POTTSVILLE - The Pottsville boys basketball team's remarkable season has come to an end.

The Tide (21-7) dropped a tough one to Penncrest (22-3) 46-43 Friday night at Martz Hall in PIAA first-round action.

"I can't stress enough how proud I am of this group," said Pottsville head coach Jake Wartella. "We weren't planning on losing this game tonight. It wasn't an effort factor, we left everything on the court."

Penncrest came out hot. The Lions started the game on a 8-0 run thanks to a Theo Gladue layup.

The Tide got their first points of the night at the 3:42 mark in the first frame when senior guard Derek Watkins connected on a layup.

After a Mikey Mita jumper to put the Lions up 10-2, here came the Tide. Pottsville responded, going on a 9-0 run as Watkins hit a floater with 33 seconds left to give the Tide an 11-10 lead.

The Lions regained the lead with nine seconds left when Will Stanton nailed a triple to give the Lions an 11-10 lead after one.

"We wanted to get out to a good start," said Penncrest head coach Mike Doyle. "I felt we came out and got some good looks off our better sets and we jumped on them."

Pottsville's Christian Alvarez wasted no time tying the game at 13-13 in the second frame. The junior drove to the rack and finished to tie the game up.

The Lions came firing back, going on a 6-0 run, as Mikey Mita nailed a triple to put the Lions up 22-13 forcing a Pottsville timeout with 1:59 left in the second frame.

Mita was outstanding for Penncrest, finishing with 17 points and 10 rebounds.

"He is an all-state player," said Doyle. "He works so hard at his game, every time Pottsville had a run we called his number."

Pottsville came clawing back, ending the frame on a 9-4 run. Watkins scored back-to-back buckets including a shot at the buzzer for Pottsville who trailed 26-22 at the half.

Pottsville senior Letrel Montone (13) holds up two fingers as Pottsville and Penncrest face off at Martz Hall during the state playoffs Friday, March 7, 2025. (MATTHEW PERSCHALL/MULTIMEDIA EDITOR)

"We knew we had to lock in," said Pottsville senior Letrel Montone.

The Tide did just that in the third frame. Montone swished two free throws at the 3:03 mark to give Pottsville the 28-27 lead.

Penncrest came down the next possession and regained a 29-28 lead.

Pottsville's Colin McGinley hit a corner three to put Pottsville up 32-30, getting the Tide fans to their feet.

Penncrest took the lead again with 51 seconds left as Sean Benson nailed a three. Pottsville had a clean shot at the buzzer but missed it to trail 36-34 at the end of three.

Both teams gave it all they had in the final frame. Pottsville took a 37-36 lead early in the frame thanks to an Alvarez triple.

Pottsville went up 40-36 after Montone connected on a triple at the 6:08 mark.

The Lions went on a 7-0 run to take a 43-40 lead. Mita scored five of the seven points for Penncrest.

"This was not a first-round game," said Doyle. "This was more like 16 or eight, we knew we were going to have to come with everything."

Montone tied it all up for the Tide when he hit a triple to tie the game up 43-43 with 1:18 remaining.

Penncrest took the lead for good, going up 45-43 at the 1:02 mark when Mita hit a shot. The Tide turned it over on their next possession. Gladue went to the line and went 1-for-2 from the free throw line to put Penncrest up 46-43.

The Tide had a chance to tie it up as the time expired but missed the game-tying triple.

"I am so happy with this season," said Montone. "Nobody believed in us, we had faith as a team and our game plans the whole time."

Alvarez led Pottsville with 17 points while Watkins poured in 13.

"I am so happy with this group," said Wartella. "It was such a fun ride."

Pottsville will graduate seniors Michael Allen, Tahlil Flucker-White, Letrel Montone, Derek Watkins, London Ivy and Gianni Hughes-Crane.

"I am so thankful with this senior class," said Wartella. "They really brought the team together. We had some great seniors this year who are going to be missed and hard to replace."

POTTSVILLE (43) - Alvarez 6 3-3 17, Watkins 6 0-0 13, Montone 2 1-1 8, Ivy 1 0-2 2, Clews 0 0-0 0, McGinley 1 0-0 3, Bowers 0 0-0 0.

Penncrest (46) - Stanton 3 1-1 9, Benson 2 0-0 6, Gladue 2 1-2 5, Cahill 4 0-0 9, Mita 7 2-2 17, Ford 0 0-0 0, Cropper 0 0-0 0.

Potts (21-7) - 11 11 12 9 - 43

Penn (22-3) - 13 13 10 10 - 46

See full photo gallery here

Coming out of halftime leading 26-22, Mita paced the Lions with 11 first-half points and flexed his scoring diversity at all three levels.

"He is an All-State player, and he proved it tonight," Penncrest coach Mike Doyle said about Mita. "He works so hard at his game and those shots. For his size, he's as good inside or outside, and every time we had a run, we called his number. We went right back to him, and he answered every time. That's a big-time player.

"The physicality of (Pottsville) was unlike anything we've seen," Doyle added. "We practiced fouling on every play, a hand check on your stomach, and try to match their physicality and toughness, and that's what we tried to do. No slight on them, we felt we were better basketball players, we have a lot of college players on this team. But we just had to match their physicality."

