UPDATED 2/5/08

A lot to cover this week as division championships are up for grabs in the Wyoming Valley Conference and Lackawanna Leagues.  This week there are several blockbuster boys games, such as Hazleton hosting Crestwood Saturday night in a WVC D-1 showdown, Holy Redeemer entertaining Nanticoke tonight in WVC D-2 action, Abington Heights hosting Scranton Prep Thursday night (LL Division 1) and Holy Cross heading for a battle at Old Forge also Thursday (LL Division 2) which also has district seeding implications.  In LL Division 3, there is a possible 3-way second half tie between Lackawanna Trail, Forest City and Mountain View.  On the girls side, Hazleton hosts Coughlin Wednesday in a terrific WVC Division 1 game that went OT in their first meeting.  Special kudos to the Berwick girls basketball team who sponsored a wear pink night at their game Monday night against WVW.  The Lady Bulldogs sold over 250 t-shirts and both teams wore pink socks.  All t-shirt proceeds went to the PA Breast Cancer Coalition.  And an NEP Beat sportsmanship nod to the two Holy Cross students who refused to turn their backs to the court as the Valley View cheerleaders performed during a timeout last Saturday.  Enthusiasm should be wildly spirited, yet ought to stay within certain boundaries.  Even the most fanatic student following in District 2, the Valley View Cougar Crazies needs to understand that losing with class is the highest form of sportsmanship.                            
 

WEATHER WIPEOUT
Sometimes a little winter weather can virtually wipe out an entire night of high school basketball.  Such was the case last Friday night in District 2 as an ice storm postponed all but a few WVC league games.  Fortunately, the schedule makers were very kind to those of us who try to cover as many top games as possible.  The Northeast Beat stopped by the former Scranton CYC facility Saturday afternoon to see the LL Division 2 showdown between Holy Cross and Valley View.  Then, it was off to Hazleton to catch a key WVC Division 1 battle between the hometown Cougars and Pittston in a game that was actually much closer than the final score indicated.  Finally, on Sunday afternoon, Old Forge hosted Dunmore for an interesting LL Division 2 pre-Super Bowl appetizer.  All in all, it was a wonderful tune-up for the fast approaching playoff madness.
 
 
21
And speaking of madness, a different sort of it gripped the Back Mountain area of District 2 this past week.  That is, the incomprehensible loss of a 16-year old Sweet Valley athlete and honor student who attended Lake-Lehman high school.  On Wednesday night, along Route 29, Justine Martin was killed in a one-car accident.  She was a member of the Lady Knights basketball and softball teams and was loved by her teammates.  Saturday night, arch-rivals Lake-Lehman and Dallas got together for a basketball game, but more importantly, an evening of heartfelt remembrance for #21.  There was a moment of silence and the Mountaineers donated all game proceeds to the Martin family.  Although it is impossible for the majority of us to even remotely comprehend the emotions this family is living through, please keep them in your thoughts through this very difficult time.
 
           
WYOMING VALLEY CONFERENCE SCHEDULE
Turning to the league playoff races, there is a real scheduling mess developing in the Wyoming Valley which could have been avoided entirely and at least should have been addressed earlier than this past week.  WVC league play was originally scheduled to end on February 12.  The District 2 pre-tourney seeding meeting was scheduled for the day before.  See a problem?  Unlike some other districts which establish a clear cutoff date (and some games that may not be included in playoff seedings), District 2 requires that every league game be played and every division championship be decided before final seedings can be determined.  As of now, 2/13 and 2/14 are set for boys and girls AA play-in games.  With such tight scheduling requirements, any required divisional playoffs or weather postponements can cause real problems.  As of now, the D2 meeting has been pushed back until Tuesday and all league games must be completed by Monday (2/11).  Even that may be cutting things a bit tight, but the reality for some teams is that they will be playing 4 games in six days.  Meanwhile, the folks in the Lackawanna League must have clearly seen this coming.  After all, it was widely known that the season would be shorter by a week this year and that league schedules needed to provide open dates for possible first or second half playoffs.  Lackawanna League teams play 14 league games, while WVC teams only have 12 or 10 games depending on the division.  Yet the LL regular season league play wraps up on Thursday night while the WVC scheduled 2 more league games after that date.  Less game requiring more days doesn‚t make sense or appear very fair.  The coaches and teams will play the games according to the league schedule set forth and they certainly have the stamina to play every night if necessary.  But, when state championships are announced and often known years ahead of time, it is a simple calculation to back up into district and league schedules.              
 
