Reading High, Berks Catholic, Wilson and Antietam hold the top four positions for the Berks Conference playoffs with less than two weeks left in the boys basketball regular season.
Exeter, Muhlenberg and Fleetwood also are in position to make the eight-team field for the county playoffs, which begin with four quarterfinal games Monday, Feb. 14, at the sites of the higher-seeded teams.
A semifinal doubleheader is scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 16, at Santander Arena, followed by the title game Friday, Feb. 18, at the same site.
Reading High (Berks I), Muhlenberg (Berks II), Fleetwood (Berks III) and Antietam (Berks IV) lead their respective divisions going into Friday’s games.
Division champions qualify automatically for the Berks playoffs. One second-place team from Berks I or Berks II and one second-place team from Berks III or Berks IV also are automatic qualifiers. Those berths are determined by which teams win the head-to-head meetings between the division runners-up.
Two other teams receive wild card berths based on the District 3 power ratings. Once the eight teams are determined, they will be seeded according to their power ratings. Only the top four teams in each division are eligible to earn a wild card berth.
Reading holds the No. 1 seed with a .799865 rating, followed by Berks Catholic (.796948), Wilson (.714133), Antietam (.693573), Exeter (.680872), Muhlenberg (.669055) and Fleetwood (.643584).
Three teams appear to be battling for the eighth berth: Tulpehocken (.637680), Oley Valley (.629306) and Wyomissing (.551203). The Spartans are in second place in Berks III and own a win over the Trojans. Tulpehocken and the Lynx are tied for second in Berks IV, and the Trojans have a victory over the Lynx.
If there are no changes in the power ratings over the next two weeks, the quarterfinals would have the No. 8 seed at No. 1 Reading High, No. 7 Fleetwood at No. 2 Berks Catholic, No. 6 Muhlenberg at No. 3 Wilson and No. 5 Exeter at No. 4 Antietam.
Coaches from each playoff team can make a case for their respective teams to move up in the seedings during a meeting before the field is set.
Wilson is the defending Berks Conference champion after its 55-53 win over Reading last season.
The District 3 playoffs are scheduled to begin Feb. 21 and continue through March 5. Thirteen Berks boys teams are in position to qualify for districts in all six classes.
In 6A, Reading is first in the power ratings ahead of No. 2 Chambersburg. Wilson holds the 10th spot and Muhlenberg the 12th and final spot. Gov. Mifflin is 14th and needs to make a late-season push to qualify.
In 5A, unbeaten Lampeter-Strasburg is first in what will be a 16-team field, Exeter is sixth and Fleetwood is 10th. Twin Valley is 18th and needs to get on track after losing four of its last five.
In 4A, Berks Catholic is No. 1 and well ahead of No. 2 Middletown. Oley Valley is fifth and Wyomissing is in the 10th and final spot. Schuylkill Valley is 12th, but has a lot of ground to make up.
In 3A, Columbia is in front of what will be a six-team field. Three Berks teams are in position to qualify: No. 3 Tulpehocken, No. 5 Kutztown and No. 6 Brandywine Heights.
In 2A, Antietam is No. 1 and ahead of second-place Delone Catholic by a wide margin. The Mounts edged the Squires 58-57 in December. Six teams will qualify for the 2A field.
In 1A, undefeated Mount Calvary is first in what will be an eight-team field. High Point is third.
The 5A, 4A, 3A and 1A playoffs will begin Feb. 21, and the 6A and 2A playoffs will start Feb. 22. All games will be played at the higher-seeded teams until the district championship games.
Giant Center in Hershey will play host to six boys and girls title games on Thursday, March 3, and six more on Saturday, March 5. The games on both days are scheduled for 11 a.m., 12:45 p.m., 2:30, 4:15, 6 and 7:45.
Seven District 3 Class 6A teams will qualify for the PIAA Tournament; nine in 5A; five in 4A; three in 3A and 2A and five in 1A.
