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Penn State Wilkes-Barre basketball opening postseason vs. Penn State Hazleton

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Those exhilirating, entertaining and electric moments that left some teams elated and other deflated during last week&#8217;s inaugural Wyoming Valley Conference playoffs may only be an appetizer for what&#8217;s to come.The main course is here.And that promises to dish up plenty of delight when the District 2 girls basketball playoffs open Tuesday night.&#8220;Playoffs are a different animal,&#8221; Hazleton Area coach Joe Gavio said. &#8220;You&#8217;ll see the best basketball in the next two weeks.&#8220;Because if you lose, it&#8217;s over.&#8221;What&#8217;s on the menu?For openers, how about a Class 4A district doubleheader at Wyoming Valley West High School, where No. 3 seed Lake-Lehman will play at 6 p.m. Tuesday, followed by a game involving second-seeded Berwick.If both win, they&#8217;ll get to settle a week-long argument on the floor in Friday&#8217;s semifinal round.Berwick made the four-team WVC playoffs as a wild card with an 18-4 record over 17-5 Lehman, but only because the league went by District 2 power ratings &#8212; which award a scale of points based on records of teams, their opponents and state classifications &#8212; which were not complete when the league playoff field was determined.When WVC officials called for a last-minute cutoff for the ratings to set its league playoff field, Berwick was ahead of Lehman in the Class 4A district power ratings with opponents for both still awaiting makeup games. But by the time of the opening league playoff game, Lehman had moved in ahead in the ratings but was left behind for the WVC tournament.When the dust cleared on the power ratings, Berwick jumped Lehman back to the second seed in the district&#8217;s Class 4A playoffs.&#8220;A lot of people felt we shouldn&#8217;t be (number) two,&#8221; said Berwick coach Bill Phillips, whose 18-5 Bulldogs lost to Lehman late in the regular season, then dropped a WVC semifinal to Hazleton Area. &#8220;We thought we deserved to be there.&#8221;His Bulldogs will open against Dallas while vying for a third straight trip to states. Meanwhile, 17-5 Nanticoke Area aims for a fourth straight state run to the District 2 Class 4A semifinals as it takes on Western Wayne in another opener, at 7:30 p.m. at Hazleton Area High School.Elsewhere, Northwest will be shooting for a second straight &#8212; and second-ever &#8212; run to a district finals when it opens Class 2A action against Lackawanna Trail.The winners of Tuesday&#8217;s Class 2A and Class 4A quarterfinals will advance to the semifinals Friday, when the WVC&#8217;s only top seed, Hazleton Area, tries to wipe away memories of a harrowing home loss in the WVC championship in a District 2/4 subregional against Delaware Valley.The Cougars watched a 10-point lead late in the third quarter vanish during a scoring drought that lasted more than 8 1/2 minutes and led to a double-digit loss to Holy Redeemer.&#8220;I thought we had them,&#8221; Gavio said. &#8220;We&#8217;re playing great, up by 10 with the ball, then we didn&#8217;t run our stuff. We thought we let one get away. We&#8217;re a good team, we just had a bad finish. We&#8217;re good enough and big enough. We think we can make a run in the district.&#8221;Before the defending champion Cougars go chasing after a third District 2/4 title in four years, an enticing buffet of more action&#8217;s in store Wednesday.There is a matchup of WVC Division 1 rivals Wyoming Valley West and Pittston Area, which always seems to turn into a tussle during districts, in a 6 p.m. Class 5A opener at Lake-Lehman High School.And there&#8217;s a possibility Meyers will play its final game and Coughlin quite likely will before both schools merge with GAR next year to form a new juncture that&#8217;ll be known as Wilkes-Barre Area.Coughlin is 0-21 at the bottom of the District 2 Class 5A field, has won just once since the PIAA went to six classes last year and faces top-seeded and three-time defending