 
GRAND VENUES MUST BE PRESERVED
On Saturday afternoon, the Northeast Beat anxiously looked forward to seeing a game at the Lackawanna College Student Union Center (former Scranton CYC).  Holy Cross utilizes the grand old venue for some of their marquee matchups when overflow crowds would be turned away at their North or South campus locations.  The updates in the lobby and lower recreation areas seen last year were impressive; however, one step inside the storied gym leaves one wondering whether this historic palace will ever return to its former glory.  Make no mistake, it is functional, but feels tired and seems to be showing its age more than ever.  Hopefully there is a plan in place to refurbish it in some way moving forward.  The newer playing surface that was installed a few years ago looks great but was required due to sever water damage to the old legendary hardwoods.  But refurbishment that takes money, money the school could better direct to expand their academic presence into Wayne and Susquehanna Counties.  The CYC got a surprising boost of support from the organizers of the Lynett Memorial Tournament last week as they announced that their holiday boys and girls tourneys would be returning to the Jefferson Avenue icon after the last seven seasons at Scranton high school.  Even though the paint may be slowly wearing off and parking can be a challenge to find, there so precious few places around District 2 to give fans such an authentic old-time hoops experience.      
 
 
WHAT‚S YOUR RUSH?
It seems that this year more than previous seasons, the topic of whether to institute a statewide high school shot clock has surfaced over and over again.  Many applaud the shot clock for saving the NBA back in 1954.  A 30-second clock was added to women‚s basketball in 1971 and the men began using a 45-second clock in 1986 (following the infamous Dean Smith four-corner stall offense).  It was later revised to the current 35-second men‚s clock in 1993.  Currently, only seven states utilize a shot clock in high school boys basketball.  Proponents on either side would argue a variety of points, based on a combination of facts and emotion.  The Northeast Beat has had many spirited debates on this topic.  So how about we tear apart a few of these passionately held notions and see where we end up.  Many say that coaches are against the shot clock because they will have less control over the offense, but the reality is that good coaches can and would adapt to a new offensive landscape.  There is a notion that the game of basketball has evolved, has become a different style and that high school hoops should hop on board for the sake of the overall consistency of the game.  Others counter that the foundation of high school hoops is to teach fundamentals and that cannot be accomplished under timed possessions (you think that you see some ill-advised shots taken now).  Those for the clock claim that too often teams play not-to-lose the game and that holding the ball in the closing minutes can be excruciating to watch.  Meanwhile, anti-clock fans will acknowledge that the closing moments of some games can appear boring to some, but it is a critical part of the coaching strategy.  Many of those involved in the college scene or development leagues yearn for the shot clock because they feel it would make it easier to properly evaluate an athlete‚s on-court skills.  No doubt that the shot clock would help stronger teams by giving them more scoring opportunities, but could also penalize good defense-minded squads by minimizing the emphasis on sustaining a pressure defense.  How many times have you seen a team run down the clock before halftime only to come up empty or try and work some time off the clock only to lose the ball to a great defensive play?  Finally, there is the issue of cost, say, $1,000 for a pair of digital shot clocks plus manpower to run the system.  It would probably take an additional person to operate the shot clocks.  In the end, it is important for coaches to be able to work the ball for a good shot and if it requires more than a shot clock possession would allow, so be it.  True stall ball is rarely seen and shouldn‚t unfairly sway opinions toward using the shot clock.  In the college and pro game, where entertainment dollars drive motivation for such game tools, the shot clock has its place.  But, in boy‚s high school basketball, where coaching strategies and teaching fundamentals are paramount, the NEP Beat votes to keep the shot clocks dark and is against times possessions.                                                                     

 
DISTRICT 2 REVISED PLAYOFF SCHEDULE
2/12, Tuesday (Basketball Pre-tourney Meeting, 4 pm Pittston Conv. Center)
2/13 (BOYS Play-in Games, AA)
2/14 (GIRLS Play-in Games, AA)
2/15 (BOYS A, AAAA quarter-finals and AA, AAA 1st round)
2/16 (GIRLS AAAA quarter-finals and AA, AAA 1st round)
2/18 (BOYS A, AAAA semis and AA, AAA quarter-finals)
2/19 (GIRLS A, AAAA semis and AA, AAA quarter-finals)
2/20 (BOYS AA, AAA semis)
2/21 (GIRLS AA, AAA Semis)
2/22, Friday (BOYS Championships and Consolations, all classes)
2/23, Saturday (GIRLS Championships and Consolations, all classes)
 
 
                                   
THIS WEEKS DISTRICT 2 BOYS TOP 10
1.  Holy Cross (18-2) 2A
2.  Abington Heights (18-4)
3.  Wyoming Seminary (18-1) 2A
4.  Crestwood (16-4) 3A
5.  Hazleton Area (16-5) 4A
6.  Nanticoke (14-6) 3A 
7.  Valley View (18-5) 3A
8.  Holy Redeemer (14-6) 3A 
9. Williamsport (15-7) 4A
10. Dunmore (15-8) 2A 
 
OTHERS TO WATCH
Dallas (13-6), Elk Lake (13-6), Forest City (12-10), Lackawanna Trail (15-8), Mountain View (14-7), Old Forge (14-9), Scranton Prep (14-6), Susquehanna (13-8), Wilkes-Barre Coughlin (13-7), Wilkes-Barre GAR (13-8)   
 
 
 
