POTTSVILLE BOYS BASKETBALL

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2022 - 2023 Pottsville Crimson Tide

 

SLehigh1920/2023PottsvilleTeam.jpg
Photo By John Liddle

Congrats To our Senior Players

Rylen, Amaree, TJ, Nick and Tyler 

Crimson Tide Falls to the Eagles

 

FOUNTAIN SPRINGS - Isaac Thomas couldn't believe his luck.

With 5:39 left in Friday's District 11 Class 4A boys' consolation game at North Schuylkill High School, Thomas has just committed his fourth foul.

Who knew at the time that the 6-foot-5 junior center would not only stay in the game, but lead the Eagles past a determined Pottsville team 62-57 in overtime?

"My dad emphasized discipline as much as he could tell me," Thomas said. "Keep my hands straight up. Don't jump. Don't swipe at the ball."

Thomas survived disqualification not only in regulation, but also in overtime as Blue Mountain defeated the Crimson Tide.

While the loss ended the Tide's campaign at 12-15, Blue Mountain (21-6), the top seed entering districts, finished third and earned a spot in the PIAA Class 4A Tournament. The Eagles will oppose District 12 runner-up Overbrook on Friday, March 10, at a time and site to be announced.

It might take the week for Blue Mountain head coach Dustin Werdt to relax after Friday's nail-biter against the Crimson Tide, a team the Eagles had defeated twice earlier this season.

"It's a playoff basketball game," Werdt said. "We talked about it before the game that somebody's season is over tonight. Both teams played not wanting that to happen. You know, you've got to give credit to Pottsville and how hard they played."

Yet the Crimson Tide were never able to grab the lead in overtime.

Thomas, who finished with 18 points and 19 rebounds, broke the 52-52 tie with an inside bucket with 3:27 left in overtime. Pottsville got no closer than one point, 55-54 and then 57-56, after that.

Blue Mountain's Carson Kerstetter, who had 18 points and nine rebounds, pulled the Eagles away from their 57-56 lead with two foul shots and then an old-fashioned three-point play for a 60-56 edge.

The Tide's Letrel Montone, who had 19 points, sank his first of two free throws with 11.3 seconds left. Kerstetter grabbed the rebound of Montone's second foul shot and was fouled. He sank two free throws for the final score.

"It's tough to say right now," Pottsville head coach Jake Wartella said about the difference. "But probably the little things. Missed some foul shots, didn't get some rebounds and loose balls. They found a way to do the little things near the end, and we didn't."

That included the disciplined effort of Thomas, who scored 12 second-half points while avoiding the dreaded fifth personal foul.

"He played smart when he had his fourth foul," Werdt said. "He didn't make any of his reaches (at opponents) that he does from time to time. He stayed vertical on everything."

Thomas scored two points during the Eagles' 12-1 run to start the game, but Pottsville rallied after a timeout and led both at halftime and through the third quarter.

"We were honestly worried that they might run us out of the gym, and we said those exact words to the kids. We said we've got to wake up and play a little harder," Wartella said. "And the kids responded."

Pottsvillle's Rylen Matlock, who had 12 points, converted a steal with 17 seconds left to knot the score at 52-52 at the end of regulation.

While disappointed, Wartella was heartened by an effort that bodes well for the Crimson Tide's future despite a losing season.

"We have some great young kids coming up and and these seniors just did a great job laying the framework," he said.

For the Eagles, Friday's win means at least one more game, this time against one of Philadelphia basketball's storied names in Overbrook,.

"We're going to have to take care of the ball," Werdt said. "We turned the ball over way too much (against Pottsville) and Overbrook's probably going to come out and full-court press us exponentially from what we saw tonight."

 

Game Summary

District 11 Class 4A Consolation

At North Schuylkill

POTTSVILLE (57) - Matlock 5 1-2 12, Mentone 6 5-10 19, Bainbridge 1 2-2 4, Allen 0 0-0 0, Chivinski 6 1-2 16, Oswald 0 0-0 0, Alvarez 2 2-2 6, Shappell 0 0-0 0. Totals 20 11-18 57.

BLUE MOUNTAIN (62) - Walasavage 0 0-0 0, Campbell 3 2-6 9, Kerstetter 4 10-14 18, A. Grace 0 0-0 0, Miller 4 4-4 13, R. Grace 0 0-0 0, Caulfield 1 1-2 4, Thomas 8 2-4 18. Totals 20 19-30 62.

Potts (12-15);8;20;14;10;5;-;57

BM (21-6);14;13;13;12;10;-;62

3-point FGs: Matlock, Mentone 2, Chivinski 3, Campbell, Miller, Caulfield.

 

Crimson Tide Plays Blue Mountain Eagles on Friday for State Playoff Berth at North Schuylkill Gym at 7:00

Crimson Tide Falls to Allentown Central Catholic

 

WHITEHALL - Rylen Matlock and Christian Alvarez scored 10 points apiece for sixth-seeded Pottsville, but No. 2 seed Allentown Central Catholic defeated the Crimson Tide 58-33 on Tuesday in a District 11 Class 4A boys' basketball semifinal at Whitehall High School.

The Vikings dominated from the start, leading 21-2 after the first quarter and 42-6 at halftime.

NaSean Davis and Anthony Jones netted 12 points apiece to lead the Vikings.

Pottsville's season will continue Friday in the consolation game.

Allentown Central Catholic advances to Friday's championship game.

District 11 Class 4A Semifinal

At Whitehall

POTTSVILLE (33) - Matlock 3 3-6 10, Montone 1 0-0 2, Bainbridge 1 1-4 4, Chivinski 0 1-2 1, Alvarez 4 1-3 10, Allen 0 0-0 0, Shappell 0 0-0 0, Oswald 0 0-0 0, Curry 0 0-0 0, Watakins 1 0-0 3, Hughes-Crane 1 0-0 2, Flucker-White 0 0-0 0. Totals 11 6-13 33.

ALLENTOWN CENTRAL CATHOLIC (58) - Cook 0 0-0 0, Fridia 2 1-2 5, Spinosa 0 0-0 0, Puleri 2 0-0 5, Davis 5 0-0 12, Jones 4 0-0 12, Patridge 0 0-0 0, Vigo 5 0-0 11, Mushrush 3 0-0 8, Ensley 0 0-0 0, H. Stewart-Smith 1 0-0 2, A. Stewart-Smith 1 0-0 3. Totals 23 1-2 58.

Potts (12-14);2;4;11;16;-;33

ACC (19-8);21;21;9;7;-;58

3-point FGs: Matlock, Bainbridge, Alvarez, Watkins, Hughes-Crane, Jones 4, Mushrush 2, Davis 2, Vigo, Puleri, A. Stewart-Smith

 

Crimson Tide plays Allentown Central Catholic on Tuesday, February 28th at 7:00 pm.

Crimson Tide Rolls Over The Spartans

 

ORWIGSBURG - The fourth time proved to be the charm for Pottsville.

With a 57-41 District 11 Class 4A boys' basketball quarterfinal victory over Schuylkill League Division I rival North Schuylkill on Friday night at Blue Mountain, Pottsville advanced to the semifinal round while the season for the Spartans comes to a close.

Pottsville will meet No. 2 seed Allentown Central Catholic, a 76-47 winner over Northwestern Lehigh, in Tuesday's semifinals with a berth in the District 11 final on the line.

It was the Tide's first victory this season over North Schuylkill after falling twice to the Spartans during the regular season and again in the league semifinals at Martz Hall.

And, as much as the fourth time proved to be the charm, so too did the third quarter.

Leading by two points at the halftime break, 25-23, the Crimson Tide (12-13) cut loose in the third quarter. Opening with an 11-0 run, Pottsville outscored the Spartans 23-10 in the third, expanding the lead to 48-33 and taking complete control of the game.

North Schuylkill (20-5) never got closer the rest of the night.

"We played these guys three times this year, and each time they owned the third quarter on us," Pottsville coach Jake Wartella said. "That was our message to them at the half.

