web1_crest_pot3_faa.jpg

H.S. Boys Basketball: Crestwood eliminated by Pottsville in 5A state playoffs

web1_Gordon-Denlinger.jpg

Their view: Small businesses face big predicament with $15 minimum wage

<p>BETHLEHEM &#8212; Nanticoke Area appeared to be on its way to quarterfinal round of the PIAA state Class 4A playoffs as the Trojans outplayed and outhustled District 12 champion Bonner-Prendergast with 33 first-half points at Freedom High School.</p><p>Three possessions into the third quarter, their fortune began to change and their season began to end.</p><p>The Trojans&#8217; first-half energy and pinpoint shooting was zapped by Bonner-Prendergast&#8217;s trapping defense that resulted in their share of breakaway layups in a 45-point second half that led to a 70-52 victory.</p><p>&#8220;The first three possessions of the third quarter we were a little disappointed not because they were terrible shots, but they were one-pass shots,&#8221; said Nanticoke Area coach John Beggs. &#8220;We had three straight possessions where we shot the ball and didn&#8217;t share the ball.</p><p>&#8220;Then their pressure got to us.&#8221;</p><p>Offensively in the first half, Nanticoke road the hot hand of senior point guard Nate Kreitzer, who scored 19 points (three 3-pointers). The Trojans seemingly had little trouble finding Kreitzer or anyone else open against Bonner Prendergast&#8217;s sluggish defensive effort in the opening half.</p><p>Kreitzer has trouble getting open in the second half over Bonner-Prendergast&#8217;s stifling defense, but still managed 10 points for a game-high 29.</p><p>&#8220;We started a little slow in the third quarter and then their defense got to us,&#8221; said Kreitzer. &#8220;We had trouble with their height and their quickness in the second half.</p><p>&#8220;We were able to move the ball well on them in the first half and they seemed to be really slow out there. But they played more aggressive in the second half.&#8221;</p><p>The Trojans played well enough defensively to shut down and hold Miami recruit guard Isaiah Wong and 6-foot-8 multi-recruited Tariq Ingraham scoreless in the opening half, limiting the Friars to 25 points and forcing 12 turnovers.</p><p>However, it quickly fizzled on both ends at the start of the third quarter. Nanticoke has five turnovers and five points in the first five minutes.</p><p>Wong (nine points, 11 overall) and Ingraham (10 points) combined for 15 points of the Friars&#8217; first 21 points after halftime. Ingraham&#8217;s putback gave the Friars the lead for good at 42-39 with 1:34 left in the third quarter.</p><p>Donovan Rodriguez led Bonner-Prendergast with 16 points.</p><p>&#8220;We were pleased with the job we did on Wong as we were pinching him,&#8221; added Beggs. &#8220;We were excited about our defensive performance and rebounding in the first half. Our players bought into it. Kreitzer had one of his best game and he never gave up.</p><p>&#8220;But then we started turning the ball over and things started to get away from us.&#8221;</p><p>Ingraham, who had five of his eight rebounds after halftime, and Wong had consecutive slam dunks that pushed the lead to 58-45 with 3:40 left and took the final wind out of Nanticoke.</p><p>Nanticoke Area waved the white flag when all five starters left the game with 1:06 remaining.</p><p>&#8220;We&#8217;re disappointed we came here and lost,&#8221; said Beggs. &#8220;But that is a number one team, and I wouldn&#8217;t be surprised to see them in the final.&#8221;</p><p>&#8220;It&#8217;s a tough loss, but we had a good season,&#8221; added Kreitzer. &#8220;Nanticoke basketball will be in good shape for a while.&#8221;</p><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>PIAA Class 4A Second Round</strong></p><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Bonner-Prendergast 70, Nanticoke Area 52</strong></p><p><strong>NANTICOKE AREA (52) &#8212;</strong> Nate Kreitzer 10 4-4 29, Colby Butczynski 2 3-4 8 Trahjan Krupinski 2 1-2 6, Jake Krupinski 3 0-0 6, Dylan Szychowski 0 0-0 0, JJ Bielecki 1 0-0 3, Andy Kozlofski 0 0-0 0, Luke Myers 0 0-0 0, Sincere Shiloh 0 0-0 0, Collin Brown 0 0-0 0, Tyler Rushton 0 0-0 0, Ethan Egenski 0 0-0 0 Devon Lehman 0 0-0 0 John Chernowsky 0 0-0 0, Colin Mackiewicz 0 0-0 0. <strong>Totals 18 8-10 52. </strong></p><p><strong>BONNER-PRENDERGAST (70) &#8212;</strong> Donovan Rodriguez 5 5-6 16, Tyresse Watson 4 2-4 11, Isaiah Wong 5 -1-1 11, Michael Perretta 0 0-0 0, Tariq Ingraham 3 4-6 10, Malik Edwards 4 0-0 10, Chris Haynes 2 2-2 8, Conor Eagan 0 1-2 1, Shawn Simmons 1 0-0 2 Christion Johnson 0 0-0 0, Cole Ruley 0 0-0 0. <strong>Totals 24 15-21 70. </strong></p><p><strong>Nanticoke Area`11`22`8`11 &#8211; 52 </strong></p><p><strong>Bonner-Prendergast`8`17`19`26 &#8211; 70 </strong></p><p><strong>Three-point goals &#8211;</strong> NA 6 (Kreitzer 5, T. Krupinski). BP 7 (Edwards 3, Haynes 2, Watson, Rodriguez)</p><style>