THIS WEEK‚S DISTRICT 2 TOP BOYS GAMES

TUESDAY, 2/5
Crestwood at Pittston (WVC Division 1)
Wilkes-Barre Meyers at Wilkes-Barre GAR (WVC Division 2)
Nanticoke at Holy Redeemer (WVC Division 2)
Abington Height at Scranton (LL Division 1)
Scranton Prep at Delaware Valley (LL Division 1)
 
WEDNESDAY, 2/6
Scranton at West Scranton (LL Division 1)
Riverside at Dunmore (LL Division 2)
 
THURSDAY, 2/7
Hazleton at Wilkes-Barre Coughlin (WVC Division 1)
Wyoming Valley West at Crestwood (WVC Division 1)
Wilkes-Barre GAR at Dallas (WVC Division 2)
Scranton Prep at Abington Heights (LL Division 1)
Holy Cross at Old Forge (LL Division 2)
Forest City at Carbondale (LL Division 3)
Lackawanna Trail at Mountain View (LL Division 3)
 
FRIDAY, 2/8
Wyoming Seminary at Northwest (WVC Division 3)
Elk Lake at Mountain View (LL Division 3)

SATURDAY, 2/9
Pittston at Wyoming Valley West (WVC Division 1)
Crestwood at Hazleton (WVC Division 1)
 
MONDAY, 2/11
Hazleton at Wyoming Valley West (WVC Division 1)
Hanover at Nanticoke (WVC Division 2)
Dallas at Holy Redeemer (WVC Division 2)
End Regular Season



LLHOOPS NORTHEAST BEAT BOYS PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Tyseane Whitt (5-10 senior) helped guide his Wilkes-Barre GAR Grenadiers to a pair of must-win WVC Division 2 victories last week.  Tyseane first scored 16 points in an important win over Holy Redeemer and then added 23 more in an overtime 57-56 win over Wyoming Area.        
 
Tim Silsby (6-3 senior) for Wallenpaupack helped guide his Buckhorns to a pair of big Lackawanna League Division 1 wins last week.  Tim scored 25 points in an overtime victory over rival Delaware Valley, 59-58 and then added 25 more in a 58-46 win over Scranton.       
 
 
 
DISTRICT 2 BOYS BASKETBALL STANDINGS AND ANALYSIS

WYOMING VALLEY CONFERENCE
x (denotes won first half title)
 
DIVISION 1 (second half record, first half record, season record)
Hazleton Area (3-0, 5-1, 16-5)
Wilkes-Barre Coughlin (2-1, 3-3, 13-7)
Pittston (2-1, 3-3, 10-11)
x-Crestwood (1-1, 6-0, 16-4)
Wyoming Valley West (1-1, 3-3, 9-11)
Tunkhannock (0-2, 0-6, 5-14)
Berwick (0-3, 1-5, 5-16)
 
In Division 1, Hazleton maintained their first place lead, but they are now approaching the most difficult part of their schedule.  The Cougars got 18 from Ethan Eicchorst and 15 from Matt Calarco to rebound convincingly from their Hoop Group loss to Lower Merion with an 80-30 win over Berwick.  Hazleton left no doubt in this one after taking a commanding 46-11 halftime lead over the Bulldogs.  Then, on Saturday night, Mike Joseph‚s squad nailed 17 of 20 free throws in the fourth period (26 of 33 for the game) to escape from upset-minded Pittston, 62-47.  The game was actually much closer than the score indicates as Pittston played a near perfect first half, being extremely patient with their shots.  The Patriots seemed to lose a lot of their momentum after Matt Calarco sank a trey at the halftime buzzer to give the Cougars a 23-22 advantage going into the locker room.  On the night Eicchorst scored 22 and JJ Gundry netted 16.  For Pittston, Matt Zera had 15.  Zera also scored 16 in leading Pittston to a 54-48 win over Coughlin (the Crusaders first second-half loss).  First half champion Crestwood rebounded to get by Berwick 60-34 as Adam Fazzini scored 13.  Wyoming Valley West split a pair of games, getting 26 points from Ali  Muhammed to defeat Tunkhannock (61-48) and losing to Coughlin 51-37.  This week begins a hectic final stretch for the division championship.  Tuesday night, Crestwood plays at resurgent Pittston.  On Thursday, Coughlin hosts Hazleton while WVW travels to play Crestwood.  The marquee showdown takes place Saturday night in Hazleton as the Cougars host Crestwood in what should be bring in a large crowd.  Also on Saturday, Pittston plays at WVW in a must-win game for either team.  Finally, on Monday, Hazleton heads to Plymouth to take on Valley West.  This game was originally scheduled for Tuesday, but was moved up to meet D-2 seeding requirements.  Please check daily papers to see if games are further rescheduled.                  
 