Montone landed a thunderous block to begin the third quarter and got the Tide rolling. Alvarez put Pottsville ahead for the first time since the 30-second mark of the first quarter after watching a bucket fall and dropping an and-1 free throw to push his squad ahead 26-25 with 5:23 left to play in the frame.

The Crimson Tide and the Lions swapped the lead five more times throughout the quarter, including a go-ahead 3 by Pottsville's Colin McGinley, before Penncrest led 36-34 the buzzer. JuJu Bainbridge's buzzer-beater shot didn't go for the Tide.

Alvarez nailed a go-ahead 3-pointer to put Pottsville ahead 37-36 just 21 seconds into the fourth quarter. Montone added another 3 for the Crimson Tide off a screen from Bainbridge as it felt like the momentum may have shifted again.

Connor Cahill nailed a 3 for the Lions and Mita went 2-for-2 from the free throw line as Penncrest went back on top 41-40. Mita added another bucket following an empty possession from Pottsville, by Montone answered right back with a 3 to tie the contest at 47-47 with 1:18 to play in regulation.

Mita added a baby-hook for the Lions and Gladue split a pair of free throws as Penncrest led 46-43 with 12.4 on the clock. The Lions intentionally fouled three times and shaved roughly 5.3 off the clock before Montone's attempted game-tying buzzer-beater didn't go for the Crimson Tide.

"This my seventh trip to the state tournament ... this was not a first-round game," Doyle said. "This was more like a (quarterfinals) or (semifinals). I mean, we messed up with Holy Ghost Prep and got thrown back in the bracket, so this was like a game you'd see at 8 or 16. We knew we were going to come with everything, there was no learning curve. We had to hit the floor running."

Montone finished with 11 points for Pottsville and Watkins chipped in 10.

For the Crimson Tide, a season of hardware, which included championship titles in both the Schuylkill League and District 11 Class 5A, ends after a state playoff match on their home court. Pottsville departs seniors Montone, Watkins, Gianni Hughes-Crane, London Ivy, Tahlil Flucker-White and Mikey Allen.

"This team has meant so much," Wartella said. "I can't stress how proud I am of this group to find a way to win two championships. We weren't planning on losing this game tonight, we were hoping to win a couple games at states, but it wasn't an effort factor. We left everything on the court and our kids fought so hard. I'm just so proud of their effort all season.

"To find a way to win two championships and 20-plus wins this season, it is a credit to the kids. They came together as a group, and they were just a joy to coach all year. I'm so thankful for the senior class. They really brought the team together, they were true leaders.

"You go as your seniors go, and we had some great seniors this year. They're going to be missed and they're going to be hard to replace. But hopefully our young kids learned a lot from them. Their leadership qualities, and everything about them, is just bring this team together. I'm so proud of the seniors, so proud of this group. It was such a fun ride."

Penncrest advances to the quarterfinals to face the winner Holy Ghost and Lampeter-Strasburg on Tuesday at a site and time to be announced.

Game Summary

PIAA Class 5A
First Round
At Martz Hall

PENNCREST (46) - Stanton 3 1-1 9, Benson 2 0-0 6, Gladue 3 1-2 7, Ford 0 0-0 0, Cahill 3 0-0 7, Mita 7 2-2 17. Team 18 3-4 46.

POTTSVILLE (43) - Alvarez 6 3-3 17, Montone 3 2-2 11, Bowers 0 0-0 0, Watkins 5 0-0 10, Bainbridge 0 0-0 0, Ivy 1 0-2 2, McGinley 1 0-0 3, Clews 0 0-0 0. Team 16 5-7 43.

Penn (22-3) 13 ... 13 ... 6 ... 10 - 46

Potts (21-7) 11 ... 11 ... 12 ... 9 - 43

3-Point FG: Stanton 2, Benson 2, Cahill, Mita, Alvarez 2, Montone 3, McGinley

Officials: Morinchin, Snyder, Kirsch

D-11 Class 5A Boys' Basketball: Crimson Tide comes up big in 4th quarter; captures District 11 Class 5A title

• By Eli Doyle
• February 28, 2025

Pottsville's boys' basketball team poses with the District 11 Class 5A trophy after defeating Bangor 33-30 (Photo by Leroy Boyer).

ORWIGSBURG - It all came down to the final few minutes.

Trailing for the majority of the contest, Christian Alvarez and JuJu Bainbridge added two clutch points in fourth quarter for Pottsville in a game that was not short on defensive effort.

Alvarez, a junior, netted a game-high 14 points as Pottsville edged Bangor 33-30 in a District 11 Class 5A boys' basketball championship game Friday at Blue Mountain High School.

"It was a true battle and that is what you expect in a district championship to be," Crimson Tide coach Jake Wartella said. "We played really well last game, the kids might've thought it was going to be easier, but that was a very good Bangor team we beat tonight. They had us struggling on offense, they made us work on defense, but again, our group just finds ways to win all year. They've been doing it for years and I'm just so proud of this group."

As the fourth quarter began, the Slater (17-9) led the Tide 22-18 in a game that lacked offensive efficiency on both sides. Mainly in part to both squad's stifling defensive approaches.

Letrel Montone added a steal and bucket before Alvarez chipped in two more for Pottsville (21-6) to cut Bangor's lead to 24-22 with 6:26 left in regulation. After an empty possession by each team, Bainbridge nailed a 3-pointer to put the Crimson Tide ahead 25-24. Hunter McShane responded with a 3 to put the Slaters back on top momentarily, before Montone added a pair of free throws to tie the contest 27-27.

