Scranton Prep’s Bob Beviglia high fives his players before the game against North Pocono at Scranton Prep on Friday, Jan. 30, 2026. (REBECCA PARTICKA/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
North Pocono’s head coach Joe Ferguson calls out to his players during the basketball game at Scranton High School on Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. (REBECCA PARTICKA/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
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Scranton Prep’s Bob Beviglia high fives his players before the game against North Pocono at Scranton Prep on Friday, Jan. 30, 2026. (REBECCA PARTICKA/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
Bob Beviglia and Joe Ferguson have a long relationship. When Beviglia coached the North Pocono boys basketball team, Ferguson was his assistant coach.
Now, they will square off when their girls teams meet in a playoff to determine the Lackawanna League Division I title. Scranton Prep, coached by Beviglia, faces North Pocono, coached by Ferguson, on Saturday at 3 p.m. at Carbondale Area High School.
“I love him. I think he is outstanding for girls basketball,” Beviglia said. “He does a great job. It’ll be a lot of fun because at least I’ll get to see him again. I don’t get to see him a lot.”
Both teams finished 12-2 in league play to necessitate the playoff. They split their two meetings, each winning on its home court.
On Jan. 5, North Pocono jumped out to a nine-point lead in the first quarter, led by 11 at halftime, then held on for a 35-34 win. Anna Clementoni led the Lady Trojans with 13 points — 11 of which came in the first half. Ella Clementoni added 10 points. Chloe Mamera paced Scranton Prep with 16 points and Ava Fenton followed with 11.
When they met again Jan. 30, Scranton Prep came away with a 52-37 win. The Classics held North Pocono scoreless for an eight-minute stretch from the second quarter into early in the third. Shannon Bestrycki then took over in the fourth. The sophomore scored 11 straight points — including three 3-pointers — to help Scranton Prep pull away.
Bestrycki finished with six 3-pointers and 22 points. Mamera added a double-double of 16 points and 12 rebounds. Ella Clementoni led North Pocono with 13 points.
After it lost to North Pocono, Scranton Prep dropped its next game to Valley View, 45-43. Since then, the Classics (17-5 overall) have reeled off 11 straight wins. Mamera leads the team in scoring with 19.3 points and is coming off a 30-point performance Thursday against Wallenpaupack. Fenton adds 9.6 points and Eva Kaszuba chips in 9.2 points. Bestrycki has hit 34 3-pointers.
Ella Clementoni leads the Lady Trojans (18-4) with 15.0 points and 51 3-pointers. In her last two games, she scored 31 points with six 3-pointers against Wallenpaupack and 28 points for 5 3-pointers against Delaware Valley. Anna Clementoni follows with 12.6 points. North Pocono’s four losses this season have come to teams with a combined 70-18 record.
Scranton Prep is seeking its ninth straight Division I title. North Pocono last won a title in 2024 when it took the Division II crown.