{"id":91127,"date":"2026-01-19T22:21:13","date_gmt":"2026-01-19T22:21:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/91127\/"},"modified":"2026-01-19T22:21:13","modified_gmt":"2026-01-19T22:21:13","slug":"scoring-leaders-have-a-pair-of-bethlehem-christian-stars-in-the-top-3","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/91127\/","title":{"rendered":"scoring leaders have a pair of Bethlehem Christian stars in the top 3"},"content":{"rendered":"

Incredibly, we\u2019re in the stretch run of the area\u2019s boys basketball season.<\/p>\n

The regular season is scheduled to end in two weeks on Feb. 2 in the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference and Feb. 3 in the Colonial League. The eight-team league tournaments in both the EPC and Colonial are slated to begin Feb. 6. The EPC finals are scheduled for Allentown\u2019s PPL Center on Feb. 5, and the Colonial League will return to Freedom for its championship games the following night.<\/p>\n

Who will be there?<\/p>\n

Chances are, some members of the latest Morning Call Fab 15 scoring leaders list will have their teams in position to collect the gold early next month.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s a look at those 15 players, based on results reported to The Morning Call, and as always, corrections should be e-mailed to keith.groller@mcall.com:<\/p>\n

1: Gabe Transue, Bethlehem Christian, Sr., 28.9 ppg
\n\"BethlehemBethlehem Christian\u2019s Gabe Transue gets a rebound against Northern Lehigh during an Eastern Pennsylvania Conference boys basketball game on Monday, Dec. 29, 2025, at Northern Lehigh High School in Slatington. (Jonathan Broady\/Special to The Morning Call)<\/p>\n

Transue is also averaging 12.2 rebounds per game along with three assists and 2.6 steals. He is shooting 63.1% from two-point range 33.7% from beyond the arc. He is closing in on 1,900 points in his career.<\/p>\n

2: KJ Coles, Pocono Mountain West, Sr., 25.2 ppg
\n\"PoconoPocono Mountain West\u2019s KJ Coles Jr drives up the court against Liberty during an Eastern Pennsylvania Conference basketball game on Thursday, Dec.18, 2025, at Liberty High School in Bethlehem. (Jonathan Broady\/Special to The Morning Call)<\/p>\n

The only thing to slow down Coles has been a hip injury. He scored only eight points in a Jan. 9 rout of Dieruff and has missed the last two games, including a loss to Nazareth. Coles, who recently became the school;s all-time leading scorer, remains the likely EPC MVP, and the Panthers\u2019 chances of winning their first EPC championship are largely dependent on his health.<\/p>\n

3: Myles Harris, Bethlehem Christian, Sr., 22.9 ppg
\n\"BethlehemBethlehem Christian\u2019s Myles Harris gets a layup against Northern Lehigh during an Eastern Pennsylvania Conference boys basketball game on Monday, Dec. 29, 2025, at Northern Lehigh High School in Slatington. (Jonathan Broady\/Special to The Morning Call)<\/p>\n

Harris is averaging 6.7 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game. He is making 56.9% from two-point range and is hitting 75.4% of his free throws. He is approaching 1,600 points in his career. He had 35 points against Nazareth, 28 against Dieruff and 20 against Allentown Central Catholic.<\/p>\n

4: Cole Dietz, Lehighton, Sr., 21.0 ppg
\n\"ColeCole Dietz had seven 3-pointers and 35 points overall in a win over Palisades earlier this season. (Keith Groller)<\/p>\n

The Indians entered the week on a three-game losing streak and Dietz is coming off a season-low nine points in a 59-44 loss to Northwestern Lehigh. He has had two straight games without a 3-pointer. Lehighton is still in position to secure a Colonial League tournament berth and will need Dietz and Blake Roberts to form a potent 1-2 scoring punch to make a run.<\/p>\n

5: Justin Manning, Notre Dame-Green Pond, Jr., 20.5 ppg
\n\"NotreNotre Dame-Green Pond\u2019s Justin Manning looks to pass against Wilson\u2019s Wyatt Deemer on Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, during a basketball game at Notre Dame-Green Pond High School. (April Gamiz\/The Morning Call)<\/p>\n

The Crusaders remain the only Colonial League team yet to lose a league game and are in position to secure the top seed for the postseason tournament set to begin Feb. 6. Manning has had a 3-pointer in every game. Since a season-low 10 points against Pope John Paul II in Central Catholic\u2019s holiday tournament, he has averaged 17.3 ppg.<\/p>\n

6: Tiheed Wise, Allen, Sr., 20.3 ppg
\n\"Allen'sAllen\u2019s Tiheed Wise drives up the court against Dieruff during an Eastern Pennsylvania Conference boys basketball game on Saturday, Dec.20, 2025, at Dieruff High School in Allentown. (Jonathan Broady\/Special to The Morning Call)<\/p>\n

Wise didn\u2019t play in Allen\u2019s last game against Freire Charter, perhaps as a result of getting a technical foul in the previous contest against Allentown Central Catholic. After scoring seven and eight points in back-to-back games against Muhlenberg Township and Stroudsburg, he scored 23 in a loss at Liberty.<\/p>\n

7: Pierce Gothard, Jim Thorpe, Sr., 19.1 ppg<\/p>\n

Gothard scored 34 in a win over Lehighton and 26 in a victory over Saucon Valley. The Olympians have lost four of their last five and have fallen to 8-9. They are on the district and league playoff bubble entering their final five games.<\/p>\n