Alvarez netted baskets for the Tide on back-to-back possessions, with one coming off a tremendous inside feed by Derek Watkins, to put Pottsville ahead 31-29 with 1:33 left to play in the fourth. The Slaters took a timeout before coming up empty on their next possession. After an exchange in steals, Bainbridge was sent to the line for bonus free throws as Bangor had racked in its fifth team foul in the frame. Bainbridge, a junior, sunk the pair to give the Tide breathing room.

McShane split a pair of free throws as the Slaters to cut Pottsville's lead to 33-30 with 25.0 on the clock. Bangor went on to miss shots on two different possessions before time expired as the Crimson Tide climbed on top late and captured a 33-30 district title victory.

"Defense on both sides were great," Wartella said. "We knew we had to score more points to win. We were getting good shots; we just weren't making them. We had to keep our kid's confidence up the best we can. We knew we have scorers, and they stepped up in the second half. Our defensive effort was great."

A defensive clash it was early on as both teams were tied 6-6 at the end of a low scoring first quarter. Pottsville's offense consisted of a pair of 3's by Ryder Bowers. The Crimson Tide committed five turnovers, compared to Bangor's three, in the frame.

In the second quarter, Michael Bucher took advantage of his 6-foot-6 frame and thrived in the paint Bucher added five points off two strong layup and a free throw as Bangor outscored Pottsville 7-5 in the second and led 13-11 at the half. Alvarez netted his first points for the Tide with 1:00 left to play to cut the deficit to two and set the tone for his big second half.

"We told out playmakers at halftime they got to stay aggressive," Wartella said. We have got to get more movement on offense, but ultimately, the playmakers have to make plays for us. (Alvarez) took over the second half and willed us to a victory."

Coming out of halftime, Alvarez was a man on a mission. The junior forward collected 12 of his game-high 14 points after halftime and got Pottsville's offense in gear just in time.

Each squad finished with only two turnovers by the end of the third quarter, but the Slaters led 22-18. Alvarez had six key points in the frame for the Crimson Tide that helped keep things close. He added a physical basket under the hoop with 30.1 remaining in the third to cut the Tide's deficit to four going to the fourth quarter.

Montone started the scoring for Pottsville in the fourth quarter with a strong drive resulting in two points after an offensive rebound by Watkins. Fast-forward to the 4:45 mark in the fourth when Bainbridge nailed a 3 to put the Crimson Tide ahead 25-24. Alvarez thrived in the final three minutes, adding four points and sealing Pottsville's 33-30 District 11 Class 5A title.

"JuJu's a bulldog and played great defensively," Wartella said. "He gives energy, he's a diamond on the floor, but he also made some plays offensively. I couldn't be more proud of him."

The district championship victory marks the first for Pottsville boys' basketball since the 2021-22 season.

The Crimson Tide will move onto the PIAA Class 5A Tournament, where they will host District 12's Penncrest at Martz Hall in the First Round on Friday, Mar. 7 at a time to be announced.

"We're going to celebrate this weekend," Wartella said. "I mean, championships back-to-back weekends. Schuylkill League and district champs, I couldn't be more proud of this group."

Game Summary

District 11 Class 5A
Championship
At Blue Mountain

BANGOR (30) - Prado 3 2-3 8, McShane 3 1-2 9, Bucher 5 2-4 12, Gainer 0 0-0 0, Farensbach 0 1-2 1, Cruciani 0 0-0 0. Totals - 11 6-11 30.

POTTSVILLE (33) - Alvarez 5 4-4 14, Montone 1 3-4 5, Bowers 2 0-0 6, Watkins 1 0-0 2, Bainbridge 1 3-4 6, McGinley 0 0-0 0. Totals - 10 10-12 33.

Ban (17-9) 6 ... 7 ... 9 ... 8 - 30

Potts (21-6) 6 ... 5 ... 7 ... 13 - 33

3-point FGs: McShane 2, Bowers 2, Bainbridge

Officials: Donatelli, Hahn, Grant

By Toron James | tjames@republicanherald.com | Republican Herald

UPDATED: February 26, 2025 at 12:15 AM EST

ORWIGSBURG - Pottsville boys basketball team cliched its spot in the District 11 5A boys basketball championship with a 55-36 win over Southern Lehigh, Tuesday night.

Junior guard Christian Alvarez impressed once again for the Crimson Tide. Alvarez led Pottsville scoring a game-high 20 points, to go along with five rebounds and four blocks. Junior sharpshooter Ryder Bowers added nine points on three triples, while junior guard Juleon Bainbridge scored 10.

"I just wanted to get involved early," said Alvarez. "Driving early and my teammates hitting me early, we got off to a great start."

Pottsville (20-6) took control from the start as they got out to a 16-0 start as Alvarez scored three of his nine first quarter points.  The Tide would then extend their lead to 20-0 as senior guard Letrel Montone found senior center Londy Ivy for two with 1:29 left in the first frame.

"It's always great when you start fast," said Pottsville's head coach Jake Wartella. "We were preaching that and our kids did a great job in executing the game plan."

