BOYS ROUNDUP: Cougars defeat Trojans

Posted: Feb 08, 2022

Eli Yusavage scored 15 points and Taheed Jewell helped hold off host North Pocono late as Valley View posted a 55-50 Lackawanna League Division 1-2 boys crossover victory.

The loss by defending champion North Pocono allowed Wallenpaupack to clinch at least a tie for first place in Division 2.

North Pocono scored six straight get within, 53-50, in the final minute.

The Trojans had multiple chances for the tie, including tying up an offensive rebound for a held ball with the arrow in their favor with three seconds left.

North Pocono came out of a timeout with the ball under the basket, but Jewell intercepted the in-bounds pass.

Jewell was fouled and hit both free throws with 1.9 seconds left to finish a 13-point, 10-rebound effort.

A.J. Kucharski added 12 points, including 10 in the second half, while L.V. Pegula had 11. Connor Hilling dished out six assists.

The Cougars have won both games since Yusavage and Colin Skeen returned from injury.

Yusavage had missed the previous eight games and Skeen six.

Even with those absences, Valley View is 4-3 since struggling through a six-game losing streak.

Billy Pabst scored 21 points for North Pocono, which slipped to 6-4 in the league and 12-5 overall.

Pabst had 11 points when the Trojans cut a 14-7 deficit after one quarter to 27-25 at halftime.

Valley View had opened the game by running out to leads of 7-2 and 11-4.

Abington Heights 44, Western Wayne 7

Abington Heights held visiting Western Wayne without a point for the last 10:46 and without a field goal for the last 19:22 to complete its climb into a three-way tie for the Lackawanna Division 1 lead with the crossover victory.

The Comets responded to Western Wayne scoring the first basket by holding the Wildcats scoreless for 11:04 until beyond the midway point of the second quarter while scoring 20 points for a 20-2 lead.

Then, after Western Wayne hit consecutive baskets, Abington Heights outscored the Wildcats, 24-1, the rest of the way.

Eight Comets scored between three and eight points.

Mason Fedor led the way with eight while Jamison Bessoir added seven.

No Wildcat managed more than two points.

Abington Heights, Scranton and Scranton Prep are all 7-2 in Division 1.

Mid Valley 48, Riverside 34

Host Mid Valley moved into a tie with Holy Cross for the Lackawanna Division 3 lead by damaging the title repeat hopes of third-place Riverside.

The Spartans trailed by one at halftime, but outscored Riverside, 16-7, in the third quarter for a 35-27 advantage and continued to expand the lead from there.

Delaware Valley 73, Honesdale 62

Delaware Valley ran out to a 22-2 lead after one quarter against visiting Honesdale in the Lackawanna Division 2 game.

Noah Newton had two 3-pointers and scored eight of his nine points during the first quarter.

Ryan Doherty scored 22 points and Jake Brower 20 in the win.

Doherty had six points and Brower five while Vinny Natiello hit a 3-pointer in the first quarter.

Karter Kromko hit Honesdale’s only basket of the first quarter and went on to finish with a game-high 26 points, including 18 in the second half.

Nate Hugaboom made three second-half 3-pointers and added 14 points.

Old Forge 57, Dunmore 50

Joe Macciocco scored 22 points as Old Forge went on the road to extend its winning streak to five games, complete a season sweep of Dunmore and pass the Bucks into fourth place in the Lackawanna Division 3 standings.

Mario Samony added 15 points and Ayden Davitt 12 in the win.

Adriel DeNaples scored 16 points and Kevin Walsh 14 for Dunmore.

Lakeland 42, Carbondale 34

Lakeland kept Carbondale winless in Lackawanna Division 3 with the road victory.

Blue Ridge 74, Mountain View 67

Connor Cranage scored 26 points and grabbed 13 rebounds to lead host Blue Ridge to the Lackawanna Division 4 win.

Mountain View led late in the third quarter, but Blue Ridge outscored the Eagles, 7-4, to tie the game at 52-52 going into the fourth quarter. The Raiders then took control with a 14-4 start to the fourth quarter.

Dylan Bradley, who grabbed 13 rebounds, and J.J. Rosa, who dished out 8 assists, each scored 12 points for Blue Ridge.

The Raiders had five players finish in double figures.

Coleman McCain scored 11 points and Carson Gallagher 10.

Ryan Henke scored a game-high 27 points for Mountain View. Tanner Stout added 12.

Elk Lake 52, Susquehanna 32

Host Elk Lake won its fifth straight to remain a game up in the Lackawanna Division 4 race with two to go.

Forest City 56, Montrose 46

Forest City won on the road to improve to 6-3 in Lackawanna Division 4.

Tunkhannock 59, Wyoming Valley West 56

Ben Chilson scored 26 points as host Tunkhannock posted the overtime victory in Wyoming Valley Conference Division 1.

Dylan Mateus added 13 points in the win.

Jonathan Mann scored 18 points and Ryan Sullivan 13 for Wyoming Valley West.