PIAA Boys’ Basketball: First-round preview capsules
Pottsville's Ryder Bowers contests Minersville's Bradley Kostishak during a Schuylkill League Division I clash at the Thomas Fitzpatrick Gymnasium (Photo by Kelly Wiley).
PIAA Playoffs Basketball
First Round Preview Capsules
Class 5A
1-5 Penncrest (21-3) at 11-1 Pottsville (21-6)
When: Today, 6 p.m.
Where: Martz Hall, Pottsville
Tickets: All tickets are $8 (plus applicable fees) and must be purchased on the PIAA website (www.piaa.org). All spectators must purchase a ticket. There is non senior citizens discount.
Live updates: Follow T102 Sports Now media extraordinaire Eli Doyle on X @IamEliDoyle
TV/Radio: Game will broadcast on WAVT (1360 AM/105.9 FM)
Up Next: Winner moves to the quarterfinal round to play the Holy Ghost Prep-Lampeter-Strasburg winner.
About Pottsville
Nickname: Crimson Tide
Head coach: Jake Wartella
How they got here: Top seeded in the District 11 Class 5A Tournament, Pottsville defeated Southern Lehigh 55-36 and Bangor 62-40 to capture the district title.
Projected starting five: Letrel Montone (sr., 11.2 ppg, 4.7 apg, 3.9 rebounds per game), Derek Watkins (sr., 7.9 ppg, 3.4 apg, 3.8 rebounds per game), JuJu Bainbridge (jr., 3.3 ppg, 18 charges), Ryder Bowers (sr., 10.3 ppg), Christian Alvarez (jr., 14.7 ppg, 7.2 rebounds per game)
Key reserves: London Ivy (sr., 3.9 ppg, 2.7 rebounds per game), Colin McGinley (so.), Max Clews (so.), Tahlil Flucker-White (sr.)
About Penncrest
Nickname: Lions
Head coach: Mike Doyle
How they got here: The No. 2 seed in District 1 Class 5A Tournament, Penncrest fell to Holy Ghost Prep 52-48 in quarterfinal round. The Lions rebounded with consolation victories over Springfield 54-37 and Marple Newton 53-40 to land in 5th place.
Projected starting five: G Will Stanton (jr.), G Sean Benson (jr.), G/F Theo Gladue (sr.), G Connor Cahill (jr.), F Mikey Mita (jr.)
Key reserves: G Jeffrey Cropper (jr.), F Viktor Ford (sr.), F Ryan McKee (jr.)
Class A
11-3 Nativity (16-10) vs.
3-1 High Point Baptist (15-6)
When: Friday, 5 p.m.
Where: Exeter Township High School
Tickets: All tickets are $8 (plus applicable fees) and must be purchased on the PIAA website (www.piaa.org). All spectators must purchase a ticket. There is non senior citizens discount.
TV/Radio: Game will broadcast on T-102 (101.9 FM)
Up Next: Winner advances to quarterfinal round to play Constitution-Dock Mennonite winner.
About Nativity
Nickname: Hilltoppers
Head coach: Mike Walborn
How they got here: The No. 3 seed in the District 11 Class A Tournament, the Hilltoppers fell to Lincoln Leadership 65-60 in the semifinals. Nativity rebounded with a narrow 52-51 over Weatherly in a 3rd place consolation game.
Projected starting five: G Sammy Walborn (sr., 7.6 ppg, 3.5 apg, 3.1 steals per game), F Trey Keating (jr. 25.4 ppg, 7 rpg, 3.5 apg, 2.6 steals per game), G Jake Bowman (soph. 8.4 ppg, 2.5 rpg), G Layne Pasker (soph. 10.5 ppg, 3.4 rpg), F Noah Dolbin (sr. 13.3 ppg, 7.9 rpg)
Key reserves: F Nick Clarke (so. 3.0 ppg, 3.5 rpg), G Ben Kreitzer (sr.), G/F Sean Kramer (so.)
About High Point Baptist
Nickname: Eagles
Head coach: Anthony Burke
How they got here: The No. 3 seed in the District 3 Class A Tournament, the Eagles edged LaAcademia 48-47 in the quarterfinals, the knocked off Lancaster Country Day 60-50 in the semis. The Eagles defeated 60-52 to capture the title.