.neFileBlock {
	margin-bottom: 20px;
}
.neFileBlock p {
	margin: 0px 0px 0px 0px;
}
.neFileBlock .neFile {
	border-bottom: 1px dotted #aaa;
	padding-bottom: 5px;
	padding-top: 10px;
}
.neFileBlock .neCaption {
	font-size: 85%;
}
</style>
<div class='neFileBlock'>
<div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/web1_TTL031319nanticoke1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Nanticoke Area&#8217;s Colby Butczynski makes a layup against Bonner-Prendergast in a PIAA Class 4A second-round game at Freedom High School. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/web1_TTL031319nanticoke1.jpg</photo0><caption0>Nanticoke Area&#8217;s Colby Butczynski makes a layup against Bonner-Prendergast in a PIAA Class 4A second-round game at Freedom High School. </caption0><photoCredit0>Aimee Dilger | TimesLeader </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/web1_TTL031319nanticoke2.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Nanticoke Area&#8217;s Trahjan Krupinski shoots against Bonner-Prendergast. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/web1_TTL031319nanticoke2.jpg</photo1><caption1>Nanticoke Area&#8217;s Trahjan Krupinski shoots against Bonner-Prendergast. </caption1><photoCredit1>Aimee Dilger | TimesLeader </photoCredit1></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/web1_TTL031319nanticoke3.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Nate Kreitzer makes a layup against Bonner-Prendergast. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo2>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/web1_TTL031319nanticoke3.jpg</photo2><caption2>Nate Kreitzer makes a layup against Bonner-Prendergast. </caption2><photoCredit2>Aimee Dilger | TimesLeader </photoCredit2></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/web1_TTL031319nanticoke4.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Dylan Szychowski looks to pass against Bonner-Prendergast. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo3>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/web1_TTL031319nanticoke4.jpg</photo3><caption3>Dylan Szychowski looks to pass against Bonner-Prendergast. </caption3><photoCredit3>Aimee Dilger | TimesLeader </photoCredit3></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/web1_TTL031319nanticoke5.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Nanticoke Area&#8217;s Jake Krupinski dribbles out of a double team against Bonner-Prendergast. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo4>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/web1_TTL031319nanticoke5.jpg</photo4><caption4>Nanticoke Area&#8217;s Jake Krupinski dribbles out of a double team against Bonner-Prendergast. </caption4><photoCredit4>Aimee Dilger | TimesLeader </photoCredit4></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/web1_TTL031319nanticoke6.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Nanticoke Area players hug after a loss to Bonner-Prendergast on Tuesday night at Freedom High School. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo5>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/web1_TTL031319nanticoke6.jpg</photo5><caption5>Nanticoke Area players hug after a loss to Bonner-Prendergast on Tuesday night at Freedom High School. </caption5><photoCredit5>Aimee Dilger | TimesLeader </photoCredit5></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Jeff Moeller</p><p>For Times Leader</p></bylineMeta></div>

web1_TTL031319nanticoke6.jpg

web1_TTL031319nanticoke1.jpg

web1_TTL031319nanticoke2.jpg

web1_TTL031319nanticoke3.jpg

web1_TTL031319nanticoke4.jpg

web1_TTL031319nanticoke5.jpg

H.S. Boys Basketball: Nanticoke Area’s state run ends with loss to Bonner-Prendergast