Southern Lehigh (11-12) didn't get on the board until the 1:18 mark in the first frame when junior guard Joseph Plessi swished a triple. Plessi also hit two free throws with 7.2 seconds left as the Spartans trailed 20-5 at the end of one.

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"We needed this start, especially since we haven't played in a while," said Alvarez. "We did great."

Alavrez didn't cool down, scoring five straight points to put the Tide up 25-5 early in the second frame. Southern Lehigh responded, going on a 7-0 run to trail 25-12 as junior forward Michael Fry hit a triple and scored on a layup.

The Tide stayed poised, ending the quarter on a 10-6 run as Bowers hit a tree and Bainbridge connected on a three-point play to give the Tide a 35-18 lead at the break.

"We came out hot and it carried on throughout the game," said Wartella.

Pottsville preached at the half that the game was zero-zero, despite getting out to a big lead.

The Tide started right where they left off in quarter three, getting out to a 43-20 lead after Bainbridge's bucket.

Bowers nailed another triple to put Pottsville up 46-23 after Southern Lehigh free throws.

The Tide's defense was lights out, holding the Spartans to just five points in the frame and forcing 17 turnovers overall.

"When we play defense like that we are tough to beat," said Wartella. "I just love when our kids are playing as a team and with energy."

Pottsville took a 48-23 lead after three thanks to a Max Clews score.

Montone drove past a defender for an easy two, putting the Tide up 53-23 early in the fourth.

Southern Lehigh got some buckets down the stretch but it wasn't enough as they fell 55-34.

Alvarez thought his team moved the ball really well. "They were in a zone we knew we had to spread the ball and that led to a bunch of points," he said.

Pottsville will face Bangor at 6 p.m. Friday at Blue Mountain Highschool for the 5A championship.

The Tide's mindset in simple as the eye gold preaching to one another that the job is not finished

POTTSVILLE (55) - Alvarez 9 1-2 20, Montone 2 0-0 4, Bowers 3 0-0 9, Watkins 2 0-0 4, Bainbridge 4 1-1 10, Ivy 2 0-0 4, Flucker-White 0 1-2 1, Clews 1 0-0 2, A. Allen 0 0-0 0, Herndon 0 0-0 0, Hobbs 0 0-0 0, M. Allen 0 0-0 0, Leskin 0 0-0 0, Kunstek 0 0-0 0, Viars 0 0-0 0, Kimber 0 0-0 0.

SOUTHERN LEHIGH (36) - G. Ruggeri 1 1-1 3, Plessi 1 2-2 5, DeRawal 1 0-0 2, Fry 2 2-2 7, Adams 2 1-2 5, McMenamy 1 1-2 3, Mack 0 0-0 0, Boensch 0 0-0 0, Spigelmyer 1 0-0 2, Hallman 0 0-0 0, Fistner 1 0-0 3, Capuano 1 0-0 2, Helms 1 0-0 2, Brogan 0 0-0 0, Spigelmeyer 1 0-0 2.

SL (11-12) - 5 13 5 13 - 36

Potts (20-6) -20 15 13 7 - 55

Originally Published: February 25, 2025 at 11:53 PM EST

POTTSVILLE - Pottsville punched its ticket to the Schuylkill League boys' basketball championship game with a 54-44 win over Mahanoy Area in the league semifinals Wednesday night at Martz Hall.

Crimson Tide head coach Jake Wartella stressed to his kids that they were ready for this moment.

"We had great practices leading up to the game," said Wartella. "I told the kids we are battle-tested and they played their tails off."

The Tide (18-6; 13-3) started the game on a 10-3 run as junior guard Christian Alvarez connected on a putback layup forcing a Mahanoy Area timeout.

"We knew they were a very good team," said Alvarez. "We knew we had to come and play with even better defense this game."

Alvarez finished the game with 13 points and five rebounds. Junior Letrel Montone chipped in nine and senior guard Derek Watkins scored 16 points to go along with 10 rebounds.

Tide's London Ivy scored back-to-back buckets to extend Pottsville's lead to 14-3.

Ryan Zilker scored two for the Golden Bears but Montone scored off a turnover with 31.2 seconds left in the first frame to give Pottsville a 16-5 lead at the end of one.

"We struggled to start out fast all year," said Wartella. "But tonight the kids came out on fire, starting fast was the key to this win."

The Tide did not let down in the second frame as they got out to a 19-8 lead after Alvarez went 1-for-2 from the free throw line.

Pottsville held Mahanoy Area to just three made field goals in the first half.

"We preach defense every practice," said Alvarez. "We played really well against their two best players."

Watkins led Pottsville with five points in the second frame. The Tide led 27-14 at the break after Montone made two free throws.

Mahanoy Area senior Mike Oblas (12) guards Pottsville senior Letrel Montone (13) as Pottsville and Mahanoy Area face off at Martz Hall during the Schuylkill League semifinals, Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2025. (MATTHEW PERSCHALL/MULTIMEDIA EDITOR)

Senior guard Tanner Zawada  got hot in the third quarter to give the Golden Bear fans renewed hope. After a Watkins layup put the Tide up 31-16, Zawada connected on two straight triples to make it a 31-22 game. Jace Yedsena added a bucket at the 4:13 mark to make it a 31-24 game.

Wartella and his squad knew that Mahanoy Area wasn't going to go away easily. He was proud of his team for making the key plays they needed to make to win.

