POTTSVILLE BOYS BASKETBALL

2023 - 2024 Pottsville Crimson Tide

 

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2023-2024 Team Trip to See Penn State Basketball

Crimson Tide Seniors  Kole Becker & Chase Oswald

CO-MVP'S For The Tide 

 

Good Luck to Kole & Chase 

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Crimson Tide Season Ends

PHILADELPHIA - The hole was just a bit too deep for Pottsville to dig its way out.

Despite a late push led by seniors Chase Oswald and Kole Becker, the Crimson Tide couldn't overcome a disastrous second-quarter slog as they fell to Carver High School of Engineering & Sciences 51-44 in the opening round of the PIAA Class 4A boys' state basketball playoffs Friday night at Universal Audenried High School.

Trailing by as many as 16 points, Pottsville powered back behind Oswald's 11 second-half points and a pair of fourth-quarter 3-pointers by Becker to cut the deficit to three. But the Engineers held strong in the game's final moments as Sahin Rodriguez scored 15 points and Matthew McField added 11, both knocking down key free throws for Carver E&S.

"Our kids fought all year, and it was a great experience," Tide coach Jake Wartella said. "But we feel like we're good enough to win games like this. I love our kids' effort. They fought until the end, especially our two seniors Chase and Kole."

Pottsville (19-9), the third seed out of District 11, took a 10-9 lead after a slow-moving first quarter, getting early looks around the rim.

That prompted a change from the Engineers (20-6) in the second, switching their defense to a zone. It wasn't quite stifling, but it was effective. The Tide moved the ball and found the open man. But something about that zone kept them from putting the ball in the basket.

"We didn't really see a zone like that all year," Wartella said, "that 1-3-1 with athletic kids. It affected us a little. We had clean looks; we had open shots. We have to make some of them."

Pottsville scored no field goals and just one point in the entire second quarter, while Carver E&S converted its stops into a few transition opportunities. The District 12 runner-up Engineers took a 20-11 lead into the half, with Aaron Williams leading the way with six points.

"The second quarter killed us," Wartella said. "I didn't think we were (taking bad shots); we just weren't making them. We had a lot of good looks, and, for whatever reason, we lost our confidence for a little in the second quarter."

A hot third quarter from Rodriguez allowed Carver E&S to extend its lead to 32-16 with 3:16 to play in the period. That's when the Tide started to respond and begin chipping away.

"I knew I didn't want to lose," Oswald said. "I don't think any of us did."

Letrel Montone scored five points in the third quarter with a pair of tough finishes while the 6-foot-2 forward Oswald added his own timely inside bucket for Pottsville to make it a 33-25 at the end of the third.

Oswald then hit a deep 3-pointer early in the fourth, while sophomore guard Christian Alvarez buried another for three of his 11 points to bring the Tide within seven. Becker canned two triples as Pottsville streaked back, the second of which brought the score to 47-44.

"I think it meant a little more to me and Kole," Oswald said. "We fought hard, and I think the others fueled off that. It helped us all play as hard as we could."

As Pottsville was forced to play the fouling game, the Engineers stepped up on an otherwise poor free-throwing shooting night.

While Carver E&S shot 15-for-26 from the line in the game, Rodriguez went 3-for-4 and McField went a perfect 4-for-4 in the closing minutes to fend off a Tide comeback and set up a second-round matchup Tuesday against District 4 winner Danville, which beat Octorora 63-50.

For Pottsville, the effort was there on the stage of the state playoffs, but its worst stretch of play - that second quarter - proved costly in avoiding elimination.

"I love the way we battled back," Wartella said, "and I still think we had plenty of chances to win. ... (Carver E&S) is a very good team. They made the key plays in the right parts of the game, and that's why they won."