district champ Abington Heights at 6 p.m. Wednesday at Scranton.Meyers lost twice to WVC Division 3 champion Wyoming Seminary &#8212; although the last time was by a single point in their regular-season finale &#8212; and they&#8217;ll meet again at 6 p.m. Wednesday at Pittston Area High School in a Class 3A quarterfinal.And in another Class 3A district opener, a Holy Redeemer team that comes off Saturday&#8217;s first-ever overall WVC championship and went 19-0 against league opponents will try to win its seventh straight first-round district game.That&#8217;s no given when the second-seeded Royals, who played in the last four District 2 finals and won two of them (once in Class 2A, then in Class 3A in 2017) face Lakeland at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at Pittston Area High School.Redeemer&#8217;s perfect league season looked in peril a few times over the last two weeks, as the Royals went to the wire with Nanticoke Area, barely escaped Lehman, struggled mightily against Sem and were double digits down before ripping off a 23-point run in the final 11 minutes Saturday to take the WVC title from Hazleton Area.All of which Redeemer insists will play out as the perfect preparation for district play.&#8220;That&#8217;s going to really help us going into the playoffs now,&#8221; said Julia Andrejko, who led Redeemer to the league title with 15 points.&#8220;We beat Nanticoke by two points, we beat Lehman by one, this was a very tough game,&#8221; Royals star center Sam Yencha said. &#8220;It really gets us ready for districts and states.&#8220;Because a lot of the games are going to be like that.&#8221;Here&#8217;s a look what the whole District 2 field will be like when all the intensity turns up, starting Tuesday night.CLASS 6A(1 team to states)Seedings: 1. Hazleton Area (18-6); 2. Williamsport (10-12); 3. Scranton (7-15); 4. Delaware Valley (1-21)Defending champ: Hazleton AreaOutlook: Led by gritty Marissa Trivelpiece, smooth point guard Brooke Boretski and energetic super sub Olivia Wolk, Hazleton Area ripped off 15 wins in its last 17 games. They appeared headed to a 16th victory during that stretch until stumbling late in Saturday&#8217;s WVC title game against Holy Redeemer. How quickly the Cougars recover from that will determine how far they go in a District 2/4 field that includes Scranton&#8217;s 6-foot-3 center Colette Mulderig and a Williamsport team that won four of five games before dropping its past two.Prediction: Hazleton Area won two of the past three District 2/4 titles and should have little trouble making that three of four against Williamsport in the finals. No other district opponent has a winning record.CLASS 5A(2 teams to states)Seedings: 1. Abington Heights (17-5); 2. Wallenpaupack (15-7); 3. Wyoming Valley West (14-8); 4. West Scranton (12-10); 5. North Pocono (13-9); 6. Pittston Area (9-13); 7. Crestwood (3-19); 8. Coughlin (0-21) Defending champ: Abington HeightsOutlook: Make that three-time defending district champ Abington Heights, and head coach Deanna Klingman, a former Wyoming Valley West standout, has the Comets primed to win a fourth behind rebounding machine Erin Albright. Abington Heights won 14 of 15 games through the heart of the season while losing only to Scranton Prep, and nearly avenged that in a two-point defeat when the teams met for a second time in the season. Of the WVC teams in the tourney, Valley West probably has the best shot to upend the Comets, but only if sharpshooter Toni Amato can get hot.Prediction: Abington Heights doesn&#8217;t dazzle you with electrifying offensive players. The Comets just destroy you with a confounding defense and total teamwork. They&#8217;ll do it again against Wallenpaupack in the title game.CLASS 4A(3 teams to states)Seedings: 1. Scranton Prep (21-1); 2. Berwick (18-5); 3. Lake-Lehman (17-5); 4. Nanticoke Area (17-5); 5. Western Wayne (13-9); 6. Valley View (13-9); 7. Dallas (12-10); 8. Tunkhannock (11-11)Defending champ: Scranton PrepOutlook: The toughest class in districts includes powerful Prep and three WVC teams that have every right to claim the No. 2 spot