"We had to come out strong. The kids bought in. They stepped up and made plays."

The three-point arc proved to be a comfortable home for the Tide, hitting eight triples for the game. Pottsville knocked down three of those during the third-quarter run that put them in command.

Freshman Christian Alvarez, who matched senior Nick Chivinski for team scoring honors with 15 points, started the run by burying one from the top of the key to open the second half.

Later, after North Schuylkill cut the deficit to 38-29, Chivinski and Tyler Shappell each hit one from long range as the quarter closed.

With the solid lead, the Tide defense never allowed the Spartans to threaten over the final eight minutes.

While the Pottsville offense found its stride in the third quarter, North Schuylkill's never got on track. The Spartans' biggest output came with 13 points in the first quarter, but they never scored more than 10 in any period after that.

Shappell and Amaree Bainbridge followed the Tide's two scoring leaders with eight and seven points, respectively.

A pair of juniors, Jack Keiter and Zane Zulkowski, led North Schuylkill with 14 and 12 points, respectively. Joey Flail followed with nine.

Pottsville also dominated the game on the boards. Chivinski and Alvarez pulled down six rebounds apiece to lead the Tide to a 28-19 advantage in that department.

Game Summary

District 11 Class 4A Quarterfinal

At Blue Mountain

POTTSVILLE (57) - Matlock 2 0-0 4, Montone 2 1-2 5, Bainbridge 3 0-0 7, Chivinski 5 2-2 15, Oswald 1 0-0 3, Alvarez 7 0-0 15, Watkins 0 0-0 0, Shappell 3 0-0 8. Totals 23 3-4 57.

NORTH SCHUYLKILL (41) - D. Miller 1 0-0 2, Maziekas 0 0-0 0, L. Miller 0 0-0 0, Keiter 6 0-0 14, Zulkowski 4 3-5 12, Dean 2 0-0 4, Flail 3 3-4 9. Totals 16 6-9 41.

Potts (12-13);14;11;23;7;-;57

NS (20-5);13;10;10;8;-;41

3-point FGs: Chivinski 3, Shappell 2, Bainbridge, Oswald, Alvarez, Keiter 2, Zulkowski

Crimson Tide Plays North Schuylkill at 7:45 at Blue Mountain for First Round of District XI Basketball

Crimson Tide Falls to North Schuykill

 

POTTSVILLE - Pottsville's reign as Schuylkill League boys' basketball champion has come to an end.

With a big second half, North Schuylkill defeated Pottsville 63-49 in the first semifinal Wednesday night at Martz Hall.

The Spartans (20-3) returned to the boys' championship game for the first time since winning the title with a 42-25 victory over Williams Valley in 2009. They will take on Blue Mountain, a 64-46 winner over Marian in the second semifinal, at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Martz Hall.

Both North Schuylkill basketball teams reached the Schuylkill League finals, with the Spartans girls taking on Marian at 6 p.m. Friday at Martz Hall.

Jack Keiter knocked down five 3-pointers and totaled a game-high 27 points to help the North Schuylkill boys rally from a 32-25 halftime deficit to punch a ticket to the final.

"This is what we practiced for all summer," Keiter said.

The Spartans entered the fourth quarter with a 40-38 lead after outscoring the Crimson Tide 15-6 in the third quarter. North Schuylkill's offense exploded when Keiter hit a triple from deep 3-point range. On the next Spartan possession, Keiter added another three as the crowd at Martz Hall erupted.

The Crimson Tide (11-13) added one point on a free throw from Rylen Matlock before North Schuylkill added another 3-pointer on the following possession. This time it was Zane Zulkowski with the long field goal, pushing the Spartans' lead to 50-41.

Pottsville coach Jake Wartella used a timeout to regroup with North Schuylkill surging.

"I had the confidence to shoot it and I had the green light," Keiter said. "I was feeling hot."

North Schuylkill wasn't done yet.

Zulkowski added six more points, Keiter added four points and Joey Flail grabbed an offensive rebound and got the put-back to fall as the Spartans built a double-digit lead. The Spartans also got the job done on the defensive end, holding the Crimson Tide to nine points in the final quarter.

Game Summary

Schuylkill League Boys' Semifinal

At Martz Hall

POTTSVILLE (49) - Matlock 5 2-6 14, Montone 2 2-2 7, Allen 0 0-2 0, Bainbridge 5 3-4 15, Chivinski 3 0-1 8, Alvarez 1 0-0 2, Oswald 0 0-0 0, Shappell 1 0-0 3. Totals 17 7-15 49.

NORTH SCHUYLKILL (63) - Keiter 9 4-5 27, Zulkowski 9 2-2 22, D. Miller 1 1-2 3, Dean 1 2-2 4, Flail 2 3-4 7, Zilker 0 0-0 0, Maziekas 0 0-0 0, L. Miller 0 0-0 0, Cuthie 0 0-0 0, Mengel 0 0-0 0. Totals 22 12-15 63.

Potts (11-13);11;21;6;11;-;49

NS (20-3);15;10;15;23;-;63

3-point FGs: Matlock 2, Bainbridge 2, Chivinski 2, Montone, Shappell, Keiter 5, Zulkowski 2

Crimson Tide Clips the Canes

 

POTTSVILLE - Pottsville set out to prove they belonged in the Schuylkill League boys' basketball playoffs Saturday night.

That's exactly what the Crimson Tide did.

Relying on fundamental defense and second-chance opportunities, the defending champions used a big second half to defeat Schuylkill Haven 59-49 in a quarterfinal contest at Martz Hall.

Amaree Bainbridge scored a game-high 16 points for Pottsville (11-12), which advances to play Division I champion North Schuylkill in Wednesday's semifinals at 6 p.m. at Martz Hall.

We aren't using the term ‘underdog'," Pottsville coach Jake Wartella said. "We know we could have won some games we lost this year and we've tried to clean up our mistakes, but we're preaching ‘new-life.' One game at a time, survive and advance and every other cliché you could think of. Our kids played hard out there."  

Schuylkill Haven (18-5) controlled things early, leading 12-9 after one quarter and 26-21 at halftime.

Midway through the third quarter, Pottsville tied the game at 26-26 with a layup from Letrel Montone. On the following Crimson Tide possession, the sophomore guard added three more points on a layup and free throw to give Pottsville its first lead since the opening minutes of the game.

The Crimson Tide defense went on to hold Schuylkill Haven to just eight points in the third quarter and take a 36-34 lead heading to the fourth. 

Travis Richie grabbed an offensive rebound and scored on a baseline layup to open the final quarter of play for Haven to tie the game again. Pottsville guard Nick Chivinski answered, knocking down the first of two 3-pointers in the quarter. The game was tied at 40-40 before Pottsville took control.

The Crimson Tide went on three separate scoring runs in the fourth quarter and capitalized on free-throw attempts to keep the game at two possessions. Both teams were in the bonus by the final minutes. Pottsville made 10-of-14 free throws in the fourth quarter and put the game out of reach in the final minute of the game.

For the Hurricanes, Leyden Hertz and Richie each scored a team-high 14 points.

Another key to Pottsville's success was second-chance opportunities, something the Crimson Tide didn't capitalize on very often through the regular season. Pottsville grabbed 10 offensive rebounds and added 15 points off those second chances. 

"That's something we've stressed at practice the last couple days because we don't score so much," Wartella said. "We don't have the biggest kids in the world, we think we could steal some extra buckets off offensive rebounds."  

The victory sets up a third meeting this season between the Tide and Spartans, who won the first two meetings.

"We've got something to play for and they (North Schuylkill) have something to play for," Bainbridge said on facing the Spartans for a third time. "Let's play some gritty basketball." 

Game Summary

Schuylkill League Quarterfinal

At Martz Hall

POTTSVILLE (59) - Matlock 5 2-5 12, Bainbridge 5 5-5 16, Allen 0 0-0 0, Chivinski 2 3-6 9, Montone 3 7-10 13, Alvarez 1 2-4 4, Shappell 1 3-3 5. Totals 17 22-33 59.

