The Reading Rebels fell to the Pennsylvania Kings 120-108 Saturday at the Geigle in the first game of a new in-state rivalry between the two teams from The Basketball League.
The Kings, coached by former Rebels coach Sergio Afre, had a 98-96 lead midway through the fourth quarter before going on a 22-12 run to pull away. Pennsylvania (2-6) scored 12 unanswered during the game-sealing run as fatigue and poor shooting hurt the Rebels (4-3) late in the game.
Reading High grad Khary Mauras had a game-high 33 points for the Kings in his return to the Geigle.
Trenity Burdine scored a team-high 25 points for Reading and Donovon Jack had a team-high 17 rebounds and 15 points. Richard McCalop had 21 points and Julian Debose had 18 for the Rebels.
The Rebels trailed the Kings 45-51 at halftime.
Reading showed some life in the third quarter by outscoring the Kings 36-27 to take an 81-78 lead into the fourth. Gil Benz scored eight of his 16 points off the bench in the third quarter to help Reading retake the lead. Benz shot 4-of-6 on 3-pointer attempts and made two in the third.
Reading shot 43.4% from the field and went 9-of-26 from beyond the arc. Pennsylvania shot 23-of-26 from the free throw line.
Reading, which plays Sunday in New York against the Tri State Admirals, will face the Kings again on May 1 at 3 p.m. at Lancaster Mennonite.
Source: Berkshire mont