 
DIVISION 2
x-Nanticoke (2-0, 5-1, 14-6)
Dallas (2-1, 4-2, 13-6)
Wilkes-Barre GAR (2-1, 3-3, 13-8)
Hanover (2-1, 3-3, 6-15)
Holy Redeemer (1-1, 4-2, 14-6)
Wyoming Area (0-2, 0-6, 4-16)
Wilkes-Barre Meyers (0-3, 2-4, 6-15)
 
In Division 2, Nanticoke, the proverbial cardiac kids of the WVC, rallied back from an early 15-6 deficit against Dallas (courtesy of several keys treys from Joel Fetterman, 13 points) to find themselves in a back-and-forth defensive struggle against the taller Mountaineers.  It took a 3-pointer from Sean Bieski (17 points) with 2 seconds left off a missed Dallas free throw to pull out a dramatic 49-47 win.  Pat Murray netted 20 points for the Mounts.  The Trojans, keeping with their never-make-it-look-easy style, again rallied for a non-league win over Tunkhannock 52-46 as Fetterman scored 21.  Dallas rebounded with a 47-32 win over Hanover as Murray scored 19 and Myer Messinger had 17 (Rich Colorusso scored 17 for the Hawks).  GAR got a pair of wins last week.  First they made key penetrations into the Holy Redeemer defense and came away with another impressive league win over the Royals (45-38) as Tyseane Whitt scored 16.  The Grenadiers also got by Wyoming Area in overtime 57-56 as Whitt netted 23.  Wyoming Area got 16 from Dave Mizzer and 15 from Bernie Edmonds in outscoring GAR in the 4th period 13-6 to force the overtime stanza.  Holy Redeemer broke open a close game against Meyers (up 21-19 at halftime) to defeat the Mohawks 47-38 (Mike Bedrin 14 for HR).  In league action this week, Holy Redeemer hosts Nanticoke on Tuesday in a must-win game for the Royals.  On Thursday the key matchup features GAR playing at Dallas.  Saturday, has three games, but most of the home teams will be heavily favored.  Monday closes out the season with Nanticoke hosting Hanover and Holy Redeemer entertaining Dallas.  Like was said in the first half race, there could be a multi-way tie for the lead∑..but only if someone can trip up the Trojans.                
 
 
DIVISION 3
x-Wyoming Seminary (2-0, 5-0, 18-1)
Northwest (1-0, 4-1, 9-9)
Lake-Lehman (1-1, 3-2, 5-15)
MMI Prep (0-1, 2-3, 7-13)
West Side Tech (0-1, 1-4, 3-11)
St. Michaels (0-1, 0-5, 0-9)
 
In Division 3, Wyoming Seminary defeated MMI rep 63-39 as Gary Robinson scored 17 and Evan Byers had 12 (Tyler Breznitsky netted 21 for the Preppers).  The Blue Knights also added a 59-27 victory over Lake-Lehman as Mike Alvardo scored 18 and Matt Swaback had 15 (4 treys).  Seminary also added a non-league win over Marian Catholic (11-11) 65-43 as Alvardo scored 15.  Elsewhere, Lake-Lehman got 29 points from Mike Eckman as the Knights defeated West Side Tech.  This week Wyoming Seminary hosts St. Michaels on Tuesday, plays at Northwest on Thursday, and visits West Side Tech on Monday.     
 
 
 
LACKAWANNA LEAGUE
x (denotes won first half title)
 
DIVISION 1 (second half record, first half record, season record)
x-Abington Heights (5-0, 7-0, 18-4)
Scranton Prep (4-1, 6-1, 14-6)
Delaware Valley (3-2, 3-4, 11-11)
Wallenpaupack (3-2, 2-5, 10-11)
Scranton (2-3, 3-4, 7-15)
North Pocono (1-4, 3-4, 9-12)
West Scranton (1-4, 3-4, 7-14)
Honesdale (1-4, 1-6, 7-15)
 
In Division 1, Abington Heights remained undefeated in league play with a win over West Scranton as Spencer Liddic scored 17 points.  In that game the Comets finally broke away from the determined Invaders after only leading by two points after three periods (31-29, Matt McGloin scored 14 for West Scranton).  Abington then got 15 from Liddic and 13 from Kurt Medeiros to roll over Honesdale 67-43.  The Comets also got a non-league win over Wyoming Area (75-41) as Liddic scored 17 and Bernie Edmonds netted 17 for the Warriors in the loss.  Scranton Prep remains one-game back after wins over Honesdale (74-67, Chris Dende scored 20 for the Cavs and Kyle Tasselmyer had 17 for the Hornets) and North Pocono (71-38 as Matt FitzPatrick netted 18 for Prep).  Wallenpaupack had a great week winning a pair of games.  The Buckhorns got an overtime win over Delaware Valley as Tim Silsby scored 25 points in their 59-58 victory (Ryan Murphy scored 24 for the Warriors).  Then Paupack got 25 more from Silsby to edge Scranton 58-46.  Elsewhere, North Pocono rallied from a 26-21 halftime deficit to defeat Scranton 53-49 as Eric Steinmetz scored 20 points for the Trojans (Evan Lewis had 19 for the Knights).  Delaware Valley got the win of the week as Ryan Murphy sank a trey at the buzzer to defeat West Scranton 54-51 (Murphy scored 19 while teammate Corey Ellis netted 20).  This week, tonight Scranton hosts Abington Heights and Delaware Valley hosts Scranton Prep.  Wednesday, West Scranton hosts arch rival Scranton in the city battle.  On Thursday, second half play concludes with Abington Heights hosting Scranton Prep.  A Comet win could secure an overall season championship, while a Prep win likely forces a second half playoff game.  If the Cavs win that game, they will have to meet up for a third time to decide the overall season division title.                    
 
