![\"North](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/tmc-L-Allen-Double-Header-Basketball04-1.jpg\")
North Schuylkill\u2019s Xavier McNally dunks the ball against Bethlehem Catholic in a District 11 4A game Friday, Feb. 20, 2026, at Allen High School in Allentown.\n\u2018Six, seven\u2019 heaven for Spartans<\/p>\n
Since the PIAA expanded to six classifications in the 2016-17 school year, Allentown Central Catholic and Bethlehem Catholic have combined to win all nine Class 4A boys basketball championships.<\/p>\n
Four times, the two met for the district title.<\/p>\n
While the streak of one of the Catholic schools winning D11 4A gold has a chance to continue this year, there will not be an ACCHS-Becahi final.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s because North Schuylkill held the Golden Hawks scoreless for the last three minutes, 40 seconds, and went on a 9-0 run to close out a 43-36 quarterfinal-round victory Friday night at Allen\u2019s Sewards Gym.<\/p>\n
While Becahi\u2019s season ended at 12-11, the fifth-seeded Spartans will return to Allen on Tuesday night for the district semifinals, where they will play Colonial League champion and top seed, Northwestern Lehigh, at 7:30.<\/p>\n
That game will follow the other 4A semifinal between ACCHS and Salisbury at 6.<\/p>\n
The third-seeded Vikings (13-11) punched their ticket with a hard-fought 51-40 victory over Lehighton in Friday night\u2019s second game.<\/p>\n
North Schuylkill\u2019s Xavier McNally dunks the ball against Bethlehem Catholic in a District 11 4A game Friday, Feb. 20, 2026, at Allen High School in Allentown.
\n\u2018Six, seven\u2019 heaven for Spartans<\/p>\n
Six, seven in this case, isn\u2019t a meme that no one but kids understand. It\u2019s the height of North Schuylkill sophomore Xavier McNally, who was dominant in his team\u2019s win over Becahi, scoring 20 points and grabbing 18 rebounds. He scored 14 points in the second half, including seven in the fourth quarter when North Schuylkill outscored the Golden Hawks 17-7.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen he chooses to be dominant, he can be the best player on the floor at any given time,\u201d said Spartans\u2019 first-year coach Anthony Agosti. \u201cHe has a big frame, but has athletic ability as well. He has good footwork and has the ability to go up and get the ball at its highest point. I couldn\u2019t be prouder of him because we\u2019ve had some ups and downs with him throughout the year. Some nights he came in and was just absent, but when he flips that switch on, he is a kid that everyone should put on their papers, and everyone should recognize because that\u2019s a true kid in the making.\u201d<\/p>\n
Bethlehem Catholic was excited to be back in the tournament for the first time since 2023. The Hawks won seven of their last 10 to qualify.<\/p>\n
But 12-for-51 shooting, including a 3-for-14 effort in the final period, doomed Becahi\u2019s chances of advancing. The Hawks made four 3-pointers in the third quarter to take a 29-26 lead into the final stanza, but made just one of 11 attempts from beyond the arc in the fourth period.<\/p>\n
Part of Becahi\u2019s offensive woes were caused by McNally clogging up the inside.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur guys came in with a defensive mindset,\u201d Agosti said. \u201cWe felt we were\u00a0athletic enough to hang with anybody who steps on the floor with us. As long as we continue to play with that kind of mindset, we\u2019re going to be in a lot of games. Some nights offensively we can struggle, but I am super proud of our guys defensively.\u201d<\/p>\n
Becahi\u2019s final basket was off a rebound by Sammy Barona Jr., and it gave Becahi a 36-34 lead.<\/p>\n
But a 3-pointer by Caden Mengel put the Spartans ahead with 3:15 to go, and North Schuylkill got its last six points at the foul line while the Hawks scuffled at the other end.<\/p>\n
\u201cOnce we clinched districts, we talked about winning this first game because it means we get to play a lot more basketball,\u201d Agosti said. \u201cAs an assistant coach at Tamaqua [in 2020], we lost to Becahi in the semifinals, but we [beat Wilson in the third-place game] and got to go on to states. We\u2019ve given ourselves an opportunity to play in the semifinals against another quality opponent in Northwestern Lehigh, and I am excited for our guys for that matchup.\u201d<\/p>\n
North Schuylkill was just 4-18 last season and 0-14 in the Schuylkill League. This year, the Spartans are 14-9 overall after going 7-7 in the league.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve played some quality opponents like Pottsville, Blue Mountain, and Minersville, and we competed with them and beat Pottsville halfway through the season, which ended up being the clinching win for districts,\u201d Agosti said. \u201cIt has been a great year for us.\u201d<\/p>\n
Agosti is a Marian Catholic graduate and thankful for the opportunity to be a head coach at the age of 30.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis doesn\u2019t happen without the support of the North Schuylkill administration,\u201d he said. \u201cThat school board, that athletic director took a chance on a 30-year-old without any previous head coaching experience. That\u2019s where all the credit goes. All anyone wants in life is an opportunity. Once someone gets that opportunity and is as hungry as I am \u2026 I\u2019m just glad things have worked out.\u201d<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, it was a disappointing ending to the Becahi season.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen you sign up for team competition, you sign up to be heartbroken, and that\u2019s what we are feeling,\u201d Hawks coach Scott McClary told a reporter after the game.<\/p>\n
