SL Boys’ Basketball Playoffs: Montone guides Pottsville to Schuylkill League title
Pottsville's Letrel Montone drives during the Schuylkill League Boys' Basketball Championship against Minersville on Friday night at Martz Hall. The Crimson Tide defeated the Battlin' Miners 50-43 and Montone netted a game-high 20 points (Photo by Danie Mae Photography).
POTTSVILLE — Senior guard Letrel Montone was a key part of Pottsville’s exceptional execution.
Montone paced Pottsville by scoring a game-high 20 points as the Crimson Tide defeated Minersville 50-43 in a Schuylkill League boys’ basketball championship game Friday at Martz Hall.
He also was an integral part of a pesty Pottsville (19-6) defense that held the Battlin’ Miners (20-4) searching for answers throughout the contest.
“You mentioned Letrel, and everyone is talking about his 20 points tonight and how he handled the ball,” Crimson Tide coach Jake Wartella said. “His defensive effort, covering Dante Carr, and holding him to a low amount of points, and rebounding. He just did everything tonight for us.”
Wartella went on to highlight other Pottsville key basketball athlete’s and their contributions to a championship effort:
“We all know we’re a small team with Christian (Alvarez) not being a true big man, but he fought his tail off all night. Rebounding, fighting for loose balls, keeping plays alive. …. Derek Watkins always finds a way to get his hands on the ball and run the court. JuJu (Bainbridge) covering Shazier (Bethea) all night.
“Again, it is just a true team effort,” Wartella added. “We played awesome and I’m just so proud of this group.”
Each squad rose to the occasion early as many fans packed into the Mecca.
Derek Watkins assisted a 3-pointer by Christian Alvarez for Pottsville before Bradley Kostishak answered with a bucket in the paint off a pass from Dante Carr for Minersville as the Crimson Tide led 3-2 early in the game. Ryder Bowers nailed a 3 for the Crimson Tide and Shazier Bethea clapped back with a triple of his own for the Battlin’ Miners. Minersville briefly took a 7-6 lead after Jordan Bowers grabbed an offensive rebound and saw his second chance bucket fall. Following an empty possession by Pottsville, the Tide was back on top 8-7 after Watkins nabbed a steal and went coast-to-coast.
Pottsville got the better of the early shootout as Montone and Alvarez each banged a triple before the final buzzer. London Ivy assisted Alvarez’s 3. Bethea hit another triple for the Miners, but Minersville trailed Pottsville 14-10 heading to the second quarter.
The Battlin’ Miners inched closer to regaining a lead in the second frame, but the Crimson Tide had an answer for everything.
Carr scored his only two points off an assist by A.J. Halford to begin the second quarter. Pottsville responded as Alvarez found Watkins slashing through the lane for an easy bucket. After a long stretch of empty possessions, Montone hit his second triple of the contest with 2:34 to play in the half to put the Tide ahead 20-15. Following an empty possession from the Battlin’ Miners, JuJu Bainbridge grabbed an offensive board and dished to a slashing Montone for two more points. Ivy intercepted a loose ball save attempt by Kostishak and netted an easy bucket as Pottsville built momentum.
Bethea connected with his third 3-pointer of the game with 18.0 remaining in the half to stop the bleeding for the Miners, but the Crimson Tide led 24-18 heading into halftime.
After the break, the action was heating up and capacity crowd at Martz Hall was not disappointed.
Pottsville turned the ball over to begin the third quarter after successfully not turning the ball over once in the previous quarter. Bethea connected with yet another 3 as Minersville quickly capitalized and cut the deficit to three.
Ryder Bowers responded with a 3-pointer for the Tide and Bainbridge poked loose a steal and went the other way for an easy layup as Pottsville was feeling the momentum again. After an empty Battlin’ Miners’ possession, Alvarez scooped up an offensive rebound and watched his putback fall as the Tide went ahead 31-21 with 5:09 left in the frame. Jordan Bowers pulled the momentum plug after netting two free throws for Minersville, Dawsyn Manning, a senior, went on to nail two deep 3’s as the Battlin’ Miners crept back into the contest.
Montone and Bethea exchanged buckets as Pottsville remained on top, 35-33, at the end of the third quarter.
Montone and the Crimson Tide quickened the pace as the fourth quarter started. The senior netted a post-fade before grabbing a steal and going the distance to increase Pottsville’s lead to 39-33 only 40.0 into the quarter. Jordan Bowers added a strong two for the Miners and Montone dished to Bainbridge, who made his layup and earned trip to the line where he finished the 3-point-play. Fastforward and Alvarez passed to Montone on a give-and-go that Alvarez took to the rim to make it 44-35.
Jordan Bowers collected an assist to Logan Hutsko for two points and Bethea added two loud blocks at the net. With time ticking down and the fouls stacking up for Minersville, Pottsville had the opportunity to begin putting the game away. Watkins and Montone split a pair of free throws for the Tide, Kostishak answered with a 3 for the Battlin’ Miners, and then Montone added went 2-for-2 from the stripe in his second trip of the quarter.
Alvarez split a pair of free throws before Manning respond with another triple as Minersville cut Pottsville’s lead to 49-43 with 12. 8 left in regulation. Watkins split another pair on a trip to the stripe for the Crimson Tide and Manning fouled out for the Miners. Pottsville rolled to a 50-43 victory and collected its 13th league title since 2000, and first since 2022.