 

Game Summary

PIAA Boys' Basketball

Class 4A First Round

At Universal Audenried HS

POTTSVILLE (44) - Montone 3 1-1 7, Becker 2 0-0 6, Watkins 1 2-2 5, Bainbridge 1 0-0 2, Oswald 3 4-7 11, Alvarez 3 3-6 11, Hughes-Crane 0 0-0 0, Bowers 0 0-0 0, Flucker-White 1 0-0 2. Totals 14 10-16 44.

CARVER E&S (51) - F. Brown 2 2-2 7, Rodriguez 5 4-6 15, McField 3 5-6 11, Lewis 0 0-0 0, Young 2 0-2 4, A. Brown 2 0-0 4, Williams 3 0-0 6, Simpkins 0 4-10 4, Lunon 0 0-0 0. Totals 17 15-26 51.

Potts (19-9);10;1;14;19;-;44

Carver (20-6);9;11;13;18;-;51

3-point FGs: Becker 2, Alvarez 2, Watkins, Oswald, F. Brown, Rodriguez


State Playoffs

Crimson Tide plays Carver E & S, out of Philadelphia on Friday, March 8 at 6:00 pm

Crimson Tide Moves On to State Playoffs 

ORWIGSBURG - Christian Alvarez's big night lifted Pottsville back to the PIAA playoffs.

The sophomore forward scored a game-high 24 points as the Crimson Tide rolled past North Schuylkill 58-44 in the District 11 Class 4A boys' consolation game Friday at Blue Mountain High School.

Pottsville (19-8) will travel to face the District 12 runner up in the first round of the PIAA Class 4A boys' tournament Friday, March 8.

"We knew we needed the win and someone needed to step up," Alvarez said. "Going to states is obviously cool, so it's nice when I have a good game to get us there.

"We played great as a team. I mean, I had a great game shooting-wise, but my teammates set me up. Them and my coaches."

The Tide pushed the pace right out of the gates and outscored North Schuylkill (17-10) in the first quarter 19-11. Alvarez netted two 3-pointers and totaled 10 points through the frame.

The Spartans' Jack Keiter, a senior guard, did his best to match Alvarez early and keep North Schuylkill in the game, along with surpassing a school milestone.

Keiter collected seven points in the first quarter and became the Spartans' all-time leading boys' basketball scorer when he knocked down a 3-pointer with 2:29 remaining in the first half to surpass 2008 graduate Garrett Kelly's previously mark of 1,387 career points. Keiter finished with a team-high 16 points and 1,394 total points in his career.

"It feels great, I worked very hard for it," Keiter said. "It feels great, I did everything to help my team win and put us in the best position to win with my ability.

"It's been the best time of my life."

While Keiter's 13 points by the half points were helpful, Pottsville held North Schuylkill at bay and led 40-25 at halftime. Alvarez added eight more points in the second quarter and increased his total to 18 at the end of the first half.

"Our message was to keep the same energy," Crimson Tide coach Jake Wartella said about his halftime message. "We started cold in the second half, (North Schuylkill) hit some shots, but our kids are resilient. They battled and they found a way."

Chase Oswald finished with 12 points for Pottsville, while Pottsville didn't quite have the same intensity offensively to start the second half as the Tide only got two field goals to fall in the quarter. Alvarez nailed another 3 and Letrel Montone added a layup, while as a team Pottsville netted shot 3-for-6 from the free-throw line in the frame.

Chase Oswald knocked down two free throws and Alvarez added one in four attempts. Oswald went 6-for-6 from the line and chipped in 12 total points.

Keiter added two more 3's and Jude Maziekas got a layup to fall as the Spartans matched the Tide with eight points in the third quarter.

Pottsville went bucket-for-bucket and held North Schuylkill at a comfortable distance, even as North Schuylkill outscored the Crimson Tide 11-10 in the fourth and final quarter. But it was too far, too late, for the Spartans as Pottsville's hot start proved to be the difference.

Zane Zulkowski chipped in 12 points for North Schuylkill.

"We have to play our game," Wartella said on the Tide moving on to the PIAA Tournament. "Play like we did tonight in the first half and good things will happen."