Vikings survive and advance
\n![\"Allentown](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/tmc-L-Allen-Double-Header-Basketball16-1.jpg\")
Allentown Central Catholic’s Yariel Gonzalez\u00a0 looks to make a pass while guarded by Lehighton’s Blake Roberts in a District 11 4A game Friday, Feb. 20, 2026, at Allen High School in Allentown. (Amy Shortell\/The Morning Call)<\/p>\n
A moment of silence for longtime Allentown Central Catholic teacher, coach, announcer, scorekeeper, and supporter John Rosenberger was held before the Vikings\u2019 game against Lehighton. Rosenberger died earlier in the week at the age of 69.<\/p>\n
He would have been cheering on his alma mater as Central fought through some rough patches to advance to the district semis for the 10th straight year.<\/p>\n
Playing without junior Cameron Hines, the team\u2019s second-leading scorer at 11.6 points per game, due to the PIAA transfer rules, the Vikings got 14 points from Yariel Gonzalez, 12 from Di\u2019Quiawn Leak, and 10 from Tahir Edmondson.<\/p>\n
ACCHS trailed 18-17 at halftime and was only up 31-29 entering the fourth quarter, but outscored the Indians 20-11 over the final eight minutes.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe ran out of gas,\u201d said Indians coach Trevor Miller, whose team finished at 13-11. \u201cUp until about halfway through the fourth quarter, we controlled everything the way we wanted to. They got some offensive rebounds, and ultimately, that was the difference in the game. They started attacking the glass and got two and three opportunities on every possession, and that was the difference.\u201d<\/p>\n
Leak had eight points and four rebounds in the fourth quarter. He scored off a rebound to start the final period, and Gonzalez followed with a 3-pointer to make it 36-29. After Blake Roberts got the Indians back within five, Gonzalez scored off a Leak pass, Grayson Schmell made a free throw and a steal and layup by Tahir Edmondson made it 45-35 with 2:40 left and ACCHS could start thinking about Salisbury, its semifinal opponent. The Falcons advanced with a 55-42 win over Colonial League rival Wilson.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt practice, we go hard every day, and that translates to the game,\u201d Leak said. \u201cThat\u2019s where the effort comes from. That\u2019s what the coaches preach. That\u2019s what we preach. Cam was a key component to this team. With him down, we all need to give an extra boost. Everybody has to step up and do their part.\u201d<\/p>\n
Edmondson played at Executive last year, but unlike Hines, was eligible for the postseason because his transfer came before his sophomore year. His play steadied an ACCHS backcourt that has been turnover-prone this season.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve had our ups and downs this season, but we came into practice and did our thing to get ready for this game,\u201d Edmondson said. \u201cThe key was feeding Yariel in the post. We worked through him, and he got other guys involved.\u201d<\/p>\n
Leak finished with 10 rebounds, including five on offense. Jared Ford added nine rebounds, and ACCHS fought through a rough shooting night (3-for-14 from 3-point range to win the turnover and rebound battle. Lehighton had 11 turnovers, six in the fourth quarter, while ACCHS had seven in the game.<\/p>\n
Roberts had a game-high 20 points, while 1,000-point scorer Cole Dietz finished with 12. Dietz, who will continue his career at Lebanon Valley, finished with 1,460 points and a school-record 272 3-pointers.<\/p>\n
\u201cCole had a decorated career, one of the most impressive\u00a0 I\u2019ve seen,\u201d Miller said. \u201cHis name will be up on banners with all of the stuff he\u2019s done. This was a really special senior group and I am so proud of everything they have done individually and as a team. I am going to miss the heck out of them.\u201d<\/p>\n
North Schuylkill 43, Becahi 36<\/p>\n
No. Schuylkill 6 \u2013 11 \u2013 9 \u2013 17 \u2014 43<\/p>\n
Beth. Catholic 8 \u2013 6 \u2013 15 \u2013 7 \u2014 36<\/p>\n
NORTH SCHUYLKILL (43)<\/p>\n
Damiter 2 1-3 5, Maziekos 2 0-0 4, Mengel 2 2-2 7, Kocilowicz 1 2-6 4, Nelson 1 1-2 3, McNally 6 8-14 20. Totals 14 14-27 43.<\/p>\n
BETHLEHEM CATHOLIC (36)<\/p>\n
McClary 3 3-5 12, Muir 1 0-0 3, Barona 3 2-2 9,\u00a0 Rivera 2 0-0 4, Wickenheiser 3 0-0 8. Totals 12 5-7 36.<\/p>\n
3-pointers: North Schuylkill (1) Mengel; Becahi (7) McClary 3, Wickenheiser 2, Muir, Barona.<\/p>\n
Officials: Greg Haas, Jeremy Mack, Jim Sands.<\/p>\n
Fouls: North Schuylkill 7, Becahi 19.<\/p>\n
Allentown CCHS 51, Lehighton 40<\/p>\n
Lehighton 14 \u2013 4 \u2013 11 \u2013 11 \u2014 40<\/p>\n
ACCHS 9 \u2013 8 \u2013 14 \u2013 20 \u2014 51<\/p>\n
LEHIGHTON (40)<\/p>\n
McCarroll 1 0-0 2, White 2 0-0 4, Fairchild 1 0-0 2, Roberts 9 1-2 20, Dietz 4 2-3 12. Totals 17 3-5 40.<\/p>\n
ALLENTOWN CCHS (51)<\/p>\n
Schmell 2 1-2 6, Gonzalez 7 1-3 16, Leak 5 2-4 12, Villegas 1 0-0 3, Edmondson 4 2-2 10, Ford 1 2-2 4. Totals 20 8-13 51.<\/p>\n
3-pointers: Lehighton (3) Dietz 2, Roberts. Allentown CCHS (3) Schmell, Villegas, Gonzalez.<\/p>\n
Officials: Jimmy Hahn, Bob Bennett, Dennis McWhite.<\/p>\n
Fouls: Lehighton 14, ACCHS 14.<\/p>\n
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