behind the Classics. Heck, even eighth-seeded Tunkhannock brings a .500 record in &#8212; a tribute to rookie head coach Amanda Golden. The Classics have just one loss &#8212; to perfect Class 3A favorite Dunmore &#8212; but don&#8217;t be surprised to see the Tigers hang with Prep for awhile in the quarterfinals.Among the three WVC powers, Berwick beat Nanticoke Area, Nanticoke Area beat Lake-Lehman and Lake-Lehman beat Berwick during a regular season that gave all three of them similar records. Alyssa Lewis and Jil Baron lead a Nanticoke Area team that&#8217;s been to four straight District 2 semifinals; super sophomores Katie Starr and Renny Murphy team with 6-foot Megan Dalo give returning two-time semifinalist Berwick some bite; and the the leadership and marksmanship of Savannah Purdy and that brick wall in the middle named Madison Borum just may make Lehman better than both of them.We&#8217;ll find out. Since three teams go to states and Prep is almost automatic to grab the first of those spots, it&#8217;ll likely leave those three WVC foes battling for two berths.Prediction: That Lehman victory over Berwick was no fluke and the Black Knights will prove it in the district semifinals. Then Prep will hold off Lehman for the championship, while Berwick squeezes past Nanticoke Area for third place.CLASS 3A(2 teams to states)Seedings: 1. Dunmore (22-0); 2. Holy Redeemer (19-3); 3. Riverside (18-4); 4. Wyoming Seminary (14-9); 5. Meyers (12-10); 6. Mid Valley (8-14); 7. Lakeland (7-15); 8. Carbondale (5-17)Defending champ: DunmoreOutlook: Riding 6-2 Victoria Toomey, Lisa Tallo and Gianna Delfino, it&#8217;s easy to see why the Bucks are unbeaten in their 22 games. What&#8217;s more, they&#8217;ve won 10 of the past 12 district titles, including last year&#8217;s with basically the same crew. The only real roadblock in Dunmore&#8217;s path to another District 2 title is a 21-3 Holy Redeemer team on a 12-game winning streak that has won 18 of 19, including Saturday&#8217;s overall WVC title. And that&#8217;s asking a lot, since the Bucks blasted Redeemer 63-31 earlier this season. That was back in mid-December, and Sam Yencha, Julia Andrejko and the rest of the Royals have improved significantly since then. But so has Dunmore.Prediction: Yencha and Andrejko were part of a Holy Redeemer team that pulled an upset and ruined a perfect season for Dunmore by winning the 2017 District 2 Class 3A title game. Can they do it again? History says sure, so look for the Royals to repeat it.CLASS 2A(2 teams to states)Seedings: 1. Old Forge (17-5); 2. Holy Cross (14-8); 3. Northwest (13-9); 4. Mountain View (9-13); 5. Elk Lake (10-12); 6. Lackawanna Trail (1-21); 7. Blue Ridge (2-20)Defending champ: Old ForgeOutlook: It&#8217;s the last go-around for Northwest senior scoring star and returning all-stater Brenna Babcock, so don&#8217;t expect the Rangers to go down quietly. She led Northwest into the school&#8217;s first-ever District 2 title game and state playoffs last season and would like another shot of that excitement. The Rangers rallied from an up-and-down season with five straight victories to close their schedule &#8212; although two of those came against winless MMI Prep. Defending champ Old Forge gets a bye into the semifinals with the seven-team bracket&#8217;s best record. The Blue Devils won seven of their last eight games and 10 of 12 behind 3-point bombers Lindsey Welsh and Abbey Ney and high-scoring forward Olivia Ciullo.Prediction: Old Forge is once again the class of the district&#8217;s 2A field, and will prove it by flustering Holy Cross in the championship.CLASS A(2 teams to states)Seedings: 1. Susquehanna (16-6); 2. Weatherly (15-7); 3. Nativity BVM (10-12); 4. Salem Christian (12-7)Defending champ: SusquehannaOutlook: Since top-seeded Susquehanna is the only District 2 team in the District 2/11 subregional, the Sabers will face 3-19 Forest City at 4 p.m. Feb. 28 at Mohegan Sun Arena for the District 2 title. That&#8217;s two days after Susquehanna opens the subregional quarterfinals and right before top players Taylor Huyck, Mackenzie Steele and Mackenzie Heath put their high-scoring abilities on display in the subregional title game. Susquehanna lost head coach Errol Mannick, who needed just five years to turn the program from an also-ran to a two-time District 2/11 champion, when he accepted a job at Lackawanna College before the season, but not the winning ways he left behind.Prediction: Susquehanna may have to weather a storm with No. 2 seed Weatherly, but the Sabers appeared primed for a District 2/11 three-peat.<style>
