The odds plummet dramatically for Wyoming Valley Conference boys basketball teams at this point in the PIAA state playoffs.
Over the previous 10 seasons, the WVC had 32 teams qualify for the state playoffs. Only four have been able to get beyond the second round, which takes place Tuesday and Wednesday.
The problem is the level of opponent intensifies and, in the case of Holy Redeemer, it shoots up dramatically. Redeemer gets District 12 behemoth Neumann-Goretti, winners of eight of the last 10 Class 3A state titles, next.
“I’m very familiar,” Holy Redeemer coach Paul Guido said. “Even from the beginning of Holy Redeemer when Mark (Belenski) was here we ran into N-G back in the Peter Alexis days. I‘m very familiar with coach Carl (Arrigale) and their program and the dynasty they got. It’s something that keeps happening to us the way the bracket shapes up, that we keep crossing paths with them.”
Pittston Area, which won its first state game in school history on Friday, gets another D12 power in Archbishop Wood on Tuesday. Dallas has the best chance of getting to the quarterfinals, but it won’t be easy against D3 fifth seed William Penn of York.
The four WVC teams to make it to the quarterfinals the past 10 seasons were Holy Redeemer (2011), Meyers (2014), Nanticoke Area (2017) and Hazleton Area (2018).
Three District 2 teams from the Lackawanna Conference are also playing in second-round games. D2-2A champion Holy Cross (23-2) plays D1 champion Dock Mennonite (21-4) at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at Bethlehem Liberty High School. D2-3A runner-up Riverside (20-6) gets D3 champion Trinity (22-3) at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Martz Hall in Pottsville.
On Wednesday, D2-4A runner-up Valley View (18-8) plays D12 champion Bonner Prendergast (19-5) at 7:30 p.m. at Bethlehem Libery.
Dallas (20-7) vs. William Penn (21-7)
PIAA Class 5A Second Round
7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Shamokin HS
Now that Dallas put behind that bland offensive performance in a 33-32 loss to Wallenpaupack in the District 2 championship game, the Mountaineers will try to venture where just one team in program history has been.
A win vs. York’s William Penn will put Dallas in a state quarterfinal game for only the second time. The other came in 1967, but also came with an asterisk. The 1967 state playoffs consisted of only the champions of the PIAA’s 12 districts. Dallas didn’t play in the Class B opening round and its first game was in the quarterfinals. There, the Mountaineers lost to District 12 champion Montrose. (The old District 12 is now the northern part of District 2).
Anyway, Dallas overcame D12 fourth seed Frankford’s unexpected hot 3-point shooting for a 69-57 win in the opening round. The victory put Dallas in the second round for the fourth time since the PIAA went to 32-team fields in 1972, with the others coming in 1984, 1991 and 2018.
Sophomore guard Nick Nocito scored a career-high 28 points against Frankford, scoring 10 consecutive points to start the second quarter as Dallas took advantage of sloppy ballhandling by the Pioneers. Senior Jack Farrell pretty much put the Mountaineers in control with a pair of corner 3-pointers to start the fourth quarter.
Farrell is Dallas’ tallest starter at 6-foot-4. He and 6-3 Luke DelGaudio did enough on the boards to offset Frankford’s overall height advantage in the paint.
D3 fifth seed William Penn doesn’t have Frankford’s size nor does it seem likely the Bearcats will go crazy from behind the arc. They haven’t been much of a 3-point shooting team this season other than 6-4 senior Cameron Gallon, who has 45 3-pointers. Then again, they were 9-of-18 from behind the arc in their first-round win, outscoring D11 champ Southern Lehigh 29-16 in the fourth quarter on the way to a 69-59 win.
Gallon leads the team with a 11.6 scoring average followed by 6-3 senior Branden Mutugna (10.5), 5-11 junior Antoine Beard (10.3) and 6-4 senior Isiah Carroll (9.6). Mutugna and Carroll are the top rebounders.
The Bearcats are attempting to get to the quarterfinals for the first time since 2009 when they won the Class 4A state championship.
The winner plays Friday in the quarterfinals against the winner of the game between D2 third seed Pittston Area (18-9) and D12 champion Archbishop Wood (21-5).
Pittston Area (18-9) vs. Archbishop Wood (21-5)
PIAA Class 5A Second Round
7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Bethlehem Freedom HS
One word can never be used to describe Pittston Area’s season — dull. The District 2 third seed Patriots have lived on the edge for most of the season with 12 of their games decided by four points or less. They’re 6-6 in those games.
