West Reading basketball team prepares for Cultural Exchange trip

The 53rd annual West Reading-Sacramento Basketball Cultural Exchange will take place June 17-23 in California.

The West Reading All-Stars will play up to 10 games on the trip, including an appearance in the 60-team Franklin High School Tournament in Elk Grove, Calif., a suburb of Sacramento.

All 10 members of the local team play in the West Reading Summer League. They were selected by a committee of league coaches and staff.

The players are Kingston McKoy and Zach Suski, Berks Catholic; Donovan Gingrich, Conrad Weiser; Brendan Gaines, Daniel Boone; Aidan Dauble, Exeter; Andrew Galantuomo and Matt Koehler, Gov. Mifflin; Madyx Gruber and Luke Levan, Wilson; and Danny Fleischood, Wyomissing.

Tony Balistrere and Jeff Ebner are the coaches.

The West Reading traveling party will make stops at a San Francisco Giants baseball game, Alcatraz Island and other tourist attractions.

Legendary Reading High stars Stu Jackson and Donyell Marshall and former Wilson star Stevie Mitchell, who recently completed his college career at Marquette, are among the 500 local players who have participated in the Exchange.

Longtime NBA players Bill Cartwright and Kevin Johnson are among the Sacramento area players who have participated in the event.