EDITOR’S NOTE: The semifinal round of the District 2 basketball playoffs concluded Saturday night. While NEPASportsNation.com compiles more complete reports, here is a quick recap of a day of district and subregional action.
By Tom Robinson, NEPASportsNation.com
YATESVILLE – Rematches were the story of Saturday’s action in District 2 basketball playoffs.
The Holy Redeemer girls avenged two straight championship game losses to Lake-Lehman to earn a shot at a different championship.
Pittston Area and Abington Heights set up a rematch of the 2022 District 2 Class 5A girls final in part because the Lady Comets won a rematch of their second-largest loss of the season.
The Scranton boys joined the Holy Redeemer and Abington Heights girls in going on the road to defeat higher-seeded opponents.
District championship game matches were set in Class 5A and 3A girls along with Class 4A and 2A. Class 6A and A, where District 2 teams are part of subregionals with other districts, still have games ahead Monday and Tuesday to set up finals.
Unlike the three earlier nights of competition this week, not all Saturday losers are eliminated.
Semifinal losers in 5A girls, 4A boys and 3A girls will play Tuesday night for the districts third and final Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association state tournament berth in each case.
Top-seed Pittston Area defeated Scranton, 49-42, and defending champion Abington Heights downed Wallenpaupack, 35-27, in Class 5A girls.
Kallie Booth scored 20 points and Daniella Ranieli added 16 for Pittston Area.
Finley Bittenbender made four 3-pointers while leading Scranton with 16 points.
Maddie Karp barely beat the halftime buzzer with a jumper to pout Pittston Area up by one and the Lady Patriots led the rest of the way.
Maggie Coleman scored 14 points to lead Abington Heights, which limited Wallenpaupack to one second-half field goal.
The first week of the tournament was extended a bit when one of the two late games – Scranton at Hazleton Area in the District 2-4 Class 6A Subregional boys semifinals – went overtime.
P.J. Murphy hit the overtime 3-pointer that put Scranton ahead to stay in the 66-64 victory.
Rykeese Cenord went 4-for-6 from the line in overtime to finish with 13 points, matching Dillon Lazdowsky for team-high.
It was Lazdowsky’s layup with 13.3 seconds left in regulation forced overtime.
Lackawanna Division 1 rivals Valley View and Scranton Prep will meet for the Class 4A boys title.
Valley View handled Tunkhannock, 57-34, while Scranton Prep overcame a 16-point Nanticoke streak to recover for a 64-61 victory.
Eli Yusavage led Valley View with 20 points.
Daniel Santaniello scored 18 points to lead Scranton Prep.
Nanticoke’s Jaidyn Johnson scored 27 points, giving him 59 in two playoff games.
Holy Cross and Blue Ridge will meet in Class 2A boys.
The Raiders will be making their first appearance at the arena.
Holy Cross defeated Mountain View, 58-30, and Blue Ridge got past Elk Lake, 62-57.
Matt Lyons scored all 15 of his points in the first half when Holy Cross took a 35-13 lead.
Carson Gallagher and Connor Cranage scored 16 points each for Blue Ridge.
Holy Redeemer improved to 2-3 in its season series with Wyoming Valley Conference Division 2 and overall champion Lake-Lehman to advance to the Class 3A girls final with a 39-37 victory.
The Lady Royals will face Dunmore, a 56-21 winner over Mid Valley.
Cadie Lewis had half of Dunmore’s six 3-pointers in a 23-0 first quarter.
Tristan Canavan led a balanced attack for the Ladby Bucks with 10 points.
Jillian DelBalso scored 12 points and Angelina Corridoni hit the game-winning shot with less than four seconds remaining for Holy Redeemer.
The District 2-11 Class A boys playoffs opened with two quarterfinal games.
MMI Prep advanced with a 78-51, home-court win over Lehigh Christian while Susquehanna was eliminated in a neutral court game with a 61-53 loss to Bethlehem Christian.
Saturday’s results settled the finalists for 4 more games at the arena, bringing the total to 8 out of the 11-13 arena games that are now settled.
DISTRICT 2 CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES
(at Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza)
Class 4A Girls
1, Scranton Prep (20-2) vs. 2, Wyoming Area (14-9), Thursday, 6 p.m.
Class 3A Boys
1, Holy Redeemer (24-2) vs. 2, Mid Valley (19-5), Thursday, 8 p.m.
Class 2A Girls
1, Montrose (19-4) vs. 3, Old Forge (11-12), Friday, 4 p.m.
Class 5A Boys
1, Abington Heights (20-4) vs. 6, West Scranton (14-10), Friday, 8 p.m.
Class 3A Girls
1, Dunmore (21-3) vs. 3, Holy Redeemer (17-10), March 4, noon
Class 2A Boys
1, Holy Cross (18-5) vs. 2, Blue Ridge (20-3), March 4, 2 p.m.
Class 4A Boys
1, Valley View (21-3) vs. 2, Scranton Prep (15-9), March 4, 4 p.m.
Class 5A Girls
1, Pittston Area (23-2) vs. 3, Abington Heights (17-7), March 4, 6 p.m.
MORE AHEAD
Return to Basketball – NEPA Sports Nation more-detailed reports on Tuesday’s action and in-depth coverage of the entire District 2 tournament.