Game Summary

District 11 Boys' Basketball

Class 4A Consolation

At Blue Mountain HS

NORTH SCHUYLKILL (44) - Drum 0 0-0 0, Cuthie 0 0-0 0, Maziekas 3 0-0 7, Miller 0 0-2 0, Keiter 6 0-0 16, Zulkowski 4 2-2 12, Marcinowski 1 0-0 3, Mengel 1 1-2 3, Chambers 0 0-0 0, Zilker 0 0-0 0, Rivera 0 0-0 0, Carl 0 0-0 0, Flail 1 1-2 3. Totals 16 4-8 44.

POTTSVILLE (58) - Hughes-Crane 0 0-0 0, Montone 3 0-2 7, Becker 2 1-1 6, Watkins 1 2-5 4, Bainbridge 0 0-0 0, Oswald 3 6-6 12, Bowers 1 0-0 3, Alvarez 8 4-8 24, Flucker-White 1 0-0 2. Totals 19 13-21 58.

NS (17-10);11;14;8;11;-;44

Potts (19-8);19;21;8;10;-;58

3-point FGs: Maziekas, Keiter 4, Zulkowski 2, Marcinowski, Montone, Becker, Bowers, Alvarez 4

 

Crimson Tide Plays North Schuylkill, This Friday for a Spot in the State Playoffs


Tide Falls To Allentown Central Catholic 

Allentown C.C. 50, Pottsville 38

BETHLEHEM - Letrel Montone led the way with 11 points for third-seeded Pottsville, which dropped a District 11 Class 4A semifinal to second-seeded Allentown Central Catholic at Bethlehem Liberty High School.

Chase Oswald added 10 points for the Crimson Tide, which played ACC to a 9-9 tie after one quarter. The Vikings, though, went on a 13-4 run to lead 22-13 at halftime.

Jahrel Vigo and Lucas Mushrush netted 18 points apiece for Allentown Central Catholic.

Pottsville will play in the consolation game Friday at a site and time to be announced.

District 11 Boys' Basketball

Class 4A Semifinal

POTTSVILLE (38) - Hughes-Crane 0 0-0 0, Montone 5 0-0 11, Becker 0 2-2 2, Watkins 2 2-3 6, Bainbridge 0 0-0 0, Oswald 5 0-0 10, Alvarez 3 2-2 9, Flucker-White 0 0-0 0. Totals 15 6-7 38.

ALLENTOWN CENTRAL CATHOLIC (50) - Cook 1 0-0 2, Fridia 0 0-2 0, Spinosa 3 0-0 8, Jones 0 0-0 0, Davis 0 0-0 0, Vigo 8 2-4 18, Mushrush 7 1-2 18, Ensley 1 1-4 4, Stewart-Smith 0 0-0 0. Totals 20 4-8 50.

Potts (18-8);9;4;9;16;-;38

ACC (19-6);9;13;14;14;-;50

3-point FGs: Montone, Alvarez, Mushrush 3, Spinosa 2, Ensley

Crimson Tide Plays Allentown Central Catholic on Tuesday, February 27, 2024 in District XI AAAA Semi-finals

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Pottsville rallies past Lehighton in District 11 4A quarterfinal

 

 

ORWIGSBURG - How do you overcome an early 10-point deficit in basketball?

Defense.

Pottsville proved that statement correct Friday in its 55-44 victory over Lehighton in a District 11 Class 4A boys' basketball quarterfinal at Blue Mountain High School.

The Crimson Tide (18-7) cranked up the defensive pressure through the middle quarters, forcing 10 first-half turnovers to get back in it.

Chase Oswald scored a game-high 19 points for Pottsville, which advances to face No. 2 Allentown Central Catholic, a 58-29 winner over Tamaqua, in Tuesday's semifinals at 6 p.m. at Bethlehem Liberty High School.

"Everything was happening too easy for them to start the game," Pottsville coach Jake Wartella said. "They came out fired up and they had a good game plan.