SCHUYLKILL HAVEN (49) - Kuzanga 3 1-1 8, Richie 5 1-5 13, Jenan 1 1-2 3, Hertz 5 4-6 14, Sanders 1 0-0 3, Carl 2 2-3 7, Seven 0 0-0 0, Buletza 0 0-0 0. Totals 17 9-17 48. 

SLehigh1920/2023PottsvilleSeniors.jpg
Photo By John Liddle

Schuylkill League Basketball TournamentTips Off This Saturday

Martz Madness begins this weekend with the start of the Schuylkill League Basketball Tournament.
The Schuylkill League has announced the following schedule for the boys' and girls' basketball teams that will be competing for the League Championship at Martz Hall in Pottsville. 
For the Quarterfinal and Semi Final Round all tickets will be sold at the door with the following prices:
  •  Adults $6 (No Senior Citizen Price)
  • Students $3
For the Finals, participating schools will sell advance tickets with the following prices: 
  •  Adults $6 (No Senior Citizen Price)
  • Students $3
All tickets at the door will be $6.

Saturday, February 11th, 2023 - Quarterfinals

 

  • 2:30pm - GIRLS - Pine Grove vs. Minersville
  • 4:00pm - GIRLS - Blue Mountain vs. Tri-Valley
  • 5:30pm - BOYS - Blue Mountain vs. Tri-Valley or Mahanoy Area
  • 7:00pm - BOYS - Pottsville Area vs. Schuylkill Haven

Tuesday, February 14th, 2023 - Semifinals

  • 6:00pm - GIRLS - North Schuylkill vs. Winner of Pine Grove/Minersville
  • 7:30pm - GIRLS - Marian Catholic vs. Winner of Blue Mountain/Tri-Valley

Wednesday, February 15th, 2023 - Semifinals

  • 6:00pm - BOYS - North Schuylkill vs. Winner of Pottsville Area/Schuylkill Haven
  • 7:30pm - BOYS - Marian Catholic vs. Winner of Blue Mountain vs. Tri-Valley/MahanoyArea

Friday, February 17th, 2023 - Championship Night

  • 6:00pm - Girls Schuylkill League Championship
  • 7:30pm - Boys Schuylkill League Championship


Crimson Tide Falls To North Schuylkill

FOUNTAIN SPRINGS - Zane Zulkowski and Jack Dean both scored in double figures as North Schuylkill clinched the Schuylkill League Division I title with a 51-46 victory over Pottsville on Tuesday night.

Zulkowski finished the night with a game-high 21 points. Dean scored six of his 11 in the fourth quarter when the Spartans held off a Crimson Tide rally.

Amaree Bainbridge paced Pottsville with 12 points, followed by Nick Chivinski with 10.

POTTSVILLE (46) - Matlock 1 6-7 8, Montone 1 0-0 2, Allen 0 1-2 1, Bainbridge 5 1-3 12, Chivinski 4 0-0 10, Oswald 0 0-0 0, Alvarez  3 1-2 8, Shappell 2 0-1 5. Totals 16 9-15 46.

NORTH SCHUYLKILL (51) - Zulkowski 6 8-13 21,Dean 3 4-8 11, Flail 3 2-6 8, Miller 2 0-0 4, Maziekas 2 0-1 5, Mengel 1 0-0 2. Totals 17 14-28 51.

Potts (10-12, 7-7);9;16;5;16;-;46

NS (18-3, 13-1);8;13;20;10;-;51

3-point FGs: Chivinski 2, Bainbridge, Alvarez, Shappell

JV score: Pottsville 48-25


Eagles Clip The Crimson Tide

 

POTTSVILLE - Blue Mountain attacked the rim and pounded the paint as the Eagles completed a season sweep over Pottsville on Friday night at Martz Hall.

Isaac Thomas scored a game-high 24 points as Blue Mountain started strong and rolled past Pottsville 65-50. North Schuylkill defeated Jim Thorpe 56-33 on Friday night to stay one game ahead of Blue Mountain in the Division I standings. Both teams have qualified for the Schuylkill League playoffs, but the division title has not yet been decided.

"I was feeling good out there," Thomas said.

"I wanted the ball inside, that's where I work."

With the win, Blue Mountain made it two in row over the Crimson Tide. The Eagles took the first matchup this season 45-33 at Blue Mountain High School.

"Whenever you get a chance to sweep your rival it's a big deal," Blue Mountain coach Dustin Werdt said.

The Eagles controlled the game from the start, going on a 12-0 run after the Crimson Tide's Rylen Matlock scored the opening points, giving Blue Mountain an early 12-2 lead.

Blue Mountain outscored Pottsville 18-7, with Thomas adding 11 of his 24 points in the first quarter.

The Eagles stuck to their game plan and relentlessly attacked the paint, resulting in the Crimson Tide finding themselves in foul trouble midway through the second quarter.

"I've been working on my free throws a lot lately," Thomas said. That's one thing Coach has been emphasizing at practice and I wanted to get my percentage up."

Thomas shot 4-for-6 from the free-throw line in the first half, while teammate Carson Kerstetter shot 3-for-3. With the free throws adding to its lead, Blue Mountain led at the half 33-17.

The second half saw a different Crimson Tide approach.

Pottsville attempted to match Blue Mountain's aggressiveness in the paint and get out in front of fast-breaks in an attempt to catch up.

"I'm proud of the way our kids fought back in the second half," Pottsville coach Jake Wartella said. We dug too deep of a hole early, and we can't do that against a good team like this."

Trailing by 16 points, the Crimson Tide's offense slowly gained life as Christian Alvarez, Tyler Shappell and Nick Chivinski added 3-point field goals in the third quarter.

While Pottsville's offense was just heating up, Blue Mountain maintained the same aggressive presence thoughout the quarter and outscored the Crimson Tide 17-15.

With the Eagles leading 50-32 going into the fourth quarter, the Crimson Tide kept playing to the bitter end with Alvarez adding two more 3-pointers and Letrel Montone scoring six of his 11 points in the fourth quarter. Pottsville outscored the Eagles 18-15, but Blue Mountain was never threatened.

Chivinski added 10 points for the Crimson Tide.

For the Eagles, Carson Kerstetter scored 20 points and Brogan Campbell added 10 points.

 

Game Summary

BLUE MOUNTAIN (65) - Walasavage 0 0-0 0, Campbell 2 5-6 10, Brayford 0 0-0 0, Kerstetter 7 6-8 20, A. Grace 0 0-0 0, Miller 2 3-4 7, R. Grace 1 0-0 2, Caulfield 1 0-0 2, Thomas 8 8-12 24. Totals 21 22-30 65.

POTTSVILLE (50) - Matlock 2 4-6 8, Allen 0 0-0 0, Bainbridge 1 3-4 5, Chivinski 3 1-2 10, Shappell 1 0-0 3, Becker 1 0-0 3, Oswald 0 1-2 1, Montone 5 1-2 11, Alvarez 3 0-0 9, Watkins 0 0-0 0. Totals 16 10-16 50.

BM (16-5, 11-2);18;15;17;15;-;65

Potts (10-11, 7-6);7;10;15;18;-;50

3-point FGs: Campbell, Chivinski 3, Alvarez 3, Shappell, Becker

JV score: Pottsville 50-37 

Crimson Tide Loses To The Panthers

Panther Valley 50, Pottsville 37

LASFORD - Drew Kokinda and Chase Weaver scored 11 points each, leading the Panthers past the Crimson Tide in a Division I matchup and clinching a berth in the District 11 Class 3A playoffs.

Michael Pascoe chipped in with nine points for Panther Valley.

Amaree Bainbridge paced Pottsville with 11 points. Rylen Matlock added eight.

