Scranton Prep’s Chicky Skoff (0) drives through Schuylkill Valley defenders during the PIAA Class 4A first round state tournament at Scranton Prep on Friday, March 6, 2026. (JASON ARDAN / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
Scranton Prep’s Alex Scanlon reaches for a layup during the PIAA Class 4A first round state tournament at Scranton Prep on Friday, March 6, 2026. (JASON ARDAN / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
Scranton Prep’s Brody Martin (2) takes an off-balanced shot during the PIAA Class 4A first round state tournament at Scranton Prep on Friday, March 6, 2026. (JASON ARDAN / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
Scranton Prep’s Packy Doherty (20) shoots a layup during the PIAA Class 4A first round state tournament at Scranton Prep on Friday, March 6, 2026. (JASON ARDAN / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
Scranton Prep’s Packy Doherty (20) drives past a defender during the PIAA Class 4A first round state tournament at Scranton Prep on Friday, March 6, 2026. (JASON ARDAN / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
Scranton Prep’s Liam Haggerty (23) looks for an open lane during the PIAA Class 4A first round state tournament at Scranton Prep on Friday, March 6, 2026. (JASON ARDAN / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
The Scranton Prep student section attempts to distract a Schuylkill Haven player shooting a free throw during the PIAA Class 4A first round state tournament at Scranton Prep on Friday, March 6, 2026. (JASON ARDAN / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
Scranton Prep’s Charlie Skoff (24) shoots a free throw during the PIAA Class 4A first round state tournament at Scranton Prep on Friday, March 6, 2026. (JASON ARDAN / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
Scranton Prep’s Packy Doherty (20) shoots a three-point shot during the PIAA Class 4A first round state tournament at Scranton Prep on Friday, March 6, 2026. (JASON ARDAN / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
Scranton Prep’s Charlie Skoff (24) attempts to grab a rebound during the PIAA Class 4A first round state tournament at Scranton Prep on Friday, March 6, 2026. (JASON ARDAN / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
Scranton Prep’s Chicky Skoff (0) drives through defenders during the PIAA Class 4A first round state tournament at Scranton Prep on Friday, March 6, 2026. (JASON ARDAN / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
Scranton Prep’s Packy Doherty (20) celebrates after making a three-pointer during the PIAA Class 4A first round state tournament at Scranton Prep on Friday, March 6, 2026. (JASON ARDAN / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
Scranton Prep’s Charlie Skoff (24) dunks the ball during the PIAA Class 4A first round state tournament at Scranton Prep on Friday, March 6, 2026. (JASON ARDAN / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
Scranton Prep’s Brody Martin (2) weaves through defenders during the PIAA Class 4A first round state tournament at Scranton Prep on Friday, March 6, 2026. (JASON ARDAN / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
Scranton Prep’s Packy Doherty (20) shoots a layup during the PIAA Class 4A first round state tournament at Scranton Prep on Friday, March 6, 2026. (JASON ARDAN / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
Scranton Prep’s student section celebrates after Charlie Skoff (24) dunks the ball during the PIAA Class 4A first round state tournament at Scranton Prep on Friday, March 6, 2026. (JASON ARDAN / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
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Scranton Prep’s Chicky Skoff (0) drives through Schuylkill Valley defenders during the PIAA Class 4A first round state tournament at Scranton Prep on Friday, March 6, 2026. (JASON ARDAN / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
SCRANTON – Packy Doherty drained his final shot inside of the Xavier Center as the horn sounded to sub him out.
With the Scranton Prep student section shouting and chanting his name, the Cavalier took a moment to soak it all in.
One final time. One final moment inside a gym where he reigned supreme the last four seasons.
The senior gave his fans a show in the second half of Friday’s PIAA Class 4A boys’ basketball first-round game against Schuylkill Valley.
Doherty drained shots from every square inch of Keller Court, hitting all five of his attempts in the third quarter, finishing with 19 of his 25 points in the final 16 minutes as the Cavaliers slowly pulled away from the Panthers, 65-48, to advance to the second round Tuesday night.
“At the end, when I got subbed out, I just tried to look around and take everything in,” Doherty said. “I’m never going to get the chance to play here again. This was my home for the last few years. This was awesome.”