"We woke our kids up a little bit. I'm proud of the effort. It was great fighting back. We could have went away and said game over, but our kids fought back. That's a great win."

The Indians (14-10) raced out to a 10-0 lead in the first 2:15 of the game as Joe Roth had five of his 18 points and Cole Dietz drained a 3-pointer from the corner.

Pottsville coach Jake Wartella called timeout. Oswald said it wasn't a happy huddle.

"We were mad. We weren't playing with our best effort," Oswald said. "Some words from teammates, some words from coaches ... we turned it on and were able to play with more fire.

"Every game we always stress defense. Defense is our main thing at Pottsville. We weren't playing very good defense to start the game off. After that timeout, that's what changed everything for our defense and the way we played."

Pottsville turned the game around by pressuring the ball the entire court. Derek Watkins led the charge, picking up the Indians' point guards in the backcourt and forcing Lehighton to extend its offense.

He had a pair of steals that he quickly converted into layups, as Lehighton struggled to get into any type of offensive rhythm.

"The biggest thing about (Pottsville) is their defensive pressure," said Lehighton coach Trevor Miller, whose team committed 10 first-half turnovers. "We handled it well at points. There was a stretch in the second quarter where we didn't, where they went on a run because of our turnovers. I thought that was the difference in the game."

Oswald got the Pottsville offense started by recycling a miss, one of his eight rebounds in the game. He then hit a wide-open 3-pointer from the top of the key that sparked a 12-4 run that tied the game at 18-18.

With the contest tied at 22-22 midway through the second, Pottsville got consecutive 3-pointers from Letrel Montone, Juju Bainbridge and Kole Becker to break things open.

The Tide led 31-24 at the half and never trailed the rest of the way.

"That's a huge 3," Wartella said of Oswald's 3-pointer. "He's a senior leader. We don't win this game without him. Hitting a shot like that calmed everybody down and said, ‘We'll be OK.'"

Pottsville extended its lead to as many as 11 in the third quarter before Lehighton, in its final game as a Schuylkill League member, made a final push. Blake Roberts had four of his 10 points and Roth had four more as the Indians went on a 9-2 run to slice the deficit to 43-38 with 3:40 remaining.

The Tide, however, ran nearly 40 seconds off the clock on their next possession, with Christian Alvarez burying a 3-pointer from the right corner off a feed from Oswald to put Pottsville up 46-38 with 2:56 remaining.

Lehighton didn't get any closer the rest of the way.

"That's a big shot by Alvarez," Wartella said.

Alvarez finished with 11 points and both Montone and Watkins had nine for Pottsville, which shot 15-for-20 from the foul line for the game and 9-of-14 in the fourth quarter.

Led by its defense, Pottsville moves on.

"Our kids found a way. They've been doing it since the offseason," Wartella said. "Every game, it might be close, it might be ugly, but these kids find a way to win games. That's a great quality to have.

"We could have went away tonight and said we're happy with our season. But they didn't want to lose."

 

Game Summary

District 11 Boys' Basketball

Class 4A Quarterfinal

At Blue Mountain HS

LEHIGHTON (44) - Serfass 0 2-2 2, Johnson 2 2-3 6, Roberts 5 0-2 10, Roth 8 2-4 18, Dietz 3 1-2 8, Meek 0 0-0 0, Light 0 0-0 0, Hawk 0 0-0 0. Totals 18 7-13 44.

POTTSVILLE (55) - Montone 4 0-0 9, Becker 1 1-2 4, Watkins 3 2-4 9, Oswald 4 10-12 19, Alvarez 4 2-2 11, Bainbridge 1 0-0 3, Hughes-Crane 0 0-0 0, Flucker-White 0 0-0 0. Totals 17 15-20 55.