POTTSVILLE (37) - Matlock 3 2-2 8, Becker 0 0-0 0, Montone 0 0-0 0, Allen 1 0-0 2, Bainbridge 2 6-8 11, Chivinski 2 1-1 6, Oswald 0 1-2 1, Alvarez 2 0-0 4, Watkins 0 0-0 0, Shappell 1 0-0 3, Flucker-White 1 0-0 2. Totals 12 10-13 37.

PANTHER VALLEY (50) - B. Hood 1 0-0 3, Pascoe 4 1-2 9, S. Hood 2 2-2 6, Kokinda 3 2-2 11, Weaver 4 3-4 11, Hadley 0 0-0 0, Fisher 0 0-0 0, Goida 1 0-0 2, Jones 0 0-0 0. Totals 18 8-11 50.

Potts (10-10, 7-5);6;11;9;11;-;37

PV (11-8, 4-8);5;18;14;13;-;50

3-point FGs: Bainbridge, Chivinski, Shappell, Kokinda 3, Buyce 2

JV score: Pottsville 60-43

Crimson Tide Falls To Palmyra

 

Palmyra 53, Pottsville 39

POTTSVILLE - Nick Chivinski scored a team-high 10 points as Pottsville dropped a non-league matchup to Palmyra at Martz Hall.

The Crimson Tide and Cougars were tied at 26 at halftime, but Palmyra pulled ahead, outscoring Pottsville 27-13 in the second half.

PALMYRA (53) - Petrino 0 0-0 0, Burgess 1 2-2 4, Mayes 0 0-0 0, Sammen 2 0-0 6, Weaber 0 0-0 0, Dorty 5 3-3 14, Roesch 6 0-0 15, Beckes 6 2-3 14. Totals 20 7-8 53.

POTTSVILLE (39) - Matlock 4 0-0 9, Allen 2 1-1 5, Bainbridge 0 0-4 0, Chivinski 4 0-0 10, Becker 1 0-0 3, Oswald 0 0-0 0, Alvarez 2 1-2 5, Shappell 3 1-2 7. Totals 16 3-9 39.

Palm (10-9);16;10;6;7;-;39

Potts (10-9);9;17;18;9;-;53

3-point FGs: Sammen 2, Dorty, Roesch 3, Matlock, Chivinski 2, Becker

JV score: Pottsville 55-42


Crimson Tide Rolls To Victory

POTTSVILLE - Rylen Matlock scored 14 points, and Nick Chivinski added 13 as the Crimson Tide rolled past the Indians in a Division I contest.

Owen Serfoss scored seven points to lead Lehighton. 

LEHIGHTON (29) - Hawk 0 0-0 0, Light 2 0-0 5, Serfoss 1 5-6 7, Johnson 1 0-0 2, Roth 3 0-0 6, Dietz 2 0-0 6, Blauch 0 1-2 1, Smith 0 0-0 0, Acosta 0 0-0 0, Roberts 1 0-0 2. Totals 10 6-8.

POTTSVILLE (56) - Matlock 6 1-2 14, Allen 1 1-1 3, Bainbridge 2 0-0 5, Chivinski 4 2-2 13, Becker 1 0-0 3, Oswald 0 2-2 2, Alvarez 2 0-0 4, Shappell 3 2-3 8, Watkins 1 0-0 2, Pogash 0 0-0 0, Curry 0 0-0 0, Hughes-Crane 0 0-0 0, Flucker-White 0 2-2 2. Totals 20 10-12 56.

Leh (8-11, 3-8);6;8;10;5;-;29

Potts (10-8, 7-4);11;16;15;14;-;56

3-point FGs: Dietz 2, Light, Chivinski 3, Matlock, Bainbridge, Becker

JV score: Pottsville 49-24

 

 

 

Crimson Tide Wins Big Game

 

POTTSVILLE - Pottsville started off the game slow and hesitant.

The Crimson Tide changed that tune in the second half, producing a key victory to keep its Schuylkill League playoff hopes alive.

Christian Alvarez stepped up off the bench and scored a team-high 13 points as Pottsville defeated Jim Thorpe 49-42 in a Schuylkill League boys' basketball Division I matchup Tuesday night at Martz Hall.

The victory gives the Crimson Tide (9-8, 6-4 D-I) a two-game lead over Jim Thorpe (8-10, 4-6) - and a season sweep over the Olympians - in the race for the third and final league playoff spot from Division I.

"We were upset about our start," Pottsville coach Jake Wartella said. "It was a horrible first quarter on both ends of the ball."

Jim Thorpe outscored the Crimson Tide 13-5 in the first quarter with Andrew Warner knocking down an early 3-pointer and totaling seven of his game-high 18 points.

Frustrations were evident early for the Crimson Tide as Rylen Matlock received a technical foul. Warner tallied five points off a 3-pointer and an and-one layup off a screen from Noah Rosahac, quickly giving Jim Thorpe a 7-3 lead.

"It killed me knowing this was one of the biggest games," Matlock said of his technical foul.

Coming into the second quarter trailing the Olympians 13-5, Nick Chivinski found Kole Becker cutting through the lane for a layup to give the Crimson Tide's offense some life. Warner immediately answered on the following possession with another 3-pointer for the Olympians. The fouls began pouring in on both sides and free-throw shooting became increasingly important to Pottsville's chances of evening the score.

"When I go to practice I shoot free throws everyday," said Pottsville's Amaree Bainbridge, who was 4-for-7 from the line and finished with 10 points.

After an offensive rebound and put-back layup from Alvarez, the momentum started swinging in the Crimson Tide's direction. Pottsville shot 4-of-5 at the free throw line and ended the second quarter outscoring the Olympians 13-8, slicing Jim Thorpe's lead to 21-18 at halftime.

Pottsville opened the second half on a 7-0 run, all by Matlock, to take a 25-21 lead. Benjamin Goldberg then found Noah Rosahac weaving through the lane to get the Olympians on the board for the first time in the second half.

The Crimson Tide's depth proved to be a difference-maker as Chase Oswald found Alvarez all alone in the paint for an easy layup before adding two points of his own on the next Pottsville possession. Alvarez added seven of his 13 points in the third quarter and the Crimson Tide forged a 39-28 lead after three periods.

"Our kids had to attack the rim. Once we saw the ball go in the hoop a few times I think it sparked us," Wartella said.

The Olympians were in deep foul trouble, racking up eight fouls by the beginning of the fourth quarter. Pottsville took advantage by making eight trips to the line, tallying eight points off 12 attempts. Goldberg knocked down two 3-pointers and Warner added six points in the final minutes to get Jim Thorpe close, but the Crimson Tide played keep-away and rode the clock all the way to zero.

"We played hard," Jim Thorpe coach Jason McElmoyle said. "We've been in this position before, we're motivated, so we just got to keep staying with the game plan."

Jim Thorpe and Pottsville were both missing key players due to injury. The Crimson Tide was down their primary ball-handler, Letrel Montone, with a hand injury, while the Olympians were without their leading scorer from a season ago, Kaiden Herron, who is out with a knee injury.

Game Summary

JIM THORPE (42) - Spruill 2 1-2 5, Warner 7 2-4 18, Goldberg 3 0-0 8, DiSanto 0 0-0 0, McHugh 0 0-0 0, Barile 0 2-2 2, Rosahac 3 3-3 9. Totals 25 8-11 42.

POTTSVILLE (49) - Matlock 3 2-2 9, Allen 2 0-2 4, Bainbridge 3 4-7 10, Chivinski 1 4-6 7, Becker 1 0-0 2, Oswald 1 0-0 2, Alvarez 3 6-8 13, Shappell 0 2-2 2, Watkins 0 0-0 0. Totals 14 18-27 49.

JT (8-10, 4-6);13;8;7;14;-;42

Potts (9-8, 6-4);5;13;21;10;-;49

3-point FGs: Warner 2, Goldberg 2, Matlock, Chivinski, Alvarez

JV score: Pottsville 43-28

Crimson Tide Falls To Tamaqua

 

Tamaqua 51, Pottsville 46

POTTSVILLE - Connor Dillon drained six 3-pointers and scored a game-high 18 points as Tamaqua knocked off Pottsville in a Division I contest at Martz Hall.

