By Tom Robinson, NEPABasketball.com
There have been many changes to the Old Forge team that played its best basketball at the right time of the year and went all the way to last season’s Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association Class 2A state semifinals.
One thing that has not changed is that the Blue Devils remain a threat in Class 2A.
Old Forge, with a new coach and just one returning starter, begins the New Year with a 4-3 record and positioned second out of seven Class 2A teams in the Power Rankings formula used by District 2 to determine playoff seeding.
The Blue Devils, who had to postpone the championship game of their Anthony “Badger” Marseco Tournament to deal with COVID issues, are scheduled to begin Lackawanna League Division 3 play Thursday at home against Mid Valley.
J.J. Thomas took over when Jared Yanniello resigned shortly after the playoff run.
Thomas had assisted Yanniello the past eight seasons. A starter on the 28-1 team that reached the 2006-07 state quarterfinals, Thomas had earlier served as a volunteer assistant under former coach Al Semenza.
The quick transition of the coaching position allowed him plenty of time to work with the new combination of players.
“We did a lot of summer workouts,” said Thomas, who pointed out the players also attended camps together at East Stroudsburg and Alvernia. “We played a lot of games. We traveled and a lot and we were in the Riverfront (Sports) summer league (in Scranton).
“ … It was nice to get the guys out, especially to play some different opponents and to get them ready to play.”
Mario Samony is the only returning starter, but Ayden Davitt was a big producer in the state playoffs coming off the bench and Joe Macciocco has emerged as a leading offensive threat.
Macciocco had 28 points and Dino Domiano hit three first-half 3-pointers against Wyoming Area in the team’s most recent game.
Tyler Pepsin, the next-most experienced player after Davitt, could miss the season after suffering a serious leg injury in soccer season.