Alvarez swished a triple to put the Tide back up, 34-24.

"My teammates and coaches put confidence in me," said Alvarez. "I appreciate them for that."

Mahanoy Area (20-3; 13-3) cut into the lead and trailed 38-30 at the end of three as Zawada converted on a three-point play.

Pottsville got out to a 41-30 lead early in the fourth. The Golden Bears lost their season-leading scorer Yedsena with 6:23 left in the game due to fouling out but clawed back, going on a 8-1 run as Zilker connected on a three-point play to cut the Pottsville lead to 42-38 with 4:47 remaining in the game.

The Tide stayed poised and went on a 12-6 run over the next four minutes to close the game out.

"We took care of the ball when it mattered at the end of the game," said Alvarez.

Watkins scored seven points in the frame, going 3-for-3 from the stripe to secure the win.

"Derek stepped up tonight," said Wartella. "We have senior guards we rely on and they make big plays in big games."

Zawada led Mahanoy Area with a game-high 22 points.

Pottsville will seek its 12th league title as they face Minersville, Friday at 7:30 p.m. at Martz Hall. The teams split the series in the regular season.

"We have a lot of momentum but we can't have a big head. Minersville is a great team," said Alvarez. "It's going to be a tough game but if we play our game we will win."

POTTSVILLE (54) - Bainbridge 0 2-2 2, McGinley 0 0-0 0, Watkins 6 3-4 16, Alvarez 4 3-8 13, Montone 2 5-8 9, Bowers 2 0-0 6, Clews 0 0-0 0, Ivy 4 0-0 9. Totals 18 13-22 54.

MAHANOY AREA (44) - Sendatch 1 0-0 2, Yedsena 3 1-2 9, Mayberry 1 0-0 3, Zawada 6 6-7 22, Oblas 0 0-0 0, Zilker 3 2-3 8, Gallagher 0 0-0 0. Totals 14 9-12 44.

Potts (18-6) - 16 11 11 16 - 54

MAH (20-3) - 5 9 16 14 - 44

3-FG: Watkins, Alvarez 2, Bowers 2, Mayberry, Yedsena 2, Zawada 4

View the full photo gallery here.

Then the game took a momentum shift in favor of Pottsville.

The Crimson Tide defense came up big as the Golden Bears had multiple empty possessions and two turnovers as Pottsville went on an 8-0 scoring run to increase its lead to 14-3. Letrel Montone scored two off a drive, Alvarez saw a putback fall, JuJu Bainbridge had key steal and assist to London Ivy slashing on the baseline and Ivy capped the run with his second bucket in the paint.

Zilker added a steal for Mahanoy Area and scored off a give-and-go with William Mayberry, but Montone closed the quarter with another slashing finish at the rim as the Crimson Tide shocked the Golden Bears and went up 16-5 at the end of the first quarter.

The second quarter was neck-and-neck and both teams ended up in the bonus by the final buzzer.

Points were hard to come by early until Watkins collected a steal for Pottsville and went coast-to-coast for two points at the 5:13 mark. Zawada made the most of three appearances at the line in the frame for Mahanoy Area. Zawada shot 5-of-6, while Jace Yedsena netted a 3 and split a pair of free throws for the Bears' nine points in the second. Even as Zawada and Yedsena tried to power Mahanoy Area back into the contest, the Crimson Tide outscored the Golden Bears 11-9 in the frame. Watkins and Alvarez each collected a 3 for Pottsville in the quarter.

Going into the half, the Crimson Tide led 27-14 and won the turnover battle with six compared to Mahanoy Area's 11.

In the second half the physicality went up and turnovers were tuned down.

Each squad started with an empty offensive possession before Ivy and Zawada each got their respective teams on the board. Zawada carried the Golden Bears offensively in the third quarter with four points in the paint and two 3's for eight of Mahanoy Area's 16 points in the frame, and matching its first half total.

Pottsville clung to an eight-point lead, 38-30, by the end of the third as Yedsena threw up a deep triple for the Bears at the buzzer that didn't connect.

The pace quickened as the fourth quarter was under way. Montone split a pair of free throws and Watkins got an around the world layup to fall following an empty Mahanoy Area offensive possession.

"We have senior guards that we rely on," Wartella said about Watkins. "He made some great plays tonight and covered one (Mahanoy Area's) best players and did a great job there. Derek made some great plays on offense and gave us energy all night. Again, senior guards at this time of year are good to have and we're going to rely on ours."

Yedsena, the Golden Bears leading scorer on average with 18 ppg, obtained his 5th foul with 6:23 left in regulation, but there was no quit in Mahanoy Area.

A few possessions later Zawada connected with a triple and Ryan Zilker completed a 3-point-play for the Golden Bears after being fouled in the paint as Mahanoy Area cut Pottsville's lead to 42-38 with under 5:00 left to play in the fourth.

Montone split a trip to the line before nearly 2:00 of scoreless time ticked away. The Golden Bears collected five team fouls as Watkins went 2-for-2 from the line and Alvarez split a pair for Pottsville down the stretch.

