HS BASKETBALL: 2019-20 District 2 Tournament (Saturday’s semifinals preview)

Good Thursday to you all.

Action continues Saturday with semfinal games in Class 6A, Class 4A and Class 2A.

District 2 obviously wants to see if ON THE BLOG can endure the tournament by scheduling not one, not two, but three semifinal games at Scranton High School on Saturday. Here’s hoping Scranton athletic director Ted Anderson orders out for lunch!

Let’s not drag our feet.

 

DISTRICT 2 SEMIFINAL PREVIEWS

SATURDAY’S GAMES

CLASS 6A

 

 

4-SCRANTON (10-13)

vs.

1-HAZLETON AREA (13-9)

 

 

WHERE: Berwick High School

WHEN: Saturday, 2:30 p.m.

HOW THEY GOT HERE: Scranton defeated Delaware Valley in the only quarterfinal game of the bracket, 44-36.

AT STAKE: Winner advances to championship game on Feb. 29 at Mohegan Sun Arena, 8 p.m.

PLAYERS TO WATCH: 

• Scranton — Kevin Lazdowsky (14.9 points per game); Jason Shields (14.7 ppg); Patrick McCormack (6.4 ppg).
• Hazleton Area — Scotty Campbell (14.8 points per game); Andrew Vayda (11.3 ppg); Jordan Redguard (9.6 ppg).

 

NOTEWORTHY: Scranton and Hazleton Area have played in the last two District 2 Class 6A finals at Mohegan Sun Arena. … Hazleton Area has wins over North Pocono (69-61) and Abington Heights (45-42) and lost to Scranton Prep (60-56). … Scranton has wins over North Pocono, Abington Heights, Scranton Prep and Wilkes-Barre Area this season.

 

 

 

 

 

---

 

 

CLASS 4A

 

5-HANOVER AREA (11-12)

vs.

1-SCRANTON PREP (17-6)

 

 

 

WHERE: Scranton High School

WHEN: Saturday, 2:30 p.m.

HOW THEY GOT HERE: Hanover Area upset Western Wayne, 60-49; Scranton Prep defeated Berwick, 72-30.

AT STAKE: Winner advances to championship game on Feb. 29 at Mohegan Sun Arena, 4 p.m. and qualifies for the PIAA tournament. The loser will play in the third-place game Tuesday at a site and time to be determined.

PLAYERS TO WATCH: 

• Scranton Prep — Rhys Merritt (16.4 points per game); Gavin Bednarz (11.2 ppg); Robert Rossi (10.2).
• Hanover Area — Khairi Carson (16.1 points per game); Asaad Whitehead (13.1); Auggie George (8.0 ppg).

 

NOTEWORTHY: Scranton Prep has won five district championships in a row. … Scranton Prep has played and beaten four opponents from the Wyoming Valley Conference this season, and won by an average of 16.3 points, skewed by its 42-point victory over Berwick. … Hanover Area defeated Delaware Valley and lost to North Pocono in its games against the Lackawanna League.

 

 

 

 

 

 

CLASS 4A

 

6-NANTICOKE (7-16)

vs.

2-VALLEY VIEW (16-7)

 

 

 

WHERE: Scranton High School

WHEN: Saturday, 4 p.m.

HOW THEY GOT HERE: Nanticoke upset Tunkhannock, 46-38, while Valley View defeated Wyoming Area, 73-50.

AT STAKE: Winner advances to championship game on Feb. 29 at Mohegan Sun Arena, 4 p.m. and qualifies for the PIAA tournament. The loser will play in the third-place game Tuesday at a site and time to be determined.

PLAYERS TO WATCH: 

• Nanticoke — Colby Butczynski (15.1 points per game); Jake Krupinski (11.8 ppg).
• Valley View — Adam Howanitz (15.2 points per game); Zack Kovalchik (12.8 ppg); Connor Kelley (9.3 ppg).

 

NOTEWORTHY: Valley View has wins over Holy Redeemer and Wyoming Area from the Wyoming Valley Conference. … Valley View reached the District 2 Class 4A championship game two seasons ago, while Nanticoke reached the final last season. … Nanticoke went 0-3 against the Lackawanna League this season, losing to North Pocono, Riverside and Holy Cross.

 

 

 

 

 

---

 

 

CLASS 2A

 

5-OLD FORGE (10-13)

vs.

1-HOLY CROSS (21-2)

 

 

 

WHERE: Scranton High School

WHEN: Saturday, 1 p.m.

HOW THEY GOT HERE: Old Forge defeated Elk Lake, 59-52; Holy Cross rolled past Blue Ridge, 68-24.

AT STAKE: Winner advances to championship game on Feb. 29 at Mohegan Sun Arena, 2:30 p.m. and qualifies for the PIAA tournament.

PLAYERS TO WATCH: 

• Old Forge — Michael DiGregorio (13.1 points per game); Dante Lucarelli (11.2 ppg); Sean Donovan (8.7 ppg).
• Holy Cross — Kieran Burrier (16.4 points per game); Leahy O’Connor (11.5 ppg); Patrick Bennie (10.7 ppg).

 

NOTEWORTHY: Holy Cross has won three straight District 2 Class 2A championships. … Holy Cross has two wins over Old Forge this season, winning 49-31, and 40-27. … Old Forge has won three of its last five games. … Holy Cross has won 10 straight games.

 

 

 

 

MICHAEL DiGREGORIO | Old Forge

 

 

 

CLASS 2A

 

3-MOUNTAIN VIEW (12-10)

vs.

2-LACKAWANNA TRAIL (14-9)

 

 

 

WHERE: Tunkhannock High School

WHEN: Saturday, 1 p.m.

HOW THEY GOT HERE: Mountain View defeated Northwest Area, 56-43; Lackawanna Trail beat Susquehanna, 45-30.

AT STAKE: Winner advances to championship game on Feb. 29 at Mohegan Sun Arena, 2:30 p.m. and qualifies for the PIAA tournament.

PLAYERS TO WATCH: 

• Mountain View — Mike Fanelli (14.5 points per game); Wyatt Brozonis (7.7 ppg); Ryan Henke (7.7 ppg).
• Lackawanna Trail — Richard Helbing (16.4 points per game); Nico Berrios (11.4 ppg); Josh Rzucidlo (11.4 ppg).

 

NOTEWORTHY: Mountain View rallied late in the season to win the Lackawanna Division IV championship and has won 10 of its last 12 games. … Lackawanna Trail and Mountain View split their two meetings this season. The Lions won the first game, 52-39, and Mountain View took the rematch, 61-42.

 

 

 

 

---

---