Scranton Prep and Abington Heights spent Saturday testing themselves against top teams from neighboring districts and came away with positive results in non-league boys basketball games.
Scranton Prep 70, Pocono Mountain West 61
Daniel Santaniello scored 28 points as Scranton Prep fought past visiting Pocono Mountain West, which came in as the top team in the District 11 Class 5A seeding race.
Julian Pagan got the visitors off to a fast start, with steals and baskets contributing to early leads of 12-5 and 15-9 and helping keep his team on top for much of the first half.
Pocono Mountain West, which had won six of its previous seven games, is now second in its district race with a 12-4 record.
Santaniello was effective inside and out while helping Scranton Prep move in front after the game was tied in the middle of the third quarter.
Keith Pritchyk added 11 points for the Cavaliers.
Scranton Prep had a pair of 21-point quarters, outscoring Pocono Mountain West, 21-13, to take a 34-30 halftime lead, then using a 21-15, fourth-quarter advantage to secure the win.
The Cavaliers are 9-6 overall to rank second out of 10 teams chasing eight District 2 Class 4A playoff berths.
Abington Heights 61, Shamokin 41
Abington Heights went on the road and was in control throughout in the game between teams leading their respective races for top seeds in district tournaments.
The Comets (14-1) led District 2 Class 5A while the Indians (12-4) lead District 2 Class 4A.
Mason Fedor scored 20 points to lead shorthanded Abington Heights.
The Comets, playing since the season opener without all-star guard Matt Show, were also without injured point guard Will Marion.
Fedor scored seven points in a 17-10 first quarter. He joined Ryan Nealon and Roman Cutrufello in hitting 3-pointers in the first quarter.
Eight more points by Fedor stretched the lead to 34-25 at halftime.
Nealon finished with 12 points and Cutrufello had 9.
Spring-Ford 69, Hazleton Area 45
Hazleton Area came up short while taking on a similar challenge during the Geigle Classic in Reading.
District 1 Class 6A leader Spring-Ford extended its winning streak to 17 games since losing the opener.
Hazleton Area (9-6) dropped its second straight.
The Cougars fell behind, 19-4, after one quarter.
Spring-Ford used a 24-10, third-quarter advantage to run away, 57-29.
Chris Catrone led Hazleton Area with 16 points and 7 rebounds.
Mountain View 58, Western Wayne 46
Mountain View went on the road and came away with its second straight win since enduring a nine-game losing streak.
