After a thrilling end to the last high school basketball playoffs, and with the return of several outstanding athletes who made it so memorable, there is an eagerness for the start of the new season.

That night has arrived.

The winter sports schedule on the hardwood officially tips off in the PIAA on Friday with a handful of nonleague games, including the James Akens Memorial boys and girls basketball preseason tournaments at North Pocono.

Before the start, however, here are the teams that fans are buzzing about most.

Last March, Holy Cross was one of two Lackawanna League boys basketball teams to reach the semifinals. The Crusaders lost a heartbreaker to eventual PIAA Class 3A champion West Catholic on a buzzer-beating 3-pointer.

Holy Cross, which earned the Lackawanna League Division II championship after battling Riverside three times, finished last season as the final No. 1 team in The Times-Tribune High School Boys Basketball Poll. The Crusaders return two starters, Adam Badyrka and CJ Thompson, and a deep bench of talent to hold that position to start the new season.

It was a close call between Holy Cross and Riverside, which is led by sophomore Nico Antoniacci, last season’s Times-Tribune Player of the Year, and the dynamic Brayden Rose. The Vikings are ranked at No. 2, the position they held in the final ranking last season.

Old Forge also had a successful playoff run in the Class 2A state playoffs. The Blue Devils are ranked No. 3 and return All-Region starter Cameron Parker and Logan Fanning, one of the top all-around players in the Lackawanna League. The Blue Devils’ rivalry with Riverside and Holy Cross should make for an exciting race for the Lackawanna Division II title this winter.

Scranton Prep, last season’s Lackawanna Division I champion, is ranked No. 4. It may take some time for the Cavaliers to get steady after the football team enjoyed another run in the state football playoffs, making some key players unavailable early for coach Larry Reagan. High-scoring guard Packy Doherty will lead them.

Abington Heights has veteran leadership with guards Jordan Shaffer and Andrew Kettel returning from a team that won the District 2 Class 5A championship. The Comets start the season ranked No. 5 and are expected to challenge Scranton Prep for the Division I crown.

Dunmore has a lot of firepower returning to the lineup, and it gives Division II four of the top six teams in the poll.

Delaware Valley and North Pocono should both factor into the Division I race. It’s going to take some time for both teams to get their key players into basketball shape after the football teams won District 2 championships and made the PIAA playoffs.

Elk Lake, last season’s Division III champion and a 20-game winner, starts the season ranked No. 9.

Lackawanna Trail, which had a bounce-back season in 2024-25, received consideration from the coaches as the top challenger to Elk Lake for the Division III championship and is ranked at No. 10.

GIRLS

Despite graduating five starters, Scranton Prep will start the season at No. 1. The Classics have a lot of talent, including Chloe Mamera, who is receiving a great deal of attention from college programs and holds scholarship offers from St. Bonaventure, Bucknell and Rider.

Dunmore graduated Sophia Talutto, last season’s Times-Tribune Player of the Year, but returns four starters from a team that finished 24-3 overall and was the winner of the Lackawanna League Division II championship and the District 2 Class 3A title. The Lady Bucks are ranked No. 2.

Abington Heights will also have to replace an All-Region player after the graduation of Maggie Coleman. The Lady Comets, ranked third, do have back Emma Coleman, a Lackawanna Division I coaches honorable mention who scored 325 points and made 40 3-pointers last season, and Lily Scoblick.

North Pocono, which is under the guidance of coach Joe Ferguson, is ranked fourth. Ella Clementoni was a Division I first-team all-star last season.

Scranton is fifth, and Valley View is sixth. Both will be challenging Scranton Prep, Abington Heights and North Pocono in what is expected to be a tight race for the Division I title.

Junior guard Chrissy Jacklinski of Scranton is a two-time All-Region player who has received scholarship offers from Sacramento State and St. Bonaventure.

Valley View’s Cora Castellani was a Division I first-team all-star last season.

Mountain View returns Division III Player and Defensive Player of the Year and Class 2A first-team all-state selection Addison Kilmer, who is committed to East Stroudsburg. She has led the program to the state final and the semifinals in Class 1A as a freshman and sophomore, and the Class 2A state semifinals last season. The Lady Eagles are ranked seventh.

Honesdale must overcome the loss of All-Region player Natalie Goldstein, who reclassified and is attending The Shipley School. However, the Lady Hornets should still contend in Division II with the return of first-team division all-star Ruby Martin and defensive all-star Karsyn Kromko.

Elk Lake went undefeated to win the Division III championship last season — its first division title since 2000 — and returns first-team Division III all-star Kylie Shingler and defensive all-star Madisyn Casselbury.

Holy Cross returns Ava Schmidt and Mollie Urban, the team’s top two scorers from last season who both were Division II coaches honorable mentions. The Lady Crusaders are ranked at No. 10.

 

2025-26 PRESEASON TIMES-TRIBUNE BOYS TOP 10

Includes last season’s final record

1. Holy Cross (25-4)

2. Riverside (25-3)

3. Old Forge (21-6)

4. Scranton Prep (19-8)

5. Abington Heights (14-11)

6. Dunmore (12-12)

7. Delaware Valley (13-10)

8. North Pocono (6-16)

9. Elk Lake (20-4)

10.  Lackawanna Trail (14-12)

 

2025-26 PRESEASON TIMES-TRIBUNE GIRLS TOP 10

Includes last season’s final record

1. Scranton Prep (25-2)

2. Dunmore (24-3)

3. Abington Heights (13-11)

4. North Pocono (13-10)

5. Scranton (16-9)

6. Valley View (21-6)

7. Mountain View (24-5)

8. Honesdale (19-5)

9. Elk Lake (23-4)

10. Holy Cross (11-13)