The loss dropped Pottsville (8-8, 5-4) just one game ahead of Jim Thorpe (7-9, 4-5) for the third and final playoff berth in Division I. The Tide and Olympians meet Tuesday at Martz Hall.

Dillon scored all of his points in the first half as Tamaqua (7-9, 3-6) built a 29-22 halftime advantage. Noah Mateyak then hit a pair of 3-pointers and two key free throws in the fourth quarter as the Blue Raiders held off a Crimson Tide rally.

Mateyak finished with 13 points for Tamaqua. Rylen Matlock scored 15 points and Nick Chivinski added 10 for Pottsville.

TAMAQUA (51) - Ansbach 1 0-0 2, Lewis 1 0-2 2, Mateyak 4 2-2 13, Klein 0 0-0 0, Milot 2 2-2 6, Kane 1 1-2 3, Dillon 6 0-0 18, Ligenza 3 1-6 7, Andrews 0 0-0 0. Totals 18 6-14 51.

POTTSVILLE (46) - Matlock 6 2-4 15, Montone 1 4-4 6, Allen 1 0-1 2, Bainbridge 2 1-2 6, Chivinski 4 0-0 10, Becker 0 0-0 0, Oswald 0 0-0 0, Alvarez 3 0-0 7. Totals 17 7-11 46.

Tam (7-9, 3-6);10;19;7;15;-;51

Potts (8-8, 5-4);13;9;11;13;-;46

3-point FGs: Dillon 6, Mateyak 3, Matlock, Bainbridge, Chivinski 2, Alvarez

JV score: Pottsville 50-33

Crimson Tide Loses In Overtime

 

Pine Grove 47, Pottsville 41, OT

PINE GROVE - Tied at 36-36 at the end of regulation, the Cards outscored the Tide 11-5 in the extra period to record the Division I victory.

Garrett Brandt poured in 23 points to lead Pine Grove, with Josh Tobin following with 10. Tobin scored four in the overtime period.

For Pottsville, Letrel Montone led the way with 14 points. Rylen Matlock contributed 10.

POTTSVILLE (41) - Matlock 4 2-3 10, Becker 2 1-2 7, Montone 4 5-9 14, Allen 0 0-1 0, Bainbridge 1 0-0 3, Chivinski 1 0-0 3, Oswald 0 0-0 0, Alvarez 2 0-0 4. Totals 14 8-15 41.

PINE GROVE (47) - Tobin 4 2-2 10, Brandt 9 3-4 23, Unger 4 0-0 8, Skocik 1 2-5 4, Kohr 0 1-2 1, Sarge 0 1-3 1, Brommer 0 0-0 0, Snyder 0 0-0 0. Totals 18 9-16 47.

Potts (8-7, 5-3);11;4;13;8;5;-;41

PG (4-11, 2-6);12;8;8;8;11;-;47

3-point FGs: Becker 2, Montone, Bainbridge, Chivinski, Brandt 2

Crimson Tide Wins a Thriller In Triple Overtime

 

JIM THORPE - Amaree Bainbridge turned in a big performance after regulation ended to lead Pottsville to a 55-53, triple-overtime Schuylkill League Division I boys' basketball victory over Jim Thorpe on Saturday.

Bainbridge scored 12 of his 16 points in the extra periods to spark the Tide, which maintained its spot in third place in the Division I standings, one game behind co-leaders Blue Mountain and North Schuylkill. Nick Chivinski added 15 points and Letrel Montone tallied 10 for Pottsville, which connected on 12 3-pointers.

Andrew Warner and Noah Rosahac scored 16 points apiece and Ben Goldberg netted 11 for Jim Thorpe, which led 25-22 after three quarters.

POTTSVILLE (55) - Matlock 0 2-4 2, Montone 4 0-1 10, Allen 1 2-2 4, Bainbridge 4 5-10 16, Chivinski 5 0-0 15, Becker 2 0-0 6, Oswald 1 0-2 2, Shappell 0 0-1 0. Totals 17 9-20 55.

JIM THORPE (53) - Spruill 0 7-9 7, Warner 3 9-10 16, Goldberg 5 1-2 11, DiSanto 0 0-0 0, McHugh 0 0-0 0, Barile 1 0-0 3, Selby 0 0-0 0, Rosahac 6 4-6 16. Totals 15 21-27 53.

Potts (8-6, 5-2);6;11;5;14;6;5;8;-;55

JT (5-9, 2-5);8;11;6;11;6;5;6-;53

3-point FGs: Montone 2, Bainbridge 3, Chivinski 5, Becker 2, Barile, Warner, 

 


 

Spartans Slip By Crimson Tide 

North Schuylkill 52, Pottsville 49

POTTSVILLE - Zane Zulkowski scored a game-high 20 points as North Schuylkill edged Pottsville in a Division I contest.

Jack Keiter and Joey Flail both totaled 13 points for the Spartans in the win.

For the Crimson Tide, Letrel Montone scored a team-high 13 points, Rylen Matlock added 12 points and Nick Chivinski finished with 10 points.

NORTH SCHUYLKILL (52) - Keiter 4 4-6 13, Zulkowski 6 8-11 20, D. Miller 1 2-2 4, Dean 0 2-4 2, Flail 5 3-5 13, L. Miller 0 0-0 0, Maziekas 0 0-0 0. Totals 16 19-28 52.

POTTSVILLE (49) - Matlock 3 5-8 12, Montone 3 6-9 13, Allen 2 0-0 4, Bainbridge 1 3-9 5, Chivinski 4 1-1 10, Becker 0 0-0 0, Oswald 1 1-2 3, Shappell 1 0-0 2. Totals 15 16-27 49.

NS (9-2, 6-1);10;13;10;18;-;52

Potts (8-3, 4-2);8;14;19;8;-;49

3-point FGs: Keiter, Matlock, Montone, Chivinski

JV score: Pottsville 52-31

 

Crimson Tide Loses To Eagles 

 

ORWIGSBURG - Blue Mountain made a difference at the foul line and it paid off in the end.

The Eagles capitalized on free-throw opportunities, hitting 13-of-17 attempts, to drop Pottsville 45-33 in a Schuylkill League Division I boys' basketball clash Monday night.

Carson Kerstetter scored a game-high 21 points for the Eagles, who dealt the Tide their first league setback. Blue Mountain (10-3, 5-1 D-I) and North Schuylkill (8-2, 5-1), a 59-28 winner over Jim Thorpe, both sit at 5-1 atop the Division I standings with Pottsville (7-5, 4-1) one game back.

"We made that a point at practice to emphasize free-throw shooting," Kerstetter said.

Free-throw shooting was imperative for both the Crimson Tide and the Eagles as they both found themselves in foul trouble throughout the game.

In the first half Blue Mountain committed 11 fouls, while Pottsville was whistled for nine.

Brogan Campbell made the most of his opportunities early, shooting a perfect 4-for-4 from the free-throw line before halftime. Kerstetter cashed in on two free throws to make the Eagles a perfect 6-for-6 in the first two quarters of play.

 

The Crimson Tide couldn't match Blue Mountain's lights-out shooting from the charity stripe, only knocking down 4-of-6 free throws with Latrel Montone collecting all four made free throws for Pottsville.

Blue Mountain (10-3, 5-1 D-I) flipped the script in the second half, only committing seven fouls, while Pottsville (7-5, 4-1 D-I) was called for 11. Blue Mountain pounced on the opportunity to pour it on Pottsville.

In the second half the Eagles made 7-of-11 free throw opportunities, with Campbell making 4-of-5 and Kerstetter splitting 3-of-6. The Crimson Tide shot a combined 3-for-4 in the second half from the free-throw line.

Campbell finished with 18 points for Blue Mountain, with eight of his points coming from free throws.

"A big problem with our team has been our free-throw shooting," Campbell said. "For me, Carson and the rest of the team to put them down tonight was a big deal."

