Packy Doherty knows the Devon Prep team he and his teammates will face Friday night is not the same as it was in December.
They won’t be deceived by the Tide’s 7-18 record. Nor should anyone else.
In the second game of the season, as part of the North Catholic Tipoff Tournament, the Cavaliers defeated Devon Prep, 73-58, as , Chicky Skoff scored 21 points, Packy Doherty had 14, and Brody Martin and Max McGrath each added 10.
Devon Prep won only five games the rest of the regular season and through the District 12 playoffs. But you can’t measure the competitive spirit of the players in a program that won state championships in each of the last two seasons.
The Tide upset District 11 champion Allentown Central Catholic, 68-47, and ended Valley View’s season, 61-41, in a rematch of last season’s PIAA semifinal.
Scranton Prep (22-5) and Devon Prep (7-18) square off in the PIAA Class 4A quarterfinals Friday at 7:30 p.m. at Bethlehem Liberty High School.
“Playing them in the beginning of the year, you could tell that they were still trying to mesh together as a team,” Doherty said. “We have to put our best foot forward and do everything we can to keep this dance going.”
Throughout his career, Doherty has risen to the challenge and has been a star on the big stage of the state playoffs.
His 40-point debut with nine 3-pointers three years ago against Fleetwood set the tone. He guided the Cavaliers to the semifinals in 2024, the second round last season, and now to the quarterfinals, with a 6-2 record in the state playoffs.
Chicky Skoff had his second explosive offensive performance of the postseason in the win over Salisbury, scoring 20 points to go along with his 28 against Dallas in the District 2 Class 4A championship game.
Brody Martin has sparked the defense as Scranton Prep held four of its last five opponents to less than 50 points.
“We can’t gamble on defense,” Doherty said. “Gambling leads to an advantage for them. We have locked in defending as one, and we have been really playing well together as a team.”
Devon Prep’s John Doogan, a junior forward, had 22 points in the win over Valley View. He had only three points when the Tide lost to Scranton Prep in December.
Cooper Fairlamb added 14 points and Owen Raymond had seven against Valley View.
Devon Prep has 12 straight PIAA playoff wins and 19 of its last 20. The Tide won the Class 3A championship in 2022 and 2024, and after moving up a classification, won the Class 4A title last season.