The Lackawanna League’s top teams in Division I are looking to take the next step as they pursue District 2 boys basketball championships.
Abington Heights, the Division I winner, Scranton Prep, and Valley View take the courts again Friday as postseason tournaments in Class 5A and Class 4A reach the semifinal round.
In Class 5A, fifth-seeded North Pocono (5-18) is at No. 1 Abington Heights (17-5) at 7 p.m. No. 3 Pittston Area (12-11) is at No. 2 Crestwood (16-8) at 7 p.m. The winners advance to the championship game on Friday, Feb. 27, at Mohegan Arena.
No. 4 seed Valley View (18-5) plays at top-seeded Dallas (22-3) at 7 p.m. No. 3 Wyoming Area (21-3) is at No. 2 Scranton Prep (18-5) at 7 p.m. The winners advance to the final on Saturday, Feb. 28, at Mohegan Arena. The losing teams will play for a PIAA playoff spot as the third-place team on Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the higher-seeded team’s home court.
Class 5A
Top-seeded Abington Heights (17-5) received a bye into the semifinals. The Comets are the defending champions and have dominated the classification since the PIAA moved to six classes in the 2016-17 season with six District 2 Class 5A championships and a PIAA title in 2018.
Jordan Shaffer, a 6-foot-4 senior and three-year starter, leads Abington Heights, averaging 19.9 points per game. He has scored more than 1,000 points in his career and has played in District 2 Class 5A championship games in each of his first three seasons.
Andrew Kettel emerged as a standout guard this season for Abington Heights. He is averaging 14.8 points per game. Finn Goldberg, a two-year starter, is averaging 7.1 points per game, and Cooper Manning, a sophomore, has scored in double figures in three straight games.
North Pocono pulled off the only upset in the boys tournament on Tuesday night. Cole West, one of the top athletes in District 2, scored 26 points, and the Trojans snapped a nine-game losing streak with a 48-43 win over Wallenpaupack.
West, The Times-Tribune Defensive Player of the Year in football, averages 14.5 points per game to lead North Pocono. Anthony Marros contributes 7.9 points per game.
Abington Heights won both regular-season meetings against the Trojans by an average of 20.5 points. In a 55-36 win on Jan. 9, Shaffer scored 13 points, and Ben Reese had 10 to lead the Comets. Shaffer scored 24 points, Kettle and Goldberg each had 11, and the Comets rolled to a 64-42 win on Feb. 2.
Crestwood has won five of its last seven games, with the only losses coming against Dallas. Pittston Area defeated Nanticoke Area, 60-37, in the quarterfinals on Tuesday.
Ayden Agapito averages 15.6 points per game, and Mike Mertz averages 10.3 to lead Crestwood.
Pittston Area’s Lucas Lopresto averages 12.7 points per game. Brennan Callahan scored 16 points, John Jadus had 14, and Lopresto had 11 in the playoff win over Nanticoke Area.
Crestwood and Pittston Area split their two meetings in the Wyoming Valley Conference season. Crestwood won the first game, 39-29, with Agapito and Metz each scoring 11 points. Jacob Ivey and Jadus each scored 10. Pittston Area won the rematch, 43-39, in overtime. Ivey led the Patriots with 13 points, and Lopresto scored 10. Metz had 17 points for Crestwood.
Class 4A
Wyoming Valley Conference powers Dallas and Wyoming Area will look to halt the stranglehold that Scranton Prep and Valley View have had on playing in the District 2 Class 4A final.
Valley View and Scranton Prep have clashed at Mohegan Arena for three straight seasons. Valley View is the defending champion, while Scranton Prep has won seven District 2 Class 4A championships since the PIAA moved to six classes for the 2016-17 season.
Dallas, which won the WVC postseason tournament last weekend, has won 13 straight games. The Mountaineers also have wins over Abington Heights and Scranton, two teams from the Lackawanna Division I, during the nonleague season.
Pat Flanagan leads Dallas in scoring at 12.8 points per game, and Tyce Mason averages 11.4. In a 67-41 win over Mid Valley in the quarterfinals, Brady Mizzer and Kael Berry each scored 10 points, and the Mountaineers.
Dallas won the District 2 Class 4A title in 2022, defeating Mid Valley 61-53.
Valley View welcomed the return of leading scorer Cash Roe, who suffered an injury late in the regular season and was believed to be lost for the playoffs. He had 11 points and five rebounds, giving the Cougars an infusion of adrenaline in a 65-30 win over Hanover Area.
Michael Muto and Jagger Roe each scored 12 points, and Noah Symuleski scored 10 for Valley View.
Wyoming Area stopped a two-game losing streak with a 58-49 win over Tunkhannock in the quarterfinals. Luke Kopetchny, who averages 24.1 points per game, scored 27 points, and Drew Keating had 12 for the Warriors.
Scranton Prep continued to hit on all cylinders offensively in a 78-40 win over Honesdale last Tuesday. The Cavaliers have scored more than 70 points in three straight games.
Packy Doherty led the Cavaliers with 21 points, while Luke Flanagan, who had only 71 points coming into the playoffs this season, scored 19, and Brody Martin had 12.
Last season, Scranton Prep defeated Wyoming Area in the district semifinals, 66-32. Doherty had 19 points in the victory.
Kopetchny had 10 points for Wyoming Area.
DISTRICT 2 CLASS 5A
Quarterfinals
Pittston Area 60, Nanticoke Area 37
North Pocono 48, Wallenpaupack 43
Friday’s semifinals
3-Pittston Area (12-11) at 2-Crestwood (16-8), 7 p.m.
5-North Pocono (5-18) at 1-Abington Heights (17-5), 7 p.m.
Feb. 27, Final
Semifinal winners, 8 p.m., Mohegan Arena
DISTRICT 2 CLASS 4A
Quarterfinals
Dallas 67, Mid Valley 41
Valley View 65, Hanover Area 30
Wyoming Area 58, Tunkhannock 49
Scranton Prep 78, Honesdale 40
Friday’s semifinals
4-Valley View (18-5) at 1-Dallas (22-3), 7 p.m.
3-Wyoming Area (21-3) at 2-Scranton Prep (18-5), 7 p.m.
Feb. 24, Third-place game
Semifinal losers at the higher-seeded team
Feb. 28, Final
Semifinal winners, 4 p.m., Mohegan Arena