Projected starting five: G Nick Harris (sr.), G/F Mason Rogers (jr.), G/F Reagan Wodicka (jr.), G Carlos Torres (jr.), C Gavin Bromwell (sr.)
Key reserves: G Nate Lewis (so.), G Grant Rogers (fr.)
Class 3A
11-2 Minersville (22-5) vs. 4-2 Warrior Run (20-7)
When: Saturday, 4 p.m.
Where: Loyalsock Township High School
Tickets: All tickets are $8 (plus applicable fees) and must be purchased on the PIAA website (www.piaa.org). All spectators must purchase a ticket. There is non senior citizens discount.
Live updates: Follow T102 Sports Now media extraordinaire Eli Doyle on X @IamEliDoyle
TV/Radio: Game will broadcast on T-102 (101.9 FM)
Up Next: Winner advances quarterfinal round to play West Catholic-Antietam winner.
About Minersville
Nickname: Battlin’ Miners
Head coach: Dave Mullaney
How they got here: The No. 2 seed for the District 11 Class 3A Tournament, the Battlin’ Miners defeated Notre Dame-Green Pond 52-50 in OT in the semifinals before falling to Catasauqua 61-50 in the finals.
Projected starting five: C Logan Hutsko (sr., 5.3 ppg, 3 rpg), G Shazier Bethea (jr., 15.7 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 5.3 asp), G/F Bradley Kostishak (sr., 9.4 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 2.2 apg), G A.J. Halford (sr. 2.3 ppg), F Dante Carr (jr. 14.6 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 3.4 apg 2.6 steals per game)
Key reserves: G/F Jordan Bowers (soph. 5.3 ppg, 2.9 rpg), G Chase Zimerofsky (soph. 2.6 ppg)
About Warrior Run
Nickname: Defenders
Head coach: Eric Westman
How they got here: The No. 2 seeded in the District 4 Class 3A Tournament, the Defenders rolled past Towanda 55-19 in the quarterfinals, defeated Mansfield 58-50 in the semis, and fell to Troy 44-41 in the finals.
Projected starting five: G Cooper Wilkins (sr.), F/C Aiden McKee (jr.), G James Keifer (jr.), F/C Griff Harrington (jr.), G Landon Polcyn (jr.)
Key reserves: F/C Gavin Gorton (sr.), G Jake Brickhart (sr.), F/C Ethan Balzer (jr.), G Carter McCormick (so.)
11-3 Mahanoy Area (21-4) vs.
12-2 Universal Audenried Charter (11-14)
When: Saturday, 2 p.m.
Where: Audenried Charter High School
Tickets: All tickets are $8 (plus applicable fees) and must be purchased on the PIAA website (www.piaa.org). All spectators must purchase a ticket. There is non senior citizens discount.
TV/Radio: Game will broadcast on T-102 (101.9 FM)
Up Next: Winner advances quarterfinal round to play Holy Cross-Troy winner
About Mahanoy Area
Nickname: Golden Bears
Head coach: Teddy Styka
How they got here: Top seeded in District 11 Class 3A, the Golden Bears fell to Catasauqua 58-44 in the semifinals. Mahanoy Area rebounded with a 3rd place consolation victory over Notre Dame-Green Pond 65-56.
Projected starting five: G Tanner Zawada (sr., 16 ppg), G Jace Yedsena (sr., 18 ppg), G Peyton Sendatch (sr., 5 ppg), William Mayberry (sr., 7 ppg), Ryan Zilker (jr., 8 ppg)
Key reserves: Brian Gallagher (sr.), Mikey Oblas (sr.), Jack Rhoades (sr.), Aidan Bowman (sr.)
About Audenried Charter
Nickname: Rockets
Head coach: Marvin Stinson
How they got here: No info provided (Not sure, District 12 is like the wild west. Reference the bottom portion of Thursday’s Boyer’s Bulletin for more on that).
Roster: Uthamin Laws (jr.), Issac Cole (sr.), Melvin Clarke (fr.), Israel Cole (sr.), Qaudi’air Smith (sr.), Munir Daniels (sr.), Zakah Warren-Jones (sr.), Ibrahim Fane (jr.), Nathan Lee (so.), Zykel Kelly-Postell (fr.), Abraham Kennah (jr.), Safee Johnson (so.)