Up next for Scranton Prep (21-5) is District 11 third-placer Salisbury (24-4), which knocked off District 12 runner-up West Philadelphia, 54-45.
“Every team, from now on, is a very good one. We have to look at this next one, have a few good days of practice and get ready,” Scranton Prep senior Brody Martin said.
Fire and intensity.
That’s what the Cavaliers brought in the second half after a first 16 minutes where head coach Larry Reagan felt his team was flat.
What was the flint that lit that fire at halftime?
Maybe it was Martin’s offensive determination on the boards from the first half where the senior pulled down five and the Cavaliers grabbed 16.
“We were down two starting bigs, so we really focused on crashing the glass and boxing on in all five positions,” Martin said. “Our mindset was different in the second half. We knew we needed to get stops. I just don’t think we were getting enough stops in the first half.”
Maybe it was realization that this was it. One final chance inside of the Xavier Center for the District 2 champs. One opportunity to walk off the court as winners.
“At halftime, we told them that they didn’t come up here to play their last game in Scranton. So you have to go and take it,” Reagan said. “I thought our seniors did a good job of making sure we came out with a different energy. And that showed up on the scoreboard at the end.”
Charlie Skoff’s steal and one-handed tomahawk jam with five seconds left before halftime certainly didn’t hurt, either, as it gave Prep a 26-24 lead at the break.
“That was a huge momentum boost. We needed something like that heading into halftime,” Doherty said. “I think that set the tone for the third quarter.”
Schuylkill Valley, the third-place team out of District 3, threw an early haymaker, stringing together a 7-0 run to take a 31-30 lead just two minutes into the third quarter.
Doherty landed the knockout hook.
The senior spun in the lane for a contested layup. He then followed it up with a baseline drive past a Panther defender for another layup. Add in a half-court steal and uncontested bucket, and it sparked a 16-2 Cavalier run over a four-minute stretch of the third as Prep exploded out to a 46-33 lead.
“The first half, my shot just wasn’t falling,” Doherty said. “I have a lot of trust in my shot, and thankfully, it started dropping. It’s all preparation. My dad and I, we go shooting before every game, and it really prepares me for these moments. Having a great shooting night on my last game here means so much.”
His corner 3-pointer with 5:12 left – the fifth of the game for the senior – all put sealed the victory, giving the District 2 champ a 15-point lead.
“He’s capable of going off like that,” Reagan said of Doherty. “We needed it tonight, and thankfully, he was able to deliver for us. Over the last three years, I’ve gotten used to watching that. Hopefully, I’ll be able to watch a few more games of him doing that. It will be sad to see him leave when he graduates.”
It was a slow start for Prep, which shot just 10 of 32 in the first half, and couldn’t find a way to pull away from the Panthers.
Alex Scanlan’s spin and jumper gave his side the 21-13 edge, but when it looked like Prep would begin to open up some distance, Schuylkill Valley (17-10) answered with a 11-3 run to knot it at 24-24 with 53 seconds before the break.
But it was the one-handed slam by Skoff that set the Xavier Center on fire, and provided some momentum heading into the locker room.
“We weren’t thrilled with the effort on the defensive end of the floor in the first half, and that’s got to be better. But we had some guys step up and make some plays. Charlie Skoff did a great job of protecting the rim, and Alex Scanlan gave us some good minutes. We just have to be a little better on that end,” Reagan said.
Martin finished with 15 points, including three free throws down the stretch in the fourth, while Skoff dropped seven of his 10 in the first half.
“There was a lot of energy in here tonight, and that’s props to our crowd and our great student section,” Martin said. “That third quarter, it was nice, and I think Charlie’s big dunk before the half really got us going. That was a huge momentum changer.”
Valley View 58, Montoursville 44: At Montoursville, Michael Muto scored 20 points and had seven rebounds to help power the Cougars pas the No. 2 seed from District 4 on Friday in the first round of the PIAA Class 4A playoffs.
Jagger Roe added 15 points and five assists while Noah Symuleski scored 12 points and Cash Roe had five steals for Valley View (20-6), who are the No. 3 seed from District 2.
Issac Erlanson led Montoursville (18-8) with 20 points.
The Cougars advance to face Devon Prep (6-18), the No. 4 seed from District 12, which defeated Allentown Central Catholic, 68-47, on Friday. Tuesday’s second-round game will be at a site to be determined