By Tom Robinson, NEPASportsNation.com
WILKES-BARRE TWP. – Valley View was superior to Scranton Prep – and just about every other boys basketball team in District 2 – during the regular season.
Scranton Prep, however, remains a force in the postseason.
Brycen Martin led a strong bench performance Saturday afternoon as the Cavaliers avenged two earlier losses to claim their eighth District 2 title in nine years with a 51-43 victory over the Cougars in the Class 4A boys basketball championship game.
Scranton Prep got 17 of its 27 second-half points from the bench.
“These kids play off each other and they try to find the hot hand or the mismatch,” Scranton Prep coach Andrew Kettel said.
Late in the game Saturday, that was Martin.
Martin scored all of his team-high 14 points in the last 13 minutes.
The other bench points came from Roman Valvano.
Valvano brought an end to a 22-4 Valley View run with a 3-pointer to beat the third-quarter buzzer.
The Valvano 3-pointer pulled Scranton Prep, which had led by 11 in the second quarter, back within 33-29.
Martin took it from there. His 3-pointer from the right corner temporarily put Scranton Prep in front with six minutes left.
Ambrose Rossi’s putback with 3:40 remaining put the Cavaliers ahead to stay.
Martin’s drive down the middle gave Scranton Prep a 40-36 lead 30 seconds later. He then stretched a late, three-point lead by making seven straight free throws in the final 31.6 seconds of the game before missing his final attempt.
Daniel Santaniello added 13 points for the Cavaliers. Chase Scanlan had nine points and three assists while Rossi had six points, nine rebounds and five blocked shots.
Eli Yusavage scored 20 points for Yusavage. A.J. Kucharski had seven points, eight rebounds and three steals before fouling out.
Fouls played a factor in the first half.
Valley View had three starters sitting with two fouls a minute into the second quarter. That helped Scranton Prep take a 12-9 lead after one quarter and extend it to 17-9 when Santaniello scored the first five points of the second quarter. Kyle Rupp also grabbed eight rebounds.
The Cougars returned the starters and they navigated foul trouble. In the meantime, Santaniello, who had 10 points while the Cavaliers were building a 22-11 lead, picked up his second and third fouls two seconds apart late in the half.
Yusavage scored 10 points in 10 minutes as Valley View built a seven-point lead.
Both teams will open the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association Class 4A state tournament Friday at home in 7 p.m. games.
Scranton Prep (16-9) plays District 3 fourth-place finisher Octorara (17-9) while Valley View (21-4) hosts District 4 third-place team Shamokin (19-8).
MORE CLASS 4A BOYS FINAL COVERAGE
Expanded boxscore: Class 4A boys expanded boxscore – NEPA Sports Nation.
Photo Gallery: Valley View/ Scranton Prep Photo Gallery – NEPA Sports Nation.
Broadcast archive: District 2 Class 4A Boys: Scranton Prep vs. Valley View | Basketball | NPFNetwork7 (meridix.com).
Video highlights: NEPA Sports Nation on Instagram: “Scranton Prep takes home the W! Video brought to you by Burke Stone Supply & Maddock Insurance”.
