Playing in the Berks Girls League playoffs at Santander Arena adds some extra pressure. The lights are brighter, there are more spectators, and it's win or go home.
One would expect a freshman to feel that pressure. Not Reading High's Xiani Beatty.
"I just thought of it like any other game," Beatty said after winning the Berks Girls League championship Friday night. "I had to go in and do my regular routine so hopefully we could come away with a win. And we did."
Beatty earned BerksGirlsBasketball.com's Player of the Week after she scored a team-high 16 points Friday in the 63-57 championship win over Gov. Mifflin and had an 11-point, 11-rebound double-double Thursday in the Red Knights' 40-38 semifinal victory over defending champion Wyomissing.
"She knew she had to step up," Reading High head coach Rashida Suber said Friday. "She knew she had to take the reigns. She's the future."
Beatty's upbringing explains why she was calm, cool, and collected in the biggest moment of her young career. Her mother, Tanisha Giddens Beatty, is the former Reading High girls varsity head coach and an Alvernia Hall of Famer as a player. Xiani went with her mother to games when she was coaching the Red Knights since third grade.
"I've been waiting for this moment ever since I was in elementary school," Xiani said Thursday. "I've been watching my mom coach for so long now. Now I'm here."
Beatty has averaged 8.0 points per game this season as Reading High won its first county championship since 2010. The scoring average is third-highest behind seniors Yamilex Rodriguez and Tamyia Collier on the Red Knights, who open the District 3 Class 6A tournament Monday at 7:00 at Mechanicsburg.
Beatty's scoring has been a vital addition to the Red Knights, but her rebounding, defense, and ball handling have been just as important to take pressure off Rodriguez and Collier and let them play freely.
This is Beatty's first Player of the Week award and the second time a Red Knight has been selected this season joining Rodriguez, who was selected Dec. 9. This is the fourth time a Reading High player has been selected Player of the Week with Rodriguez being selected last year and Ashanti Chapman being selected two seasons ago. Player of the Week was initially awarded by Mike Drago Sports, where Berks girls basketball coverage was previously provided.
Beatty joins Rodriguez, Twin Valley's Hailey Kilgore, Oley Valley's Izzy Buehler, Exeter's Meredith Fylypowycz, Wyomissing's Amaya Stewart, Wilson's Kailani Hardy, Gov. Mifflin's Bella Super, Muhlenberg's Lianna Martir, Berks Catholic's Madison Langdon, and Brandywine Heights' Addison Benner as BGB Players of the Week this season.
Players considered for Player of the Week honors are nominated by their coach or by members of the BerksGirlsBasketball.com coverage team.
Also considered for BGB Player of Week:
Wilson's Kailani Hardy
Wyomissing's Amaya Stewart
Gov. Mifflin's Bella Super
Selected BGB Player of the Week in 2024-25:
Dec. 9: Yamilex Rodriguez, Reading High
Dec. 16: Hailey Kilgore, Twin Valley
Dec. 23: Izzy Buehler, Oley Valley
Dec. 30: Meredith Fylypowycz, Exeter
Jan. 6: Amaya Stewart, Wyomissing
Jan. 13: Kailani Hardy, Wilson
Jan. 20: Bella Super, Gov. Mifflin
Jan. 27: Lianna Martir, Muhlenberg
Feb. 3: Madison Langdon, Berks Catholic
Feb. 10: Addison Benner, Brandywine Heights
Feb. 17: Xiani Beatty, Reading High
Selected Player of the Week in 2023-24 on MikeDragoSports.com:
Dec. 11: Amaya Stewart, Wyomissing
Dec. 18: Laila Jones, Wilson
Dec. 25: Juliana Stichter, Schuylkill Valley
Jan. 1: Grace Reedy, Exeter
Jan. 8: Morgan Snyder, Oley Valley
Jan. 15: Violet Houck, Wilson
Jan. 22: Taylor Koenig, Gov. Mifflin
Jan. 29: Yamilex Rodriguez, Reading High
Feb. 5: Madison Langdon, Berks Catholic
Feb. 12: Madison Langdon, Berks Catholic
Feb. 19: Amaya Stewart, Wyomissing
Feb. 26: Annie McCaffrey, Wyomissing
March 4: Audrey Hurleman, Wyomissing
Selected Player of the Week in 2022-23 on MikeDragoSports.com:
Dec. 12: Alexis Hardy, Wyomissing
Dec. 19: Morgan Snyder, Oley Valley
Dec. 26: Caraline Herb, Berks Catholic
Jan. 2: Ashanti Chapman, Reading High
Jan. 9: Amelia Gassert, Hamburg
Jan. 16: Juliana Stichter, Schuylkill Valley
Jan. 23: Laila Jones, Wilson
Jan. 30: Alexis Hess, Fleetwood
Feb. 6: Grace Reedy, Exeter
Feb. 13: Amaya Stewart, Wyomissing
Feb. 20: Amaya Stewart, Wyomissing
Feb. 27: Madison Langdon, Berks Catholic
March 6: Audrey Hurleman, Wyomissing
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