SCRANTON – Over the previous three seasons, when Scranton Prep and Valley View got together for a boys basketball battle, it was a big game with an energetic atmosphere.

The first of two Lackawanna League Division I matchups in 2025-26 was no exception.

Valley View, the reigning District 2 Class 4A champion, entered with an undefeated record after starting with 10 straight wins.

Scranton Prep came in on a six-game winning streak and was determined to gain the upper hand in defense of its division championship.

Packy Doherty, the three-year starting senior guard, was motivated by last March’s loss in the district final at the Mohegan Arena. He scored 28 points and, after missing his first four shots of the game, finished 10 of 11 from the field in a 67-54 victory on Friday night at the Xavier Center.

“At the beginning of the game, I took a look around and soaked everything in,” Doherty said. “This is my last time going through the league. It’s my senior year, so I am just so grateful for my teammates. I couldn’t pick a better group of 12 guys to play with.

“I am just trying to lead my guys.”

 

 

This rivalry is second to none.

In 2023, Valley View swept a pair of league wins, but Scranton Prep earned a measure of revenge by winning the District 2 Class 4A final.

A year later, Scranton Prep won all three meetings and again hoisted the District 2 Class 4A plaque.

Last season, however, after losing both games in the division, Valley View triumphed in the district final and carried the momentum all the way to the PIAA Class 4A semifinals.

Coming into this year, Scranton Prep, with Doherty leading the way, was picked as the preseason favorite by the coaches in Division I. Valley View had to replace its entire starting lineup.

Scranton Prep lost its opener to Cathedral Prep, had a win over Devon Prep, and then lost to Cardinal O’Hara in a daunting preseason schedule. Valley View proved that it is a team that feeds on the pride in the program by winning seven games before the holiday break.

Both teams won tournaments over the break. Scranton Prep captured the Lynett Memorial, and Valley View won the Peter Turonis/NBT Holiday Classic.

It all set the stage for this much-anticipated first meeting.

Valley View jumped out to a quick 10-2 lead with Jagger Roe scoring four points and Michael Muto and Noah Symuleski swishing 3-pointers.

Scranton Prep (8-2 overall, 4-0 in division) regained its composure, and Doherty lit a spark with five points. Alex Scanlan scored the final basket of the first to draw the Cavaliers to within 14-13.

After Symuleski scored to start the second, Scranton Prep turned up the intensity and seized the momentum. Doherty converted a three-point play that ignited a decisive 11-0 run in 2 minutes, and the Cavaliers led 24-16. They never let Valley View back within striking distance.

In the surge, Doherty added a 3-pointer and a free throw, and Brody Martin and Charlie Skoff each scored a basket.

“At the beginning of the game, we were kind of sped up a little bit,” Doherty said. “We were missing shots that we usually make. I tried to get everyone settled and playing like we usually do. I thought after the first quarter, we settled down.”

During that shift, Scranton Prep used intense defensive pressure that Brody Martin spearheaded. Valley View finished the game with 18 turnovers.

“We knew they were going to come out with a lot of energy,” said Martin, who finished with three steals and 11 points. “We had to get things done at the defensive end. I took that initiative, and we started to play well on defense, and that carried over to our offense.”

From there, Scranton Prep staved off every attack Valley View made to try to preserve its unblemished record.

Valley View (10-1, 2-1) clawed its way back to 34-24, but freshman Jimmy Doherty scored to finish the half. In the third, Max McGrath and Martin pushed the lead back to 40-34.

Another quick burst by the Cougars that included four points from Noah Symuleski and three from Jagger and Cash Roe pulled them back to 42-33. Scranton Prep answered with a 7-3 closeout, with Scanlan adding four and Martin draining a 3-pointer.

“Valley View is a great team and is well coached,” Martin said. “They are never going to stop. We had to hold their runs and extend ours.”

In the fourth, Packy Doherty got going again. He scored 12 points in the first 5 minutes, and the Cavaliers held a 59-42 lead. Cash Roe tried to rally Valley View one final time. He scored eight of his team-high 20 points down the stretch, but Scranton Prep withstood and finished off the win.

“I was looking to make plays to get momentum going,” Packy Doherty said. “Going into the fourth quarter, I just told the guys that the first 4 minutes were going to determine who was going to win. I thought my shots set us up to finish out the game.”