Ok, we are into the second round of the PIAA boys basketball playoffs and the usual suspects from the Lackawanna League are still alive.

First, congratulations to both Wallenpaupack (Class 5A) and Western Wayne (Class 4A), which both ended long state playoff appearance droughts, on their strong efforts in the first round.

Wallenpaupack lost to Penncrest, 53-42. Elijah Rosenthal scored 15 points to finish the season with 516 points and 81 3-pointers.

Western Wayne lost to Danville, 54-33. Zach Rovinsky scored 18 points to end the season with 508 points, while Dahlton Frisbie totaled 416 points with 68 3-pointers this season.

Onto the second round where Abington Heights (Class 5A), Scranton Prep (Class 4A) and Holy Cross (Class 2A) are still playing.

 

PIAA CLASS 5A

 

 

 

 

 

SHOOTING STARS

 

 

Abington Heights shot 65 percent from the floor in the win over Pottsgrove. That has been the norm for the Comets in the state playoff run that has started in 2016-17 when the PIAA moved to six classifications.

In 10 PIAA playoff games, the Comets are 9-1 and have shot better than 50 percent now seven times. Their previous best came in a win over Northeastern where they hit 23 of 40 shots.

 

 

FG Pct.	99-195	110-218	30-46
70
65
60
55
50
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
	2017	2018	2019

 

 

BY THE NUMBERS

 

 

 

2017

• Lampeter-Strasburg: 25 of 46  .543
• Martin Luther King: 22 of 45  .489
• Chester: 27 of 51  .530
• Archbishop Wood: 25 of 53  .472

 

2018

• Garden Spot: 28 of 54  .519
• Chester: 20 of 39  .513
• Northeastern: 23 of 40  .575
• Bonner-Prendergast: 17 of 42  .405
• Mars: 22 of 43  .512

 

2019

• Pottsgrove: 30 of 46  .652

 

 

 

 

 

THE BRACKET

 

 

 

SECOND-ROUND MATCHUP

 

12-2 Mastery North (20-6)

vs.

2-1 Abington Heights (24-2)

 

 

 

• When: Tuesday, 6 p.m., Liberty High School

• How they got here: Mastery North defeated 1-5 West Chester Rustin, 86-80, in the first round. Abington Heights beat 1-4 Pottsgrove, 72-48.

• Players to watch:

Mastery North — Lakeem McAliley, 21.2 ppg.; Jamir Reed, 15.4; Tahj Campbell; Nyanki Sampson.

Abington Heights — George Tinsley, 19.6 ppg; Trey Koehler, 13.9; Corey Perkins, 7.8; Jack Nealon, 7.3; Mike Malone, 3.3.

 

 

• What’s next: Winner advances to Friday’s quarterfinals to play the winner of the Sun Valley-Northern game.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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PIAA CLASS 4A

 

 

 

 

 

FAST STARTERS

 

 

Scranton Prep has won its last six PIAA first-round basketball games, but have lost five straight in the second round.

In the Cavaliers’ defense, they have played Imhotep Charter five times and Neumann-Goretti twice in those matchups.

Here is the margin of victory in the first round for Scranton Prep compared to the margin of defeat in the second round.

 

 

 

BY THE NUMBERS

 

 

2013

• FIRST ROUND: Scranton Prep 69, Milton 32
• SECOND ROUND: Neumann-Goretti 51, Scranton Prep 44, OT

 

 

2015

• FIRST ROUND: Scranton Prep 88, Shamokin 58
• SECOND ROUND: Imhotep Charter 77, Scranton Prep 54

 

2016

• FIRST ROUND: Scranton Prep 51, Shamokin 44
• SECOND ROUND: Neumann-Goretti 113, Scranton Prep 71

 

2017

• FIRST ROUND: Scranton Prep 99, Salisbury Township 46
• SECOND ROUND: Imhotep Charter 81, Scranton Prep 52

 

2018

• FIRST ROUND: Scranton Prep 69, Tamaqua 35
• SECOND ROUND: Imhotep Charter 44, Scranton Prep 32

 

2019

• FIRST ROUND: Scranton Prep 71, Susquehanna Township 50

 

 

 

 

THE BRACKET

 

 

 

 

 

SECOND-ROUND MATCHUP

 

 

11-3 Wilson Area (17-9)

vs.

2-1 Scranton Prep (23-3)

 

 

• When: Tuesday, 6 p.m., Hazleton Area High School

• How they got here: Wilson Area beat 4-2 Shamokin, 67-56. Scranton Prep beat Susquehanna Township, 71-50.

• Players to watch:

Wilson Area — Robbie Swiatek, 18.2 ppg.; Samuel Brown, 14.7; Matthew Glovas, 3.0; Charbel Ghaleb, 8.9; Derelle McKinney, 4.2; Jihad Range, 7.0; Ben Hindmarch 5.0.

Scranton Prep — Leo O’Boyle, 16.9 ppg.; Rhys Merritt, 11.8; Brian Boland, 11.2; Mario Rotell, 9.7; Greyson Schermerhorn, 7.4.

• What’s next: Winner advances to Friday’s quarterfinals to play the winner of the Bethlehem Catholic-Lower Moreland game.

 

 

 

 

 

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PIAA CLASS 2A

 

 

 

 

 

GETTING DEFENSIVE

 

Holy Cross has thrived in the state playoffs with its trademark defensive pressure. In its win over Bloomsburg in the first round, the Crusaders limited their eighth PIAA first-round opponent to less than 50 points.

In 12 first-round games in the PIAA playoffs, Holy Cross has given up an average of 46.3 points per game and in its eight wins that number drops to 42.3.

 

 

POINTS	WIN	LOSS	WIN	LOSS	WIN	WIN	WIN	LOSS	LOSS	WIN	WIN	WIN
60
55
50
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019

 

 

BY THE NUMBERS

 

46.3

 

Average points given up by Holy Cross in 12 PIAA first-round games

 

 

42.3

 

Average points given up by Holy Cross in 8 PIAA first-round wins

 

 

64.0

 

Average points given up by Holy Cross in 4 PIAA first-round losses

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE BRACKET

 

 

 

 

 

SECOND-ROUND MATCHUP

 

 

1-1 Delco Christian (17-10)

vs.

2-1 Holy Cross (21-5)

 

 

• When: Wednesday, 5 p.m., Bethlehem Freedom High School

• How they got here: Delco Christian defeated 12-3 Strawberry Mansion, 56-47. Holy Cross beat 4-3 Bloomsburg, 65-47.

• Players to watch: 

Delco Christian — Jackson Piotrowski, 15.6 ppg.; Obinna Nwobodo, 12.4; Jacob Bronkema, 11.6; Tyler Rossini, 9.1; Joshua Parks, 2.7.

Holy Cross — Kieran Burrier, 13.6 ppg.; Leahy O’Connor, 12.5; Tyler Mozeleski, 12.3; Caleb Callejas, 7.7; Tommy Montefour, 5.7.

• What’s next: Winner advances to Saturday’s quarterfinals to play the winner of the Constitution-Northeast Bradford game.

 

 

 

 

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