Ivy added another strong bucket in the paint for Pottsville before William Mayberry answered with a three for Mahanoy Area to cut the Tide's lead to nine, 50-41, with 1:36 on the clock. Bainbridge and Watkins each put two more points on the scoreboard for Pottsville and Zawada added a last gasp triple as time expired. The Crimson Tide limited themselves to 11 turnovers, while Mahanoy Area turned the ball over 17 times and Pottsville was able to capitalize multiple times and roll to a 54-44 victory in the semifinals.

Zawada finished with a game-high 22 for Mahanoy Area.

"We're happy with the effort tonight," Wartella said. "We really bought into the gameplan and had two great days of practice. We're enjoying the win tonight and going into the locker satisfied. We're hoping to win a championship on Friday against a really good Minersville team. We are going to do our best tomorrow to prepare for them and Friday should be a fun game."

Game Summary

Schuylkill League Boys' Basketball

League Semifinals

At Martz Hall

POTTSVILLE (54) - Bainbridge 0 2-2 2, McGinley 0 0-0 0, Watkins 6 3-4 16, Alvarez 4 3-8 13, Montone 2 5-8 9, Bowers 2 0-0 6, Clews 0 0-0 0, Ivy 4 0-0 8. Totals 18 13-22 54.

MAHANOY AREA (44) - Sendatch 2 0-0 2, Mayberry 1 0-0 3, Yedsena 3 1-2 9, Zawada 6 6-7 22, Oblas 0 0-0 0, Zilker 3 2-3 8, Gallagher 0 0-0 0. Totals 15 9-12 44.

Potts (18-6)   16 ... 11 ... 11 ... 16 - 54

Mah (20-3)  5 ... 9 ... 16 ... 14 - 44

3-point FGs: Watkins, Alvarez 2, Bowes 2, Mayberry, Yedsena, Zawada 4

Officials: Lopez, Melusky, Palmer

Pottsville went on a 7-0 scoring run early that began with a 3 from Alvarez, followed by a dunk from Letrel Montone that electrified a crowded Martz Hall arena, and capped with a layup from Watkins. Yedsena collected a baseline layup to end the Tide's run before the Golden Bears called a timeout to regroup. Pottsville led 22-16 with 4:05 left to play in the frame.

Fast forward again to the end of the quarter with 51.0 remaining where Zawada nailed the first of two triples that brought Mahanoy Area back within one. Zawada hit his second 3 with 25.4 left as the Bears trailed the Crimson Tide 25-24.

Watkins missed a jumper as time was close to expiring in the third quarter. Ivy grabbed the offensive board and got the put-back to fall as Pottsville led 27-24 heading to the fourth quarter.

The Golden Bears came within one point of the Tide again in the early stages of the fourth quarter after Mayberry found Zilker slashing for two points. After a barrage of empty possessions on each end, Yedsena gave Mahanoy Area the lead 28-27 after his circus layup connected.

Montone added two free throws, Yedsena slashed through multiple defenders again and Alvarez netted an easy two in the paint after a perfect feed from Ivy as the lead switched sides. Turnovers then plagued each squad before Bainbridge found an open Montone in the lane for two as Pottsville went ahead 33-30.

Yedsena was fouled while shooting a 3-pointer and knocked down two of the three shots from the line that again brough Mahanoy Area within one.

Each squad exchanged a timeout as the Crimson Tide led 33-32 with 45.7 left in regulation. The Golden Bears collected their fifth team foul that sent Watkins to the free throw line for Pottsville. He went 2-for-2 to push the lead to 35-32.

Following Mahanoy Area's final timeout, Yedsena darted through the lane all the way from halfcourt for two points that again brough the Golden Bear within one point of tying the contest.

Disaster nearly struck as miscommunication led to a turnover by the Crimson Tide with 15.9 left. But just as he did with second remaining in the first half, Watkins nabbed a clutch steal intercepting a cross-court pass just beyond the arc. Watkins went on to split a pair of free throws with 1.7 left that sealed Pottsville's 36-34 victory at home on Senior Night.

"One day at a time," Wartella said about his message to his team. "We have Panther Valley on Tuesday. We're going to prep for them, finish the season strong, see who we're playing in playoffs and go from there."

Offensively, it was a spread performance for Pottsville. Watkins led the way with nine points, Montone followed with six and Ivy, Alvarez and Bowers each had five.

For the Golden Bears, Yedsena led all scorers with 13 points and Zawada chipped in 10.

With Mahanoy Area's loss and Minersville's 82-34 victory over North Schuylkill Friday evening, the Golden Bears and Battlin' Miners (16-3, 11-2 in D-I) sit tied for the top spot in Division I. Mahanoy Area hosts Blue Mountain on Tuesday, while Minersville travels to Pine Grove.

MAHANOY AREA (34) - Sendatch 1 0-0 2, Mayberry 0 3-3 3, Yedsena 5 2-3 13, Zawada 4 0-0 10, Oblas 1 0-0 2, Zilker 2 0-2 4, Gallagher 0 0-0 0. Totals 13 5-8 34.

POTTSVILLE (36) - Bainbridge 1 0-0 3, McGinley 0 0-0 0, Watkins 3 3-4 9, Alvarez 2 0-0 5, Montone 2 2-2 6, Bowers 1 2-3 5, Clews 1 0-0 3, Flucker-White 0 0-0 0, Ivy 2 1-2 5. Totals 12 8-11 36.

