Mid Valley and Holy Cross each posted road victories Wednesday night to finish the Lackawanna League Division 3 boys season tied for first place, forcing a playoff that is planned for Saturday at 7 p.m.
Both teams faced some early struggles before finishing strong to wrap up divisional play with 10-2 records.
Mid Valley held Lakeland to seven second-half points to pull away for a 41-23 victory.
Holy Cross trailed by six points after one quarter before steadily taking control in a 55-40 win at Carbondale.
Danny Nemitz scored 17 points to lead Mid Valley, which improved to 18-4 overall.
The Spartans went 18-for-23 from the line.
Gabe Pacyna chipped in with 10 points.
Kaeden Carr scored 20 points to lead Holy Cross. He had five of the team’s points when it trailed, 13-7, after one quarter and scored at least four in each quarter.
Logan Tierney added 14 points while Will Kittrell had 10.
Jay Allen made four 3-pointers while leading Carbondale with 18 points.
Holy Cross, the No. 2 Small School boys team in the My City Mortgage Super Six Power Rankings of District 2 teams, has won 13 straight to improve to 17-5 overall.
Mid Valley has won five straight since losing control of the division lead with consecutive losses, including 52-45 at Holy Cross. The Spartans won the first meeting, 47-32, at home.
Holy Cross began divisional play with consecutive losses to Mid Valley and Dunmore. Mid Valley’s other loss came to Old Forge.
Dunmore is a tentative site of Saturday’s playoff game, but that still needs to be finalized.