The latest installment came in a 42-40 first-round victory over D1 third seed Penncrest. Pittston Area scored two points in the first quarter and trailed 14-2. The Patriots scored just five points in the third quarter, but held Penncrest to seven. Then came the final seconds where Andrew Krawczyk scored the game’s final points on a three-point play with 16.8 seconds left and Pittston Area held on as Penncrest missed two shots in the final six seconds, including drive at the buzzer that rolled off the rim.
The victory was Pittston Area’s first state win after losing in its other six appearances. So no matter what happens Tuesday, the season will be a memorable one for the seven-man rotation of seniors Krawczyk, Logan Booth, Joe Cencetti, Mike George and Brennan Higgins, junior Matt Johnson and sophomore JJ Walsh.
It will also be memorable for first-year coach Al Semenza, although he’s a coaching veteran with previous stops that included Old Forge, Wyoming Area and Western Wayne. He’s seen plenty, but perhaps not an opponent like D12 champion Archbishop Wood.
Wood was the state runner-up last season. The Vikings won the state title in 2017. And based on the roster, they could be a major contender in 2021.
Wood’s starting lineup consists of five juniors — a trio of 6-foot-5 fellas in Muneer Newton, Marcus Randolph and Daeshon Shepherd, 6-3 Rahsool Diggins and 6-footer Jayleen Stinson.
Diggins has 20 Division I offers. Shephard has a dozen, Stinson 10 and Randolph seven. Newton is also getting some looks. Wood didn’t start well in its opening-round game against D1 sixth seed Strath Haven, leading just 25-21 at halftime. The Vikings, though, demonstrated how explosive they could be and won 72-45.
The winner plays in the quarterfinals Friday against the winner of the game between D2 runner-up Dallas (20-7) and D3 fifth seed William Penn (21-7).
Holy Redeemer (19-6) vs. Neumann-Goretti (23-4)
PIAA Class 3A Second Round
7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Easton Area MS
Here’s all you need to know about District 12 champion Neumann-Goretti. It’s not news when the Saints win the Class 3A state championship, it’s news when they don’t.
Neumann-Goretti had a run of five consecutive 3A state championships interrupted last year by Bishop McDevitt in the quarterfinals. A streak of three consecutive 3A state titles ended in the 2013 quarterfinals with a loss to Donegal. Both times the Saints received big-time scares from the D2-3A champions — Wyoming Seminary last year and Scranton Prep in 2013.
Otherwise, it’s been fairly smooth sailing in states for Neumann-Goretti and for good reason. The team is always loaded with talent and this year’s version is no exception.
First, there is a trio of seniors already inked by Division I programs. Jordan Hall is 6-foot-8, averages 10.7 points and 7.4 rebounds and is headed to St. Joseph’s. Hakim Byrd, a slick 5-11 point guard, averages 14.2 points and will play at Marist. Cameron Young is 6-6, tosses in 14.3 points and grabs 7.0 rebounds per game and will play at Bowling Green.
Plus, 6-1 junior Hysier Miller leads the team in scoring with a 14.3 average and has four Division I offers. Chris Evans and Blaise Vespe, a pair of 6-7 juniors, add scoring and size. Everybody in the lineup can shoot 3-pointers.
Neumann-Goretti led its first-round game against D3 fourth seed Brandywine Heights just 25-22 deep into the second quarter. The final score was 75-42.
D2 runner-up Holy Redeemer has run into Neumann-Goretti twice during the state playoffs. Neither experience was fun. Nuemann-Goretti won 91-56 in 2010 and 72-27 in 2017.
The Royals can not afford to start Wednesday’s game like they did their 61-32 opening-round win against D12 fourth seed SLA Beeber. They turned over the ball eight times in the first quarter, but Beeber didn’t take full advantage. Neumann-Goretti will if given the same opportunity to capitalize on mistakes.
Guards Justice Shoats and Mason Mendygral led the victory with 19 and 11 points, respectively. Big men Jared Piontkowski and Matt Prociak combined for 16 rebounds, but the task in the paint will be much tougher against a bigger and more talented Neumann-Goretti bunch.
The winner advances to Saturday’s quarterfinals against the winner of the game between D2 runner-up Camp Hill (18-7) and D4 champion Loyalsock (27-1).