Mah (19-2, 11-2)   7 ... 5 ... 12 ... 10 - 34

Potts (15-6, 10-3)  5 ... 10 ... 12 ... 9 - 36

3-point FGs: Yedsena, Zawada 2, Bainbridge, Alvarez, Bowers, Clews

JV score: Pottsville 64-38

Officials: Senunas, Litwhiler, Phillips

Sarge came through with back-to-back free throws to give Pine Grove (7-13) the 59-58 victory against Pottsville (14-6).

"It was a great high school basketball game," said Pine Grove head coach Jordan Lehman. "That's a great win for us against a phenomenal team coached by a guy (coach Jake Wartella) I have a lot of respect for."

Pottsville now gets set back a game in the league standings and currently sits at 9-3 in Division I play after Mahanoy Area and Minersville.

The Cardinals took their first lead of the game early in the second quarter after going on a 6-1 run to take the 21-14 lead just minutes into the second quarter. Quinn Brommer was a menace all night for the Cardinals as he finished with 22 points and a trio of three's.

"We stayed calm and collected and were able to get the job done," said Brommer. "Coach instilled something in us today and we were ready to play."

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Pine Grove was led offensively by Brommer's 22 points, Hayden Felty's 14 points and Chase Sarge and Wyatt Snyder's six points apiece.

Ryder Bowers got hot from distance early on for Pottsville when he knocked down a couple of three's and scored nine points in the opening quarter for an 8-6 deficit minutes into the game.

Brommer hit a three and scored five points in the first quarter for the 15-13 lead at the end of the first quarter.

That's when the Cardinals came alive to go on a 6-1 scoring run through the opening minutes of the second quarter for the 21-14 lead.

Brommer scored five more points and Teagan Schneck-Haines hit a three to lead Pine Grove's second quarter offense.

"We were talking a lot and the energy was there," said Brommer.

Pottsville went for 10 steals in the first half alone. A Julian Bainbridge steal and layup tied the game at 22-22 midway through the second quarter.

Colin McGinley hit a pair of three's and Bainbridge chipped in with another three but Pine Grove still led 27-26 at halftime.

Brommer continued his romp in the third quarter when he hit a three with just over two minutes left in the quarter for the 38-28 lead.

"I just caught the ball, put it on the floor and very time I touched the ball tonight I wanted to score," said Brommer. "I just wanted to help the team win."

The Cardinals held Pottsville to just free throws after halftime until an 11-3 run for the Crimson Tide, led by Derek Watkins four points.

Pine Grove clung to a 41-39 lead at the end of the third quarter.

Bowers got the Crimson Tide off to a fast start in the fourth when he hit a three for the 42-41 lead.

"They're always in your face and you know when getting ready for Pottsville they play defense harder than they play offense," said Lehman. "It's an absolutely huge win for our program."

It didn't stop there for Pottsville in the fourth as Alvarez hit a three and scored 14 points in the fourth quarter alone.

Just when the Cardinals thought they were done turning the ball over to Pottsville's defense, Alvarez stepped in front of a pass and capitalized with a three on the other end.

It only took until the final 10 seconds of the game for Sarge to be fouled and knock down a pair of free throws for the 59-58 win.

"At the end of the game that's the atmosphere these guys deserve," said Lehman. "That's an old school environment and I'm glad Pottsville got to experience it as well."

Alvarez led Pottsville's offense with 22 points and Bowers added 15 more points while McGinley totaled 10 points.

Pine Grove travels to Blue Mountain Friday at 7 p.m. and Pottsville hosts Mahanoy Area Friday at 7:30 p.m.

Pottsville 58 - Alvarez 5 11-13 22, Montone 0 0-0 0, Bowers 4 3-3 15, Watkins 2 0-0 4, Bainbridge 1 0-2 3, Ivy 0 0-0 0, McGinley 3 2-2 10, Clews 0 0-0 0, Flucker-White 1 2-2 4, Allen 0 0-0 0, 

Pine Grove 59 -  Sarge 1 4-4 6, Smeltz 0 0-0 0, Kimmel 0 0-0 0, Shanahan 0 0-0 0, Schneck-Haines 2 0-0 5, Herber 0 0-0 0, Felty 4 4-5 14, Brommer 9 1-3 22, Lyons 2 0-2 4, Barra 0 0-0 0, Snyder 3 0-2 6, Miller 0 0-0 0

P (14-6);13;13;13;19;-58

PG (7-13);15;12;14;18;-59

Originally Published: January 28, 2025 at 10:45 PM EST

Christian Alvarez led all scorers with 21 points and led Pottsville to its sixth constitutive win as the Crimson Tide rolled past North Schuylkill 65-29 in a Schuylkill League Division I matchup Friday evening at Martz Hall.

Derek Watkins chipped in 15 points for Pottsville (13-5, 9-2, in D-I) who led 18-10 after an offensive splurge off the start. Watkins had six points in the first quarter.

For the Spartans, Jude Maziekas netted a team-high seven points.

After Friday's round of games saw Minersville (14-3, 9-2) top previously unbeaten Mahanoy Area 50-39 in Division I action, the Tide sits second in D-I tied with Minersville. Pottsville defeated the Battlin' Miners 54-44 this past Tuesday.