Leh (14-9);16;8;5;15;-;44

Potts (18-7);11;20;10;14;-;55

3-point FGs: Dietz, Montone, Becker, Watkins, Oswald, Alvarez, Bainbridge 

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Crimson Tide plays Lehighton at Blue Mountain at 5:00 pm on Friday

Crimson Tide Falls To The Bears

 

POTTSVILLE - Jace Yedsena stole the ball and headed to the rim.

His two-handed slam early in the first quarter gave Mahanoy Area a lead it would never relinquish and set the tone for the Golden Bears' 57-40 victory over Pottsville in a Schuylkill League boys' basketball semifinal Wednesday at Martz Hall.

The Bears jumped out to an early 7-0 run and did not allow a single Crimson Tide field goal until the 4:10 mark in the opening quarter.

The victory advanced Division III champion Mahanoy Area to Friday's league championship game against Blue Mountain, a 66-53 winner over North Schuylkill, at 7:30 p.m. at Martz Hall.

"Usually, we start from behind and were down a lot," Mahanoy Area head coach Ted Styka said. "Today was a good change of pace to actually be ahead and have control throughout the whole game."

Mahanoy Area (23-0) was ultra-aggressive in attacking the basket and getting to the free-throw line in the early going.

Chris Cuff and Tanner Zawada each converted a 3-point play by driving hard to the rim finishing the layup and earning the foul. Zawada finished with a game-high 16 points and Cuff chipped in 12 points on the night.

The aggressive offensive attack of Mahanoy helped put them up 16-3 with 1:48 left in the first quarter.

Going into the second quarter, Cuff knocked down the game's first 3-pointer and then right after Cuff's three, senior guard Colm McGroarty came up with a steal off the inbound and drew a foul. McGroarty's head's up hustle play really gave Mahanoy a huge boost of momentum.

"He's a great senior leader," Styka said of McGroarty. "When you have your sixth man coming off the bench and he's All-State in football, the fastest kid in the high hurdles, it's a great luxury to have."

The free-throw line continued to be a key factor, as Mahanoy Area shot 9-for-10 at the line during the first half, whereas Pottsville was just 1-of-4.

The Bears kept up their same level of aggressiveness on the defensive side as well, but for a period of time Pottsville was able to use Mahanoy's aggressiveness against them.

Pottsville (17-7) found itself down 13 with 5:13 on the clock but were able to draw a second personal foul on Yedsena. Not long after, Christian Alvarez helped spark a 7-0 Tide run with a pair of field goals in the paint, making the score 22-16 with 3:05 remaining in the half.

The run helped Pottsville outscore Mahanoy 11-9 during the second quarter, as they trailed 26-18 at halftime.

During the third quarter, Mahanoy Area got into more foul trouble, as both Yedsena and Brady Alansky picked up their third personal fouls.

Alansky played a key role on the Bears' defense in not allowing Alvarez to get going, but the foul trouble forced him and Yedsena to come out. However, Mahanoy was able to adjust effectively with McGroarty and Ethan Manley coming off the bench in taking on the challenge of guarding Pottsville's biggest offensive threats.

The Bears remained in command for much of the third quarter and Yedsena's re-entry with 11 seconds to go was heavily felt, as the junior attacked the rim converting yet another Mahanoy Area 3-point play in the winding seconds of the third quarter.

With Mahanoy up 41-28 after three quarters of play, Yedsena still was not finished flying high above the rim to start the fourth quarter. The crafty lefty took off for another slam off a pass from Zawada to get the Bears' 16-point fourth quarter started.

The balanced, fundamental attack of Mahanoy continued to keep it in command of the lead for the entire fourth quarter, as the Bears wrapped up the win and advanced to Friday's final.

Contact the writer: sports@republicanherald.com; 570-628-6026; @repheraldsports on X

 

Game Summary

Schuylkill League Boys' Basketball

League Semifinal

At Martz Hall

POTTSVILLE (40) - Montone 4 3-8 11, Becker 3 0-0 9, Watkins 1 1-2 3, Oswald 1 2-2 4, Alvarez 4 3-4 11, Bainbridge 0 0-0 0, Flucker-White 1 0-0 2, Hughes-Crane 0 0-0 0. Totals 14 9-16 40.

