NEW NIGHTS
The Lackawanna League begins a new routine Monday with boys playing primarily on Mondays and Thursdays after decades of playing mainly on Tuesdays and Fridays.
The boys have reversed regular dates with the girls schedule in the Lackawanna.
FORMAT
The Division 2 schedule and standings are made up of 13 games, two each in a home-and-home with divisional opponents and one game each against the five member schools in Division 1.
Division 2 teams won just 4 of 25 crossover games against Division 1 last season.
STARTING SLOWLY
COVID scenarios at various schools mean only one Division 2 team will play Monday, the scheduled opening date. Western Wayne will host West Scranton in a crossover game.
OTHER OPENERS
After canceling its James Akens Tournament during the holiday week and waiting an extra day, North Pocono looks to open the season Tuesday at home against Delaware Valley.
Wallenpaupack then is scheduled to begin divisional play at North Pocono Thursday.
Honesdale is currently in a COVID pause, leaving Thursday at Western Wayne as its earliest possible league opener.
FAVORITE
Defending champion North Pocono is the clear favorite, but major improvements have made Wallenpaupack into a threat to return to the top.
2021 STANDINGS
Last season’s final standings: North Pocono 10-3, Delaware Valley 8-5, Wallenpaupack 4-9, Honesdale 2-11, Western Wayne 0-13.
RANKINGS
North Pocono is ranked second among Big School boys teams in the My City Mortgage Super Six Power Rankings of District 2 teams.
CLASSIFICATIONS
Delaware Valley is a Class 6A team; North Pocono and Wallenpaupack are in Class 5A; and Honesdale and Western Wayne are Class 4A teams.
FOR THE RECORD
North Pocono went 5-1 in December non-league play to bring the best overall record among divisional teams into the start of the league season.
Wallenpaupack is 5-2, Delaware Valley 2-4, Honesdale 1-6 and Western Wayne 0-5.
Delaware Valley is currently fourth out of five teams in the District 2-4 Class 6A Power Ratings race for playoff seedings.
North Pocono leads and Wallenpaupack is fifth out of nine teams chasing eight spots in the District 2 Class 5A playoffs.
Honesdale and Western Wayne occupy the last two spots, in ninth and 10th, out of 10 teams trying to land the 8 spots in the district Class 4A playoff field.
RETURNING STARS
North Pocono’s Ryan Ruddy and Wallenpaupack’s Jack Smith were both first-team division all-stars last season on the team selected by NEPABasketball.com.
Wallenpaupack’s Wyatt Peifer, Delaware Valley’s Chris Cruz and Honesdale’s Karter Kromko made the second team.