NORTH SCHUYLKILL (29) - Cairo 0 0-0 0, Damiter 0 0-0 0, Maziekas 3 0-0 7, Wall 1 0-0 2, Kacilowicz 2 1-2 5, Kronkowski 1 0-0 3, Marcinowski 1 0-2 2, Nelson 0 0-0 0, McNally 0 0-2 0, Gallagher 2 0-0 4, White 3 0-0 6. Totals 13 1-6 29.

POTTSVILLE (65) - Alvarez 9 1-1 21, Montone 1 0-0 2, Bowers 1 0-0 3, Watkins 6 3-4 15, Bainbridge 0 0-0 0, McGinley 3 0-0 9, Clews 2 1-1 5, Flucker-White 0 0-2 0, A. Allen 1 0-0 3, Hobbs 0 0-0 0, Kunstek 1 0-0 2, Kimber 1 0-0 2, Viars 0 0-0 0, M. Allen 1 0-0 3. Totals 26 5-8 65.

NS (3-15, 0-11)   10 ... 5 ... 4 ... 10 - 29

Potts (13-5, 9-2)  18 ... 9 ... 25 ... 13 - 65

3-point FGs: Maziekas, Krokowski, Alvarez 2, Bowers, McGinley 3, A. Allen, M. Allen

ORWIGSBURG - Execution was the name of the game when Pottsville went on the road Tuesday and played a better brand of basketball than Blue Mountain for a 44-36 Division I victory.

After both teams traded baskets throughout the opening half, Pottsville (9-5) went on a 4-0 run just before halftime and never looked back. The Crimson Tide later extended the lead to 10 points, 30-20, near the end of the third quarter before executing better offensively down the stretch for the road league win.

"It's our rival and it's always a dog fight. We knew it was going to be a playoff atmosphere," said Pottsville head coach Jake Wartella. "Our kids responded and I'm so proud of the way our kids played."

Pottsville's defensive effort in the second half and true team-effort was the ultimate key to the win.

"I thought we played awesome defense in the second half, they really struggled against clean looks and I think that was the difference in the game," said Wartella.

Letrel Montone led the Crimson Tide offense with 11 points, Christian Alvarez bucketed 10 points and Ryder Bowers added nine more points.

In a sloppy back and forth affair, the Crimson Tide simply executed at a higher level than Blue Mountain (4-6) down the stretch when Montone scored five points in the fourth quarter to help grab the road win.

"It's always a battle with Blue Mountain, we've got a good group of guys and we got the job done," said Montone. "We got the job done and this will help us get our execution better down the road."

Pottsville took a 30-20 lead near the end of the third before Blue Mountain went on a 6-0 run to make it a 30-26 difference at the end of the third quarter. The closest the Eagles brought the deficit the rest of the way was a 36-33 difference with three minutes left in the game.

That's when Montone stepped up, got to the basket and knocked down a trio of free throws for the eight-point win.

"Its great, it's a big game for playoff seedings and we needed this win," said Montone. "It's great for the culture to beat Blue Mountain and we're undefeated against them this year."

The game started with with both teams trading baskets. Aidan Grace hit a three and scored five points in the first quarter for Blue Mountain's 9-8 lead heading to the second quarter.

Ryder Bowers woke up Pottsville's offense in the second quarter with a couple of three-point baskets and eight points in the quarter.

Montone added six points by halftime for Pottsville's slim 22-18 halftime advantage.

The Crimson Tide never gave up the lead again as Christian Alvarez scored four points in the third quarter to hold on to a 30-26 lead heading to the fourth.

In a true team effort for the Crimson Tide, it was Derek Watkins and Montone who helped close out the game when they combined for eight points in the fourth quarter.

"We always have confidence but being ahead always gives us more confidence so it was great going into the second half ahead," said Montone.

Blue Mountain brought the score within a 36-33 difference with three minutes left in the game, led by Grace's three points, but it wasn't enough.

Montone and Bowers made plays under the basket and each hit free throws in the final minutes for the 44-36 victory.

"It's never easy to win here and we stress taking care of the basketball, making them work on defense and I thought our kids bought into that," said Wartella. "We moved the ball well and got good shots in the second half."

Grace led the Eagles with 12 points and Tyeirre Meade scored 11 points to lead Blue Mountain's offensive effort.

Pottsville hosts Tamaqua Friday at 7:30 p.m. and Blue Mountain welcomes Minersville to their home floor Friday at 7 p.m.

Pottsville 44 - Alvarez 4 2-4 10, Bowers 3 1-2 9, Montone 4 3-4 11, Watkins 4 0-0 8, Ivy 2 0-0 4, Bainbridge 1 0-0 2, McGinley 0 0-0 0, Flucker-White 0 0-0 0, Allen 0 0-0 0, Herndon 0 0-0 0, Clews 0 0-0 0, Hobbs 0 0-0 0, Kimber 0 0-0 0, D. Kunstek 0 0-0 0, Allen 0 0-0 0, B. Kunstek 0 0-0 0

Blue Mountain 36 - Meade 4 2-2 11, Reid 0 0-0 0, Miller 0 0-0 0, Setlock 0 0-0 0, Guers 1 0-0 2, Werner 0 0-0 0, Grace 5 1-1 12, Henninger 0 0-0 0, Kirby 0 2-2 2, Gaddy 0 0-0 0, Brayford 1 1-4 3, Tomeo 0 0-0 0

P (9-5):8;14;8;14;-44

BM (4-6);9;9;8;10;-36