MAHANOY AREA (57) - Yedsena 5 2-5 12, Cuff 4 3-5 12, Zawada 4 7-9 16, Alansky 2 2-2 6, Styka 1 5-8 7, Manley 0 0-0 0, McGroarty 1 2-2 4. Totals 17 21-31 57.

Potts (17-7);7;11;10;12;-;40

Mah (23-0);17;9;15;16;-;57

3-point FGs: Becker 3, Cuff, Zawada


 

Schuylkill League Boys' Basketball Playoff Capsules

Where: Martz Hall

Tickets: Adults/Senior Citizens are $6. Students are $3. All tickets will be sold at the door and are cash only.

Live updates: Follow Republican Herald sports editor Leroy Boyer on X at @pubsportsboss

Radio: Games will be simulcasted on WPPA 1360 AM, WPPA 105.9 FM, WAVT 101.9 FM

Blue Mountain (20-2) vs. North Schuylkill (16-7)

When: Today, 6 p.m.

Up next: Winner advances to Friday's championship game at 7:30 p.m. at Martz Hall.

About the Eagles

Head coach: Dustin Werdt (21st season)

How they got here: Division I co-champs had quarterfinal bye.

Projected starters: Isaac Thomas (sr., C), Tyeirre Meade (soph., G), Tyler Miller (sr., G), Elijah Feisel (sr., F), Aidan Grace (jr., G)

Key reserves: Braiden McGhee (sr.), Merik Brayford (jr.), Max Heim (soph.), Chase Baldwin (jr.)

About the Spartans

Head coach: Will Bracey (4th season)

How they got here: The Division I wild card, Spartans defeated Division II champion Schuylkill Haven 69-55 in Saturday's quarterfinals.

Projected starters: Jack Keiter (sr., G), Zane Zulkowski (sr., G), Luke Miller (soph., G), Jude Maziekas (soph., F), Joey Flail (sr., F)

Key reserves: Tyrone Chambers (sr., F), Fernando Rivera (sr., G), Zack Marcinowski (soph., G), Caden Mengel (soph., G)

Game notes: Rematch of last year's boys' championship game, won by Blue Mountain 57-54 on dramatic 3-pointer by Grace in final seconds. ... Teams met twice in regular season, with Eagles winning both, 80-66 on Dec. 11 in Fountain Springs and 71-63 on Jan. 25 in Orwigsburg. Meade had 25 points and Thomas 21 in first meeting, while Thomas had 26 and Meade 19 in second game. Zulkowski has scored 21 and 24 in the two games vs. Blue Mountain. ... Eagles have won six straight games entering playoffs. ... Keiter scored a game-high 32 points in quarterfinal win over Haven as Spartans used a third-quarter run to take control.

Pottsville (17-6) vs. Mahanoy Area (22-0)

When: Today, 7:30 p.m.

Up next: Winner advances to Friday's championship game at 7:30 p.m at Martz Hall.

About the Crimson Tide

Head coach: Jake Wartella (4th season)

How they got here: Division I co-champs defeated small-school wild card Nativity 61-55 in Saturday's quarterfinals.

Projected starters: Letrel Montone (jr., G), Kole Becker (sr., G), Derek Watkins (jr., G), Christian Alvarez (soph., F), Chase Oswald (sr., F)

Key reserves: Juju Bainbridge (soph.), Gianni Hughes-Crane (jr.), Ryder Bowers (soph.), Tahlil Flucker-White (jr.)

About the Golden Bears

Head coach: Teddy Styka (4th season)

How they got here: Division III champions had quarterfinal bye.

Projected starters: Brady Alansky (sr.), Chris Cuff (sr.), Kadin Styka (sr.), Jace Yedsena (jr.), Tanner Zawada (jr.)

Key reserves: Colm McGroarty (sr.), Ethan Manley (soph.)