 
DIVISION 2
x-Holy Cross (5-0, 7-0, 18-2)
Valley View (5-1, 4-3, 18-5)
Dunmore (4-2, 5-2, 15-8)
Riverside (4-2, 4-3, 11-11)
Old Forge (3-3, 5-2, 14-9)
Lakeland (0-4, 2-5, 3-13)
Western Wayne (0-4, 0-7, 3-18)
Mid Valley (0-5, 1-6, 2-20)
 
In Division 2, Holy Cross controls their own destiny toward an all-season championship.  The Crusaders rolled over Lakeland 58-26 as Mark Bevaqua scored 15.  They then hosted undefeated Valley View in a Saturday matinee showdown at the Lackawanna Student Union building.  Holy Cross used efficient ball movement and the combination of Nico Fricchione (22 points, 12 rebounds) to Mark Bevaqua (26 points) to dominate the Cougars in a 66-45 win.  Holy Cross held Valley View scoreless for the final 4:24 of the first period and turned a 7-4 deficit into a 13-7 lead that they never relinquished.  Neither team had any luck from long range as the teams combined to hit only 2 of 27 trey attempts.  Al Callejas has his team playing fantastic defense, relentlessly swarming around the Cougars guards all game.  At times the game seemed to grind to a standstill as fouls reigned on almost every possession for much of the second half (HC hit 23 of 26 free throws while Valley View converted 20 of 35 attempts).  Valley View did gain revenge from a first half loss by rallying past Riverside 48-39 as Scott Fenton scored 17, Dave Abdalla 15, and Kyle Calachino netted 14.  Dunmore continues to play very well with wins over Western Wayne (69-45 (Matt Maldonato 14) and Old Forge 66-50 as Pat Ross scored 17, Mike Ehnot 14, and Dennis Dempsey 13. Stephen Semenza had 12 for the Blue Devils.  Semenza had a terrific game earlier in the week scoring 27 points (6 treys) in their 67-24 win over Mid Valley.  Elsewhere, Riverside got 20 points from Casey Surridge in their 60-26 win over Mid Valley.  On Monday night, Valley View came away with a key 53-49 win over Dunmore while Riverside knocked off rival Old Forge 40-31.    With those wins, both winners keep alive in the chase for second half honors.  This week, on Wednesday, Riverside is in a must-win situation as they visit Dunmore while Lakeland hosts Valley View.  On Thursday, Holy Cross visits Old Forge.  A Crusader loss could possibly set up a playoff game with Valley View.
 
 
DIVISION 3
Lackawanna Trail (5-1, 5-2, 15-8)
Mountain View (4-1, 4-3, 14-7)
Forest City (4-2, 3-4, 12-10)
Susquehanna (3-3, 3-4, 13-8)
x-Elk Lake (2-3, 6-1, 14-6)
Carbondale (2-3, 2-5, 8-14)
Montrose (2-4, 3-4, 9-13)
Blue Ridge (0-5, 2-5, 4-17)
 
In Division 3, there are a lot of possibilities and even the potential of a multi-way tie for the lead.  First half champion Elk Lake tried to get back into the second half race with a 65-55 win over Forest City as Jeff Madrak scored 34 points (Jesse Walsh netted 23 for the Foresters).  However, the Warriors dropped a game to Susquehanna Monday night (59-55), effectively taking them out of the picture.  They will have to sit tight and await the second half winner.  Lackawanna Trail won their 8th straight game with a 55-49 rally win over Blue Ridge (after trailing 28-21 at halftime).  On Saturday the Lions played against a slumping Susquehanna team that had barely edged Montrose 35-33 earlier in the week.  The Sabers caught fire in the first half running out to a 45-25 lead behind Craig Soden (28 points), Kirk Fallon (24 points), and Brent Keyes (21 points).  Trail would rally in the second half via 13 total treys (6 from Chris Loman) but dropped the 86-81 decision.  For Trail, Loman netted 22, Jordan Schneider along with Christian Sunseri each had 15 points.  Forest City rebounded from their loss to Elk Lake with a 72-45 win over Blue Ridge as Jesse Walsh scored 15 and Ian White had 14.  Elsewhere, Mountain View got 24 from Pat Lambert to defeat Carbondale 63-51.  On Monday night, Lackawanna Trail got a key 77-68 win over Forest City, putting them in a position to control their own destiny.  Mountain View kept pace with a close 41-39 win over defense minded Montrose.  This week, on Thursday, Mountain View hosts Lackawanna Trail in a division showdown and Carbondale hosts Forest City.  On Friday, Elk Lake travels to Mountain View in a rescheduled game from last week   There are possibilities of a 3-way tie, but certainly Mountain View faces the tougher path as they have a pair of challenging games (though both are at home).                  
 
