used his strength more, which is an advantage for him.”
Nowell finished with 20 points for the Panthers, but he had only eight in the final three quarters. Edwards had 13 points, including nine in the second half.
It was Reading’s first game since beating Archbishop Wood for the PIAA Class 6A title in March in Hershey. If Friday night was any indication, the Red Knights are threats to make a return trip.
“It felt good,” Alcantara said. “We’ve been practicing for this for months. We were ready for this opportunity and we took advantage of it.”
His performance drew the attention of several college coaches who were in attendance.
“That’s my boy,” Chapman said. “What you saw tonight is what I expect from him the rest of the season.”
Source: Berkshire mont