EDITOR’S NOTE: While NEPABasketball.com compiles more complete reports, here is a quick recap of Wednesday’s highlights.
Old Forge returned to the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association boys semifinals for the second straight year while Holy Redeemer got there for the first time ever with victories in quarterfinal games Wednesday night.
The Blue Devils and Royals join Dallas, which won its boys quarterfinal game Tuesday, as District 2’s representatives in the state semifinals.
District 2 teams went 2-3 in state quarterfinals Wednesday night, including heart-breaking losses by the Dunmore girls and Holy Cross boys by one and two points. The Scranton boys were also eliminated.
Old Forge defeated Lancaster Mennonite, 66-54, in a Class 2A boys game to wrap up a doubleheader at Bethlehem Liberty.
Holy Redeemer opened a boys doubleheader at Bethlehem Freedom by defeating Math, Civics & Sciences from Philadelphia, 56-48, in a Class 3A game.
Jim Thorpe edged Dunmore, 40-39, in Class 4A girls at the Berwick Middle School.
Constitution defeated Holy Cross, 50-48, in the first game of the Class 2A boys doubleheader at Liberty.
Lower Merion routed Scranton, 72-44, in a Class 6A boys game at Freedom.
Old Forge is continuing its series of rematches. The Blue Devils opened the state tournament for the second straight year by beating Wyalusing Valley, downed Lancaster Mennonite in the quarterfinals for the second straight time and will repeat last year’s state semifinal matchup where the Blue Devils lost to Constitution from Philadelphia.
The Blue Devils carried a small lead throughout, then pulled away with a 24-15 fourth quarter in which Joe Macciocco scored 10 of his 18 points.
Macciocco led four Old Forge scorers in double figures.
Ayden Davitt and Matt Kuckla scored 15 points each while Mario Samony had 13.
Old Forge scored the game’s first nine points and outscored Lancaster Mennonite 11-4 over the final 1:24.
The Blue Devils play Constitution Saturday when Holy Redeemer will be playing Devon Prep, a 60-51 winner over West Catholic.
Matt Prociak scored 18 points and grabbed 14 rebounds for Holy Redeemer, which also led throughout most of its game.
Zach Perta went 8-for-10 from the line while adding 17 points. Justice Shoats scored 13 points for the Royals, who were making their second appearance ever in the state quarterfinals.
Shoats scored four points and Prociak hit a 3-pointer during an 8-0 run to end the first quarter and start the second quarter, putting Holy Redeemer up 14-10.
Dunmore scored first and led all the way until Skyler Searfoss scored while moving across the lane with 2.3 seconds left.
The Lady Bucks, playing the entire state tournament without injured Naismith All-American Ciera Toomey, jumped out to leads of 6-0 and 15-2 on the way to a 25-11 halftime advantage.
District 11 champion Jim Thorpe (28-1) scored the first nine points of the second half to begin its comeback effort.
Olivia Smelas led the Olympians with 12 points, all of which came in the second half after she sat out the entire second quarter with three fouls. Leah Snisky added 10 points and 9 rebounds.
Sophia Talutto led Dunmore with 14 points while Moriah Murray added 10.
The Lady Bucks shot 50 percent (15-for-30) from the floor and committed just 7 turnovers, but were hurt by 5-for-14 foul shooting.
Holy Cross led after one quarter, then closed the third quarter with a 12-0 run to turn a 10-point deficit into a 34-32 lead against Constitution.
The Crusaders were down four before Logan Tierney scored a putback at the buzzer.
Demetrius Lilly led Lower Merion with 30 points and 14 rebounds.
Arvel Chandler had 13 points and Jason Shields 12 for Scranton in the loss.
MORE TO COME
This is just the start of the coverage recapping Wednesday’s state quarterfinals. Return to this website for more.