 
 
MILLIONAIRES WIN 2 OUT OF 3 AGAINST DISTRICT 6
Williamsport got a season sweep over State College for the first time in six seasons with a 63-51 road win over the Little Lions (10-8) as Dontahe Jordan scored 20, Sean Ruane 15, and Jadiah Lynch 12 in the win.  At home on Thursday, the Millionaires could not contain 5-8 junior guard Alex Raymond (30 points) or big man Anthony Lytle (25 points) for Altoona, in the Lions 74-69 victory over Port.  For Altoona (14-6), it was their eighth straight win after a 6-6 season start.  High-scorer Isaiah Twine (22 points), Sean Ruane (19), and Dontahe Jordan (13) paced Billtown.  The bad news for the Cherry and White was the season loss of point guard Jadiah Lynch who will be out the rest of the season (academic reasons).  On Saturday, Port snapped a 4-game home losing streak as Isaiah Twine (23 points) and Sean Ruane (27) led the Millionaires to a 71-61 win over Hollidaysburg (9-12).  Williamsport brings an overall record of 15-7 and likely #3 seed in the upcoming District 2/4-AAAA tourney into their final two games of the season, at home against Danville (13-7) on Thursday and home against University City (6-15) on Saturday (in a boys and girls doubleheader).                  
 
 
DISTRICT 2 BOYS LEAGUE SCORING LEADERS
1.  Jeff Madrak (Elk Lake) 23.3 ppg
2.  Spencer Liddic (Abington Heights) 20.0
3.  Stephen Semenza (Old Forge) 19.9
4.  Adam Fazzini (Crestwood) 19.0
5.  Bernie Edmonds (Wyoming Area) 19.0
6.  Tide Pasture (St. Michaels) 18.8     
7.  Jesse Walsh (Forest City) 18.5
8.  Tyler Breznitsky (MMI Prep) 18.3
9.  Patrick Lambert (Mountain View) 18.3
10.  Ryan Murphy (Delaware Valley) 18.0
11.  Eric Steinmetz (North Pocono) 16.7
12.  Myer Messinger (Dallas) 16.7
13.  Eric Tomcho (West Side Tech) 16.3
14.  Brent Keyes (Susquehanna) 15.9
15.  Mike Echman (Lake-Lehman) 15.6
16.  Chris Loman (Lackawanna Trail) 15.6
17.  Matt McGloin (West Scranton) 14.8
18.  Tyseane Whitt (Wilkes-Barre GAR) 14.7
19.  Tim Silsby (Wallenpaupack) 14.6
20.  Sean Bieski (Nanticoke) 14.6
21.  Nico Fricchione (Holy Cross) 14.5
22.  Joel Fetterman (Nanticoke) 14.3
23.  JJ Gundry (Hazleton) 14.1
24.  Billy Winter (Northwest) 14.0
25.  Josh Niewinski (Nanticoke) 13.8
26.  Christian Sunersi (Lackawanna Trail) 13.6
27.  Owen Wignot (Holy Redeemer) 13.6
28.  Chris Dende (Scranton Prep) 13.5
29.  Ben Hinckley (Blue Ridge) 13.5
30.  Pat Murray (Dallas) 13.1
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
GIRLS BASKETBALL     GIRLS BASKETBALL     GIRLS BASKETBALL

 
THIS WEEK‚S DISTRICT 2 GIRLS TOP 10
1.  Abington Heights (23-0) 4A
2.  Dunmore (22-1) 2A
3.  Scranton (18-5) 4A
4.  Hazleton (15-6) 4A
5.  Holy Redeemer (17-4) 3A
6.  Wilkes-Barre Coughlin (16-5) 3A
7.  Carbondale (21-1) 2A
8.  Lake-Lehman (15-6) 2A
9.  North Pocono (15-7) 3A
10.  Holy Cross (15-7) 2A
 
OTHERS TO WATCH
Berwick (13-9), Dallas (15-7), North Pocono (15-7), Nanticoke (12-9), Old Forge (14-7), Pittston (13-8), Riverside (13-8), Scranton Prep (12-9), Valley View (16-7), Wilkes-Barre GAR (11-10), Wilkes-Barre Meyers (11-9)
 
 
 
THIS WEEK‚S DISTRICT 2 TOP GIRLS GAMES

TUESDAY, 2/5
Dunmore at Riverside (LL Division 2)
Montrose at Mountain View (LL Division 3)

WEDNESDAY, 2/6
Wilkes-Barre Coughlin at Hazleton (WV Division 1)
West Scranton at Scranton (LL Division 1)
Abington Heights at Scranton Prep (LL Division 1)
Old Forge at Holy Cross (LL Division 2)