The Eagles took a 10-7 lead at the end of the first quarter, but the second quarter is when Blue Mountain thrived. Campbell weaved through Pottsville's defense on multiple possessions and scored six points, Kerstetter added four points on two jumpers and Issac Thomas totaled four points in the second quarter for the Eagles. After outscoring the Tide 16-9 in the second quarter, Blue Mountain pushed its lead to 26-16 at halftime.

The Eagles controlled the pace of the second half, drawing fouls and scoring on second-chance opportunities. Pottsville played aggressive, forcing nine Blue Mountain turnovers in the second half, but couldn't capitalize.

"We created turnovers, but we have to find a way to turn them into points on the other end," Pottsville coach Jake Wartella said. "Hats off to Blue Mountain, they played really hard tonight."

Blue Mountain snaps a three-game losing skid and reclaims the top spot in Division I with its win over Pottsville.

"You can't take any team for granted in this league," Blue Mountain coach Dustin Werdt said. "It's the next team approach for us, you need to be ready for the next team."

Game Summary

POTTSVILLE (33) - Matlock 4 0-0 8, Becker 0 0-1 0, Montone 3 4-4 11, Allen 0 0-0 0, Bainbridge 2 1-4 6, Chivinski 2 2-2 8, Oswald 0 0-0 0, Shappell 0 0-0 0. Totals 11 7-11 33.

BLUE MOUNTAIN (45) - Walasavage 0 0-0 0, Campbell 5 8-9 18, Brayford 0 0-0 0, Kerstetter 8 5-8 21, A. Grace 0 0-0 0, Miller 0 0-0 0, R. Grace 1 0-0 2, Caulfield 0 0-0 0, Thomas 2 0-0 4. Totals 16 13-17 45.

Potts (7-5, 4-1);7;9;8;9;-;33

BM (10-3, 5-1);10;16;8;11;-;45

3-point FGs: Montone, Bainbridge, Chivinski 2

JV score: Pottsville 44-33 

 Pottsville defeats Panther Valley

POTTSVILLE - Rylen Matlock paced a trio of Pottsville players in double figures as the Crimson Tide rolled to a 65-50 Schuylkill League Division I victory over Panther Valley at Martz Hall.

Matlock closed with 16 points for the Tide which rolled out to a 21-7 lead after a quarter and never looked back. Letrel Montone followed with 15 points, and Tyler Shappell added 14.

For Panther Valley, Chase Weaver led the scoring with 10 points. Brad Hood followed with nine.

PANTHER VALLEY (50) - B. Hood 3 0-0 9, Pascoe 2 2-4 6, S. Hood 2 3-4 7, Kokinda 2 1-2 7, Weaver 3 3-3 10, Hadley 0 5-6 5, Orsulak 0 0-0 0, Goida 2 0-1 4, Fisher 1 0-0 2, Jones 0 0-0 0. Totals 15 14-20 50.

POTTSVILLE (65) - Matlock 5 3-6 16,Montone 5 4-5 15, Allen 2 0-0 4, Bainbridge 1 2-2 4, Chivinski 3 0-0 9, Oswald 1 0-0 2, Shappell 5 3-4 14. Totals 22 12-17 65.

PV (7-3, 2-3);7;14;14;15;-;50

Potts (7-4, 4-0);21;16;13;15;-;65

3-point FGs: B. Hood 3, Kokinda 2, Weaver, Montone 3, Chivinski 3, Matlock 2, Shappell

JV score: Pottsville 57-40


Tide Loses to Berks Catholic

Berks Catholic 70, Pottsville 35

READING - Amaree Bainbridge and Christian Alvarez scored six points apiece for Pottsville in a non-league loss to unbeaten Berks Catholic.

Ryan Koch had 19 points for the Saints, who opened the game with a 19-2 run.

POTTSVILLE (35) - Matlock 1 2-2 5, Montone 1 0-0 2, Allen 0 0-0 0, Bainbridge 1 3-6 6, Chivinski 1 2-4 5, Becker 1 0-0 3, Pogash 0 0-0 0, Oswald 1 0-0 2, Alvarez 3 0-0 6, Watkins 0 0-0 0, Shappell 1 0-0 3, Hughes-Crane 1 0-0 3. Totals 11 7-12 35.

BERKS CATHOLIC (70) - Dominguez 2 0-0 4, Nein 1 0-0 3, Gaffney 0 0-0 0, Geddio 0 0-0 0, Jordon 2 0-0 4, Koch 7 1-2 19, Miller 3 0-0 8, Lawlor 0 2-2 2, Komoro 1 0-0 2, J. McKoy 3 0-0 7, K. McKoy 3 0-0 7, Altimar 1 0-0 3, Diaz 3 0-0 6. Totals 28 3-4 70.

Potts (6-4);2;10;12;11;-;35

BC (9-0);19;15;21;15;-;70

3-point FGs: Matlock, Bainbridge, Chivinski, Becker, Shappell, Hughes-Crane, Koch 4, Miller 2, K. McKoy 2, Nein, J. McKoy, Altimar

JV score: Berks Catholic 39-33



Crimson Tide Wins Thriller

Pottsville 32, Shamokin 31

POTTSVILLE - Nick Chivinski scored a team-high 10 points as Pottsville narrowly slipped past Shamokin in a non-league game at Martz Hall.

Rylen Matlock and Latrel Montone both added nine points for the Crimson Tide, but it was Tejay Allen who scored his only basket when the Tide needed it most. Allen hit the go-ahead layup with five seconds remaining in the game to give Pottsville the win.

The Crimson Tide defense didn't allow a single point in the fourth quarter, opening the door for the 11-0 scoring run. Pottsville secured the comeback win after trailing 31-21 after the third quarter.

SHAMOKIN (31) - Price 3 0-1 7, Hile 3 0-0 7, Mattern 1 0-0 2, Delbaugh 0 0-0 0, Annis 0 0-0 0, Litchy 2 0-3 4, Shuey 5 1-1 11, Leiby 0 0-0 0. Totals 14 1-5 31.

POTTSVILLE (32) - Matlock 4 0-0 9, Becker 0 0-0 0, Montone 3 2-2 9, Allen 1 0-0 2, Chivinski 4 0-2 10, Bainbridge 0 0-0 0, Oswald 1 0-0 2, Shappell 0 0-0 0. Totals 13 2-4 32.

Sham ;11;11;9;0;-;31

Potts (6-3);4;6;11;11;-;32

3-point FGs: Price, Hile, Matlock, Montone, Chivinski 2

JV score: Pottsville 52-41

Crimson Tide Falls To Williamsport

Rylen Matlock led the Tide with 10 points as Pottsville dropped a non-league mathup to Williamsport. Thomas Tokach paced the Millionaires with 17 points. Caleb Fausnaught added 12 points for Williamsport.

Williamsport (65) Harden 3 0-0 7, Lake 3 0-0 8, Holt 1 0-0 2, Kline 2 1-1 5, Whaley 3 1-1 7, Fausnaught 5 2-2 12, Johnson 1 0-0 2, Tokack 5 5-7 17, White 1 0-0 3, Bradshaw 1 2-2 4, Lowe 0 0-0 0 Totals: 25 11-13 65

Pottsville (24) Matlock 4 2-3 10, Montone 0 0-0 0, Allen 1 1-2 3, Bainbridge 0 1-2 1, Chivinski 1 0-0 2, Becker 0 0-0 0, Oswald 0 0-0 0, Alvarez 0 0-0 0, Watkins 1 0-0 3, Shappell 1 2-2 5 Totals 8 6-9 24

 

Williamsport (5-1)   12   15   26   12 -- 65

Pottsville (5-3)         4     4     9     7 -- 24

 3-point FGs - Harden, Lake 2, White, Watkins, Shappell

JV Score Williamsport 66 - 64 OT 

Crimson Tide Clips The Indians

 

Pottsville 45, Lehighton 38

LEHIGHTON - Rylen Matlock led a trio of Pottsville players in double figures, scoring 13 in the Division I victory over the Indians.