8: Eshaan Tung, Executive, Jr., 18.7 ppg
\n\"AllentownAllentown Central Catholic\u2019s Jahrel Vigo looks to stop Executive Education\u2019s Eshaan Tung during a boys basketball game Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025, at Allentown Central Catholic. (April Gamiz\/The Morning Call)<\/p>\n

Tung had 25 points on Monday as the Raptors pulled out a 52-49 Martin Luther King Day win over Roxborough. Tung made three 3-pointers and scored eight of his team\u2019s 13 points in the fourth quarter and had 19 in the second half as Executive improved to 10-2.<\/p>\n

9: Kellen Bauer, Northern Lehigh, Jr., 18.2 ppg
\n\"NorthernNorthern Lehigh boys basketball player Kellen Bauer is surrounded by his family after scoring his 1,000th career point Tuesday night in a loss at Catasauqua. Bauer is the 12th boys player in school history to score 1,000 points. The Bauer family photo includes, left to right, Zach Bauer, Kellen Bauer, Kellen\u2019s mother Jackie Bauer, Cameron Bauer, Kellen\u2019s father Mike Bauer and teammate and brother Michael Bauer (Kim Popoff\/Contributed photo)<\/p>\n

Bauer became the 12th player in Bulldogs history to reach 1,000 points. He did it in a loss at Catasauqua. Northern Lehigh, which won just four games last season, is 6-12 with four games left to play.<\/p>\n

10: Sebastian Sacci, Pleasant Valley, Sr. 17.9 ppg<\/p>\n

Sacci was held to a season-low nine points in a 66-27 loss to Bethlehem Catholic. He has scored 20 or more points five times including 28 against East Stroudsburg North early in the season.<\/p>\n

11: Lafayette Acree, Wilson Area, Jr., 17.7 ppg
\n\"Wilson'sWilson\u2019s Lafayette Acree looks to score against Notre Dame-Green Pond\u2019s Cody Driscoll on Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, during a basketball game at Notre Dame-Green Pond High School. (April Gamiz\/The Morning Call)<\/p>\n

After scoring 33 points against Palmerton and 28 against Notre Dame-Green Pond, Acree scored just five points against Pen Argyl and 14 at Salisbury. After starting the season 5-0 and 9-2, the Warriors have been in a \u201cwin one, lose one\u201d pattern since the start of the new year, but have secured a District 11 tournament spot.<\/p>\n

12: Jake Pukszyn, Liberty, Sr., 17.1 ppg
\n\"Liberty'sLiberty\u2019s Jake Pukszyn handles the ball in an Eastern Pennsylvania Conference basketball game on Friday, Jan. 10, 2025, at Liberty High School in Bethlehem. (Jonathan Broady\/Special to The Morning Call)<\/p>\n

Pukszyn became the program\u2019s all-time assist leader last week, passing Trevor VanAckeren for the top spot with 328. He broke the single-season mark for assists last year. \u201cJake has always been a pass-first and unselfish player dating back to his freshman year,\u201d said coach Nigel Long. \u201cOver the years, he has shown great court vision and a willingness to get other teammates involved. We\u2019re extremely proud of Jake achieving this incredible accomplishment. His commitment, sacrifice, and unselfishness as a teammate have led to this record.\u201d<\/p>\n

13: Yariel Gonzalez, Allentown CCHS, Jr., 16.8 ppg
\n\"AllentownAllentown Central Catholic\u2019s Yariel Gonzalez dribbles up the court against Parkland during an Eastern Pennsylvania Conference boys basketball game on Saturday, Jan. 03, 2026, at Allentown Central Catholic High School in Allentown. (Jonathan Broady\/Special to The Morning Call)<\/p>\n

Central has lost five of its last seven games, but Gonzalez has been solid throughout by reaching double-digits in 13 straight games. He scored 14 of his team\u2019s 21 points in the fourth quarter at Allen and got the Vikings within striking distance after they trailed 41-18 after three periods.<\/p>\n

14: Seth Hoderewski, Whitehall, Sr., 16.6 ppg
\n\"Whitehall'sWhitehall\u2019s Seth Hoderewski makes a layup against Nazareth in the boys basketball Whitehall Christmas Tournament championship game Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025, at Whitehall High School. (Jonathan Broady\/Special to The Morning Call)<\/p>\n

Whitehall has won five of its last seven games and at 7-9 overall, 5-6 EPC, the Zephyrs are on the playoff bubble with six games left. Hoderewski is one of the league\u2019s best foul shooters, making just under 80% from the line.<\/p>\n

15: Alphy Deris, Dieruff, Sr., 16.4 ppg
\n\"Dieruff'sDieruff\u2019s Alphy Deris looks to score against Allen during an Eastern Pennsylvania Conference boys basketball game on Saturday, Dec.20, 2025, at Dieruff High School in Allentown. (Jonathan Broady\/Special to The Morning Call)<\/p>\n

Deris has scored 22 points or more five times as the Huskies attempt to do something they haven\u2019t done since 2007 and that\u2019s earn their way into the District 11 tournament. The Huskies did play and win a district tournament game in 2021, but that season all teams were allowed to participate in the tournament due to the pandemic and its impact on everyone\u2019s schedule. Dieruff entered the week at 9-8, 5-6 EPC and needs two wins in its last five games to secure a D11 berth.<\/p>\n

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