THURSDAY, 2/7
Northwest at Wyoming Seminary (WVC Division 3)

FRIDAY, 2/8
Wyoming Valley West at Pittston (WV Division 1)
Lake-Lehman at Wilkes-Barre GAR (WVC Division 2)
Holy Redeemer at Nanticoke (WVC Division 2)

MONDAY, 2/11
Wilkes-Barre Coughlin at Berwick (WVC Division 1)
Wyoming Valley West at Hazleton (WVC Division 1)
Lake-Lehman at Nanticoke (WVC Division 2)
Wilkes-Barre GAR at Dallas (WVC Division 2)


 
LLHOOPS NORTHEAST BEAT GIRLS PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Kacee Rava (sophomore center) Wilkes-Barre Coughlin is one of several talented Lady Crusader underclassmen who are leading Coughlin to one of the best seasons in memory.  Kacee played a key team role in their impressive 60-44 win over Pittston and then added 19 points in a 60-51 win over Wyoming Valley West.
 
Amy Volz (5-8 senior) Holy Cross scored 20 points in a 64-50 win over Lakeland.  Amy then added 16 points (including 2 free throws with six ticks left) and pulled down 15 rebounds to edge an improving Valley View squad, 38-37.    

 

DISTRICT 2 GIRLS BASKETBALL STANDINGS AND ANALYSIS

WYOMING VALLEY CONFERENCE

DIVISION 1 (second half record, first half record, season record)
Wilkes-Barre Coughlin (4-0, 4-2, 16-5)
x-Hazleton (3-0, 5-1, 15-6)
Berwick (3-1, 4-2, 13-9)
Wyoming Valley West (1-2, 3-3, 9-12)
Pittston (1-3, 4-2, 13-8)
Crestwood (0-3, 1-5, 3-17)
Tunkhannock (0-3, 0-6, 2-17)
 
In Division 1, all eyes are on the collision course Wednesday night between Hazleton and Coughlin in Cougar-land.  Their first half overtime game has all the makings of delivering another exciting showdown.  Last week, Hazleton got 21 points from Alyssa Flanagan to defeat Berwick 61-46.  Then the Cougars managed to shake off some sluggish play just in time to rally past Pittston 58-56.  Hazleton found themselves trailing the majority of the game (down 28-22 at halftime) but took a 9-point fourth period lead before Pittston again knotted the game.  Christina Sereta (7 points) hit the winning basket for Hazleton; Flanagan netted 17.  The goods news for Pittston was that Renee Furmanti returned to the Lady Patriot lineup, scoring 9 points.  Coughlin kept pace as their junior guard Jordan Britt scored 22 points in leading them to a 60-44 win over Pittston and a 62-32 win over Tunkhannock Monday night.  One of their upcoming younger players, sophomore center Kacee Rava netted 19 in their 60-51 win over Wyoming Valley West.  Elsewhere, Kaitlan Michaels scored 20 points as Berwick dropped a 47-38 loss to Shenandoah Valley.  The Lady Bulldogs are still in the race with a 60-46 over WVW Monday night.  On Friday night, Hazleton travels to Crestwood while Berwick head to Tunkhannock.  League play finishes up Monday night with a great battle that features Berwick hosting Coughlin.               
 
 
DIVISION 2
x-Holy Redeemer (3-0, 5-0, 17-4)
Lake-Lehman (2-1, 2-3, 16-6)
Nanticoke (2-1, 3-2, 12-9)
Dallas (1-2, 4-1, 15-7)
Wilkes-Barre GAR (1-2, 1-4, 11-10)
Wyoming Area (0-3, 0-6, 5-17)
 
In Division 2, Holy Redeemer continues to roll along with wins over a solid Lake-Lehman team (59-41), GAR (70-37) after taking a 17-2 first quarter lead, and over Dallas Monday night (58-38).  That gives the Lady Royals three wins over the upper division teams.  Dallas has lost two game sin a row, 53-50 to Lake-Lehman and Monday night to Holy Redeemer, but the Lady Mountaineers did pick up a key win over Nanticoke (61-57) as Shauna Phillips netted 24 (Jen Harnischfeger scored 22 for Nanticoke).  The Lady Trojans defeated Wyoming Area as Morgan Thomas scored 18 points (with 5 treys).  This week, on Friday Nanticoke hosts Holy Redeemer in a division showdown and Lake-Lehman will try to keep pace with a in over GAR   The season concludes Monday night as Nanticoke hosts Lake-Lehman and GAR travels to play at Dallas.
 