Also for Pottsville, Nick Chivinski added 11 points and Amaree Bainbridge had 10.

For Lehighton, Joe Roth scored 13, with Brayden Johnson contributing 10.

POTTSVILLE (45) - Mtlock 2 9-15 13, Becker 0 0-0 0, Montone 1 1-2 3,  Allen 2 0-0 4, Bainbridge 3 2-4 10, Chivinski 3 3-3 11, Oswald 0 0-0 0, Shappell 2 0-0 4. Totals 13 15-24 45.

LEHIGHTON (38) - Light 1 0-0 2, Serfass 0 2-3 2, Johnson 4 1-2 10, Smith 1 0-0 3, Roth 6 1-4 13, Dietz 3 1-2 8. Totals 15 5-11 38.

Potts (5-2, 3-0);12;13;6;14;-;45

Leh (3-5, 1-3);6;13;8;11;-;38

3-point FGs: Chivinski 2, Bainbridge, Johnson, Smith, Dietz.

 

Crimson Tide Deafeats NW Lehigh

 

Rylen Matlock scored 21 points and Amaree Bainbridge followed with 15 points as the Crimson Tide scored a non-league vidtory over the Tigers at Martz Hall

 

NW Lehigh (48) - Fitch 4 3-4 12, Zimmerman 2 0-0 6, Bollinger 2 2-4 6, Kozlowski 0 0-0 0, Nelson 6 8-9 22, Warbold 0 2-2 2 Totals: 14 15-19 48

Pottsville (55) - Matlock 9 0-1 21, Becker 0 0-0 0, Montone 0 3-5 3, Allen 1 1-3 3, Bainbridge 5 2-2 15, Chivinski 1 0-0 3, Shappell 3 0-2 6, Oswald 2 0-0 4  Totals: 21 5-13 55

 

NWL (3-4)   5   7   21   15 -- 48

Pottsville (4-2)  17  11  12  15 -- 55

3-point FGs - Nelson 2, Bollinger 2, Fitch, Matlock 3, Bainbridge 3, Chivinski

 

JV Score - Pottsville 52 - 36 


Crimson Tide Defeats The Blue Raiders 

 

Pottsville 50, Tamaqua 42

TAMAQUA - Nick Chivinski paced a trio of double-digit scorers with 14 points as the Tide rallied past the Blue Raiders in a Division I contest.

Tejay Allen added 13 points and Rylen Matlock tallied 11 for Pottsville, which outscored Tamaqua 32-18 in the second half to grab the win.

Noah Mateyak hit four 3-pointers and scored 12 points, and Connor Dillon netted 10 points for the Blue Raiders, who used an 11-4 run in the second quarter to build a 24-18 halftime lead. 

POTTSVILLE (50) - Palko 1 2-2 4, Matlock 5 1-3 11, Montone 1 0-0 2, Allen 5 3-4 13, Bainbridge 2 0-1 4, Chivinski 5 3-3 14, Shappell 1 0-2 2. Totals 20 9-15 50.

TAMAQUA (42) - Ansbach 0 0-0 0, Lewis 1 1-2 3, Mateyak 4 0-0 12, Klein 0 0-0 0, Milot 3 1-3 7, Kane 1 0-0 3, Dillon 4 2-2 10, Ligenza 3 1-1 7, Andrews 0 0-0 0. Totals 16 5-8 42.

Potts (3-2, 2-0);14;4;14;18;-;50

Tam (0-4, 0-2);13;11;6;12;-;42

3-point FGs: Chivinski, Mateyak 4, Kane

JV score: Pottsville 52-32

 

Hazleton Downs The Tide 52 - 30

 

 

Amree Bainbridge scored eight points as Pottsville was defeated by Hazleton Area in a non-league matchup. Also for the Crimson Tide, Tejay Allen scored seven points and Nick Chivinski scored five points.

 

Pottsville (30) -- Matlock 1 0-0 2, Becker 0 0-0 0, Montone 1 0-0 2, Allen 3 1-1 7, Bainbridge 3 0-1 8, Chivinski 2 0-0 5, Oswald 1 0-0 2, Alvarez 0 0-0 0, Watkins 0 0-0 0, Shappell 0 0-0 0, Totals: 13 1-2 30

Hazleton Area (52) -- Catrone 3 0-0 7, Generro 6 0-0 14, Marshall 3 0-0 7, Guzman 3 0-0 7, Caste 3 0-2 7, Santiago 1 0-0 2, Rossi 2 2-3 6, Headley 0 0-0 0, Melaciano 1 0-0 2, Totals 22 3-5 52

 

Pottsville (2-2)   8   9   9   4 -- 30

Hazleton (2-1)   10  9  17  17 -- 52

 

3-point FG's Bainbridge 2, Chiviniski

JV Score Pottsville 35-32 OT 

   

Crimson Tide Clips The Cardinals

 

 

POTTSVILLE - The Pottsville boys' basketball team has a lot of depth.

That proved to be a game-changer in the Crimson Tide's Schuylkill League Division I opener Thursday night at Martz Hall.

Rylen Matlock scored 14 points and Tyler Shappell added nine points off the bench as Pottsville surged past Pine Grove 58-31.

The Crimson Tide's Joey Palko won the opening tip, but after a quick turnover and a 10-foot jumper from Brandon Unger it was quickly 2-0 Pine Grove. Matlock saved Pottsville from another turnover on their next possession. The senior guard made a highlight-reel play diving out of bounds as he found Nick Chivinski all alone under the hoop for an easy two points.

The quick scoring fizzled out even faster than it began until three Cardinals possessions later when Unger nailed his first 3-pointer of the night.

Pottsville gave it right back as Matlock knocked down a triple of his own, but Unger immediately answered back with another long three, giving the Cardinals a 10-8 lead.

"Every game this year we came out with effort," Pine Grove coach Jordan Lehman said about his squad. "We might be 0-3, but as far as effort, I can't complain about our team at all."

With the Pine Grove answering the call early, Pottsville coach Jake Wartella was instructing junior Letrel Montone to turn up the intensity.

Montone went to work running the offense as he found Matlock all alone at the top of the key for another triple. On the following Cardinal possession, Montone and Chivinski successfully forced a turnover, but Pottsville couldn't find points as Killian Skocik blocked the Crimson Tide's attempt

 

Game Summary

PINE GROVE (31) - Tobin 1 0-0 2, Brandt 1 1-2 3, Unger 7 1-2 17, Skocik 0 0-0 0, Sarge 2 0-0 6, Brommer 0 0-2 0, Felty 1 0-0 3. Totals 13 2-6 31.

POTTSVILLE (58) - Palko 2 0-1 4, Matlock 5 1-3 14, Becker 1 1-2 3, Montone 1 2-2 5, Allen 1 1-2 3, Baibridge 1 1-2 3, Pogash 0 0-0 0, Chivinski 3 0-2 7, Oswald 1 0-0 2, Alvarez 1 0-0 2, Watkins 2 1-1 6, Shappell 4 0-1 9, Hughes-Crane 0 0-0 0, Flicker-White 0 0-0 0. Totals 22 7-16 58.

PG (0-3, 0-1);16;3;5;7;-;31

Potts (2-1, 1-0);11;12;16;19;-;58

3-point FGs: Unger, Sarge 2, Felty, Matlock 3, Montone, Chivinski, Watkins, Shappell 

Pottsville seeking 13th straight league championship

Could there be a shake-up in the Schuylkill League boys' basketball hierarchy or will the favorites stand tall?

For the last 13 seasons, Pottsville has held a stranglehold on the Schuylkill League Division I title, reaching the league final in every one of those seasons. The Crimson Tide have won 10 overall league titles in that span, including last year's crown with a 52-38 victory over Jim Thorpe.

Heavy graduation losses, however, leave Jake Wartella's squad looking for younger players to step up and continue the Tide's winning tradition.

