Knowing they hadn’t qualified for the District 3 playoffs, the Reading High players took the court Saturday in the BCIAA girls basketball quarterfinals against Schuylkill Valley at Leesport knowing a loss would bring their season to a permanent end.
The seventh-seeded Red Knights ensured there would be more basketball to play as they used their athleticism to earn a commanding 43-33 win over second-seeded Panthers to advance to the semifinals.
“We had in our minds yesterday at practice that it was win or go home,” Reading High senior Kya Washington said. “I feel like it pushes us more because we don’t want to go home.”
The Red Knights (13-10) played like they were facing elimination from the beginning on Saturday, starting on a 9-2 run. With stifling defense and quick offense, Reading High immediately pressured the Panthers (20-2) and garnered momentum.
“That’s Reading High basketball,” Red Knights coach Rashida Suber said. “We play defense. We’re going to put pressure (on you), we’re going to be in your face.”
Reading High’s speed and intensity flustered Schuylkill Valley, especially early in the game. However, the Panthers hit several big shots and trailed 14-11 at the end of the first quarter.
“That’s a fast pace that Reading played,” Schuylkill Valley coach Jason Bagenstose said. “We thought it would take us a couple minutes to get used to the pace, and it did.”
The Panthers began to adjust to the speed of the game in the second quarter, but could not keep pace on the scoreboard. Reading High shot the ball efficiently, outscoring Schuylkill Valley 15-8 to take a 29-19 halftime lead.
In addition to her strong defense, Washington led the Red Knights with 12 points in the first half. She finished with a game-high 18 points.
“Kya has been tremendous,” Suber said. “Kya is being the senior leader that she should be, the All-Berks player that she should be.”
Reading High continued to play aggressive offense and disruptive defense in the third quarter to extend its lead. The Red Knights were ahead 39-22 after three.
“We feel like when Reading (High) plays, all odds are against us,” Washington said. “So we’re just pushing harder.”
The Panthers struggled to shoot in the third quarter and were never able to gain any momentum. Senior Madison Ziska scored all three of Schuylkill Valley’s points in the third and led the team with 11.
“We were hoping to make a run coming out of halftime, (but) we just couldn’t hit a shot,” Bagenstose said. “We had good looks, (but) they just weren’t falling.”
The Panthers, who will continue their season in the District 3 playoffs, kept fighting in the fourth quarter. They cut the Red Knights’ lead to seven with just over a minute remaining, but the comeback fell short.
“I’m proud of them,” Bagenstose said about his team. “They battled back in the fourth quarter when we could’ve hung our heads and ended up losing by 20.”
Reading High got into some foul trouble in the fourth . The Red Knights committed 10 fouls in the second half and had two players foul out.
“We’re still (making) the little mental mistakes,” Suber said. “The fourth quarter was a travesty.”
After starting the season 8-9, the victory is Reading High’s fifth in its last six games. The Red Knights won three of their final four regular season games to qualify for the county playoffs.
“Now, we trust each other,” Washington said about Reading High’s recent success. “There is a connection.”
The Red Knights’ win is their first in the county playoffs since 2020. They will continue their season in the Berks semifinals on Tuesday against either Wilson or Twin Valley at Santander Arena at a time to be announced.
“We’re one game at a time,” Suber said. “We’re living in the moment.”
Source: Berkshire mont