 
DIVISION 3
x-Wilkes-Barre Meyers (3-0, 5-0, 11-9)
Northwest (2-1, 4-1, 11-11)
Wyoming Seminary (2-1, 3-2, 8-9)
Hanover (2-1, 1-4, 3-17)
MMI Prep (0-3, 2-3, 3-18)
West Side Tech (0-3, 0-5, 2-17)
 
In Division 2, Meyers got a key win over Wyoming Seminary Monday night to maintain a 1-game lead over Northwest, Seminary, and Hanover.  Last week Northwest defeated MMI Prep 50-45 as Brittany Piatt scored 25 points for the Lady Rangers.  This week, Meyers hosts Hanover on Thursday while Seminary entertains Northwest.  The regular season concludes Monday night as MMI hosts Meyers and Hanover travels to Northwest.  
 
 
 
LACKAWANNA LEAGUE

DIVISION 1 (second half record, first half record, season record)
x-Abington Heights (6-0, 7-0, 23-0)
Scranton (5-1, 6-1, 18-5)
North Pocono (3-2, 4-3, 15-7)
Scranton Prep (2-3, 4-3, 12-9)
Honesdale (2-3, 3-4, 10-12)
West Scranton (2-3, 2-5, 7-14)
Wallenpaupack (1-4, 1-6, 7-13)
Delaware Valley (0-5, 1-6, 5-16)
 
In Division 1, before a packed house in Clarks Summit, Abington Heights won another division showdown with Scranton 55-49 to improve their overall record to 23-0.  Last week the Lady Comets got past West Scranton (54-33) and Honesdale (64-35 (Becky Burke 24).  Scranton defeated North Pocono 62-38 as Liz Borgia netted 22 and got by Wallanpaupack (62-31) as Nashira Turner scored 16.  Elsewhere, West Scranton continues to impress with a 43-31 win over Delaware Valley as Kailey Bedford scored 22 for the Lady Invaders (Gina Mehall had a great rebounding night).  Megan Cozza scored 20 points as North Pocono got by Scranton Prep, 60-50.  On Wednesday Scranton faces a must-win situation against rival West Scranton and hopes that Scranton Prep can upset Abington Heights in the Xavier Center.           
 
 
DIVISION 2
x-Dunmore (6-0, 7-0, 22-1)
Holy Cross (4-1, 4-3, 15-7)
Valley View (4-2, 6-1, 16-7)
Riverside (4-2, 4-3, 13-8)
Old Forge (3-3, 4-3, 14-7)
Lakeland (2-4, 2-5, 8-15)
Western Wayne (0-5, 0-7, 2-20)
Mid Valley (0-6, 1-6, 5-18)
 
In Division 2, Dunmore got 28 from Lauren Carra to defeat Western Wayne 65-22 and Carra added 23 more in a 56-31 win over Old Forge (the Blue Devils were held scoreless in the 2nd period).  The Lady Bucks added a 62-27 win over valley View (Carra 26) although Dunmore only led this game 28-16 at halftime.  With that win Dunmore clinched no worse than a tie for the second half crown.  They play at Riverside tonight in their final league game.  Holy Cross has been playing terrific basketball with wins over Lakeland 64-50 (Amanda Eltinger and Amy Volz each scored 2) and Valley View, 38-3 as Voltz hit 2 free throws with six ticks left (though the teams combined to hit only 21 of 41 free throws).  Holy Cross hosts Western Wayne tonight and Old Forge on Wednesday.
 
 
DIVISION 3
x-Carbondale (6-0, 7-0, 21-1)
Montrose (4-1, 5-2, 10-10)
Blue Ridge (5-2, 2-5, 11-10)
Forest City (3-3, 1-6, 6-17)
Mountain View (2-3, 4-3, 9-13)
Lackawanna Trail (2-4, 2-5, 7-14)
Elk Lake (1-4, 3-4, 6-14)
Susquehanna (0-6, 4-3, 6-16)
 
In Division 3, Carbondale survived a great effort from Montrose to win 46-44.  The Lady Meteors thought that a long 2-point shot by Emily Fox was actually a trey that would have tied the game at 45 with 19 seconds remaining.  However, it was ruled a two and then Rosanne Clister hit a single free throw for Carbondale with 9 seconds left.  Julia Koloski drove the baseline for Montrose and got a good look at the basket to try and send it to overtime but it missed.  The Chargerettes won Monday night over Blue Ridge (44-35) as they clinched no worse than a tie for the second half.  Montrose got a 47-35 win over Susquehanna earlier in the week as Koloski scored 21 points.  Blue Ridge also got three big wins last week.  First, they defeated Lackawanna Trail 60-49. as Lauren Findley scored 23.  Then they added a 43-26 victory over Forest City (Abbey Emmert 18 for BR) and a 56-50 win over Susquehanna as Findley netted 14 (Christy Glidden scored 20 for the Lady Sabers).  Elsewhere, Karley Caines scored 22 points in a 58-45 Elk Lake win over Mountain View.  This week, Montrose faces a must-win game at Mountain View tonight.  Wednesday, Carbondale will be heavily favored to wrap up the season championship with a win over Forest City.  But if they should stumble, Montrose could force a playoff by gaining a win over Elk Lake on Thursday           
 
 
 
 
 
That‚s it for this week.
 
See you in the bleachers.
 
Jon K.