Pottsville's Division I title streak is one of several boys' basketball storylines this season in the Schuylkill League, which will expand its playoffs to more than four teams for the first time since 1996.

Let's take a look at the three division races and other hot topics heading into league play, which started Wednesday night with a pair of games and continues tonight with a full slate of games.

Division I

Could this be the year for change atop the Division I standings?

Jim Thorpe, Blue Mountain, North Schuylkill and Panther Valley certainly believe that is possible.

What do all these teams have in common? Experienced rosters that return dynamic scorers.

Let's start with Jim Thorpe, which made a late run to earn the Division I wild card and qualify for the league playoffs for the first time since 2010. The Olympians then knocked off Division III champion Shenandoah Valley in the semifinals before falling to Pottsville in the finals.

Senior guard Kaiden Herron (15.0 ppg) leads the way and is joined by a pair of 6-foot-6 big men in senior Bryson Heydt and junior Noah Rosahac. Look for the Olympians to take advantage of height mismatches, while allowing Herron to be the playmaker in the offense. Other key returning players for Jim Thorpe include senior guards Jasper DiSanto and Andrew Warner.

"Our size and experience will be our strengths this season," Olympians coach Jason McElmoyle said. "We need to continue to focus on the fundamentals and build off of each practice."

Blue Mountain is no stranger to the league playoffs, and the Eagles have a senior-laden roster hungry to make another postseason appearance.

Sharpshooting guard Kade Henninger graduated, but senior guards Carson Kerstetter (12.8 ppg) and Brogan Campbell and junior forward Isaac Thomas lead a veteran and athletic squad that also includes returning seniors Matt Caulfield and Derek Walasavage and junior Tyler Miller.

The Eagles just missed the league playoffs a year ago, then took Pottsville to overtime in the District 11 Class 5A semifinals before falling 60-54.

North Schuylkill is hungry for more after coming within a bucket of making the state playoffs with a 44-42 loss to Wilson in the District 11 Class 4A semifinals.

Junior guard Jack Keiter (14.7 ppg), senior guard Drew Miller and junior Zane Zulkowski (7.2 ppg) will man the backcourt, while forwards Jack Dean and Tyrone Chambers will bring physicality and grit to the paint. Junior Joey Flail, a key newcomer, brings athleticism and speed to the Spartans after sitting out last season.

"We expect to be competitive and work hard," said William Bracey, entering his third season as the Spartans' head coach.

Panther Valley is another team in Division I hungry for success.

Led by Patrick Crampsie in his 21st year at the helm, the Panthers return their top six players from last season's 12-11 squad. Junior forward Stephen Hood (14.8 ppg) and senior forward Bradley Hood combined for 71 3-pointers, while junior point guard Chase Weaver averaged 11.7 points per game and sophomore shooter Drew Kokinda drained 32 3-pointers. Senior forwards Michael Pascoe and Austin Hadley add physicality and toughness inside and on the boards.

With scoring coming from all angles, Panther Valley expects to be competing for a Division I title and be a factor in the District 11 Class 3A playoffs.

"We're very excited about where our program is right now," Crampsie said. "We want to raise the bar from consistently making the playoffs to consistently competing for championships."

Of course, those four squads still have to beat Pottsville, which will be no easy feat.

Wartella returns for his third season at the helm looking to replace most of his offensive production from last year's squad that went 19-8 and won the Schuylkill League and District 11 Class 5A titles before falling to Marple-Newtown in the first round of the state playoffs.

All-Area selections Jazce Carabello-Snowell (16.2 ppg), Darren Yost (10.0 ppg) and Raeff DiCello (10.0 ppg) all graduated, as did 3-point sharpshooter Mike Sukeena and guard Chase Fenstermacher.

Seniors Nick Chivinski, Rylen Matlock, Amaree Bainbridge and Tejay Allen return, as does 6-3 forward Joey Palko, who missed last season due to injury and should give Pottsville a presence in the paint. How quickly those players fall into their roles will determine the Tide's success.

Until somebody beats the Tide, they're still the favorite to win Division I.

Pine Grove, Tamaqua and Lehighton are a level below the other five teams in the Division I race, but each is capable of surprising any of the title contenders on a given night.

The Cardinals will be guided by new head coach Jordan Lehman, who coached the Tri-Valley baseball team to District 11 titles the past two springs. Tamaqua will be led by standout scorer Connor Dillon (12.6 ppg), while Lehighton possess a group of young players ready to turn the Indians into contenders.

New look playoffs

The Schuylkill League will roll out a new playoff format this season.

Instead of the traditional four qualifiers - three division champions and a wild-card team from Division I - the new playoff look will have two more teams in the league postseason contention.

The traditional champions from Division I, II and III, along with the Division I wild card will still be there. Additionally, though, there will be an opportunity for two more teams to make the playoffs, making it a six-team tournament.

Using District 11 rating points, one more team from Division I and one more from Divisions II and III will make the post-season tournament.

The top two teams overall will receive byes into the semifinals. The other four will meet in a quarterfinal round that will ultimately set up the semifinal matchups.

An exciting opportunity for more competition in what should be a very competitive season for all three divisions.

Contact the writer: edoyle@republicanherald; (570) 628-6019; @iamelidoyle on Twitter

 

BOYS' BASKETBALL: 2022-23 preview capsules

SCHUYLKILL LEAGUE ��

Boys' Hoops at a glance

2021-22 Recap

Schuylkill League

Division I champion - Pottsville

Division II champion - Tri-Valley

Division III champion - Shenandoah Valley

Division I wild card - Jim Thorpe

Overall champion - Pottsville

District champions

Class 5A - Pottsville

Class AA - Shenandoah Valley

Class A - Nativity

2022-23 Key Dates

Feb. 14-15 - League semifinals

Feb. 17 - League finals

Week of Feb. 20 - District playoffs begin

New coaches

Pine Grove - Jordan Lehman

Minersville - Dave Mullaney

Marian - Scott Murphy

Hamburg - Kevin McFarland

 

Crimson Tide Gets 1st Win

Pottsville 51, ELCO 37

POTTSVILLE - Nick Chivinski was the only Crimson Tide player in double figures, scoring a game-high 16 points in the non-league victory over ELCO at Martz Hall.

Pottsville used a 25-8, second-quarter run to break the game open. Rylen Matlock followed Chivinski with nine points.

ELCO (37) - Kless 3 0-0 9, Wentzel 0 0-0 0, Marquette 6 0-0 12, Kreide 1 0-0 2, George 0 0-0 0, James 0 0-0 0, Rodriguez 0 0-0 0, Boyer 3 0-0 7, Grey 1 0-0 2, Fritsch 0 0-0 0, Thornton 2 0-0 5. Totals 16 0-0 37.

POTTSVILLE (51) - Palko 2 0-0 4, Matlock 3 1-1 9, Montone 2 4-4 8, Allen 3 0-0 6, Bainbridge 1 2-2 4, Chivinski 7 1-1 16, Oswald 0 0-0 0, Shappell 2 0-0 4. Totals 20 8-13 51.

Tide Falls To Wilson

 

Wilson 46, Pottsville 34

POTTSVILLE - Rylen Matlock scored eight points as Pottsville fell to Wilson West Lawn in a non-league game Friday night at Martz Hall.

Letrel Montone and Tyler Shappell each added six points for the Crimson Tide.

WILSON (46) - Melogrdwa 5 3-4 17, Gruber 3 3-4 9, Harding 4 1-2 9, Correll 3 0-1 8, McFadden 1 0-0 2, Odiale 0 1-2 1. Totals 16 8-13 46.

POTTSVILLE (34) - Matlock 3 2-3 8, Montone 2 2-4 6, Shappell 2 0-1 6, Chivinski 2 0-0 5, Allen 2 0-0 4, Palko 1 1-2 3, Bainbridge 1 0-0 2. Totals 13 5-10 34.

Wil (1-0);11;13;9;13;-;46

Potts (0-1);3;13;9;9;-;34