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<div class="neCaption">Berwick&#8217;s Katie Starr will try to help the Bulldogs reach the District 2 semifinals for a third straight season in Class 4A action, while Northwest&#8217;s Tess Edwards (back) and the Rangers are bidding to make the second Class 2A District 2 championship game in school history. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/web1_TTL012619GBB-NW-Berwick_1.jpg</photo0><caption0>Berwick&#8217;s Katie Starr will try to help the Bulldogs reach the District 2 semifinals for a third straight season in Class 4A action, while Northwest&#8217;s Tess Edwards (back) and the Rangers are bidding to make the second Class 2A District 2 championship game in school history. </caption0><photoCredit0>Bill Tarutis file photo | For Times Leader </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/web1_SRM_9079.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Hazleton Area&#8217;s Marissa Trivelpiece will try to lead the Cougars to their third District 2/4 subregional championship in four seasons when Class 6A action opens Thursday. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/web1_SRM_9079.jpg</photo1><caption1>Hazleton Area&#8217;s Marissa Trivelpiece will try to lead the Cougars to their third District 2/4 subregional championship in four seasons when Class 6A action opens Thursday. </caption1><photoCredit1>Sean McKeag file photo | For Times Leader </photoCredit1></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/web1_TTL020719GBBLLBerwick3.jpeg-2.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Lake-Lehman&#8217;s Madison Borum (50) drives and Berwick&#8217;s Megan Dalo (24) may get a chance to renew their battle and settle a score if their teams can get past District 2 Class 4A quaerterfinal games tonight. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo2>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/web1_TTL020719GBBLLBerwick3.jpeg-2.jpg</photo2><caption2>Lake-Lehman&#8217;s Madison Borum (50) drives and Berwick&#8217;s Megan Dalo (24) may get a chance to renew their battle and settle a score if their teams can get past District 2 Class 4A quaerterfinal games tonight. </caption2><photoCredit2>Sean McKeag file photo | For Times Leader </photoCredit2></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/web1_TTL021719GBB-Redeemer-Hazleton_4-1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Holy Redeemer&#8217;s Sam Yencha (right) will try to lead the Royals to their third District 2 title in four years, while Hazleton Area&#8217;s Marissa Trivelpiece (left) will be hoping to lift the Cougars to a second straight Class 6A district crown. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo3>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/web1_TTL021719GBB-Redeemer-Hazleton_4-1.jpg</photo3><caption3>Holy Redeemer&#8217;s Sam Yencha (right) will try to lead the Royals to their third District 2 title in four years, while Hazleton Area&#8217;s Marissa Trivelpiece (left) will be hoping to lift the Cougars to a second straight Class 6A district crown. </caption3><photoCredit3>Bill Tarutis file photo | For Times Leader </photoCredit3></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><subheadMeta>Excitement building as District 2 girls basketball playoffs open today</subheadMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta>By Paul Sokoloskipsokoloski@www.timesleader.com</bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta>Reach Paul Sokoloski at 570-991-6392 or on Twitter @TLPaulSokoloski</shirttailMeta></div>

Breaking down the District 2 girls basketball tournaments