Game notes: Tide are in the semifinals for the 15th straight season. Pottsville is looking to get to the finals after not making it last year. ... Golden Bears are in league playoffs for first time since 2019, when they lost 56-13 to Pottsville. Tide and Bears don't play in regular season, but are no strangers when it comes to the league playoffs. Tonight is the 10th meeting since 1980, and fifth since 2013. Tide own a 6-3 advantage, with Mahanoy Area beating Pottsville in the 2014 championship game, 2006 semifinals and 1994 wild-card game. ... Becker had three 3-pointers and a game-high 19 points in quarterfinal win over Nativity, while Alvarez had 16 and Oswald 11.

- Compiled by Leroy Boyer

Crimson Tide Plays Mahanoy Area on Wednesday Night in Schuylkill League Semi-Finals

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Crimson Tide Advances to Semi-Finals With A Victory against Nativity 

POTTSVILLE - When the Pottsville boys' basketball team was looking for someone to step up, it was senior Kole Becker who answered the call.

Becker scored a team-high 19 points and hit a clutch 3-pointer at the halftime buzzer to lead Pottsville to a 61-55 victory over Nativity in a Schuylkill League boys' quarterfinal game Saturday at Martz Hall.

The Crimson Tide (17-6) advances to Wednesday's semifinal round to take on undefeated Mahanoy Area (22-0) at 7:30 p.m. at Martz Hall.

Becker knocked down a clutch 3-pointer to tie the game at 21-21 going into halftime after the Hilltoppers went on an 8-0 scoring run before half.

"It was really good for us to get that spark," Becker said.

Action kicked off with Pottsville's Christian Alvarez knocking down a 3-pointer before both teams were quickly off and running. Alvarez had six points in the first quarter with his other 3 coming from well beyond the arc as time expired to give Pottsville the lead 16-10. Chase Oswald chipped in five points in the first quarter for the Crimson Tide.

Mike Quirk netted the Hilltoppers' first points after adding a pair of free throws, but the second quarter was where Nativity really turned it on. Trey Keating hit his second 3 of the game and added two layups to give himself 10 points at the half. Jack Messina added a steal and Keating got his first layup to fall to push the Hilltoppers ahead 19-18. Keating's four points were part of an 8-0 Nativity scoring run.

"It was back-and-forth all game," Pottsville coach Jake Wartella said. "That's a credit to (Nativity), I mean they wouldn't go away.

"We'd get a little lead and (Nativity) hit big shot, after big shot, after big shot. They really shot well tonight, but I'm really proud of our seniors. I thought Kole, Chase were awesome and that's the reason we won the game."

Keating added another two points to make Nativity's lead 21-18 with the half winding down, but Becker added another buzzer-beating 3 for the Tide that tied the game at 21 at half. Becker had five points in the first half.

In the second half, it was nearly the same script. Nativity led early in the third quarter, but the Tide got right back on the offensive.

It was Becker again who sparked Pottsville with two 3-pointers, a layup and a pair of free throws for 10 points in the third quarter. On the opposite side, Keating matched Becker with 10 points for the Hilltoppers in the quarter. After three quarters of play, Pottsville led 43-38 and neither team was ready to go home.

"As a team, I thought we played really well," Becker said. "Our team defense was slow at first, but we came out and did what we had to to get the win."

In the fourth and final quarter, Pottsville outscored Nativity 18-17 as the Tide matched everything the Hilltoppers threw at them. Keating added nine more points to bring his total to a game-high 27, but it still wasn't enough to send Nativity to the next round.

Alvarez and Derek Watkins each chipped in six points in the final frame to help the Crimson Tide secure the win. Alvarez finished with 16 points, while Watkins collected 12. Oswald totaled 11 for Pottsville.

"We have to clean some things up offensively," Wartella said. "I think we are forcing some things right now. We have to play a near-perfect game Wednesday if we want to beat (Mahanoy Area). They're undefeated for a reason and we know how good they are."

 

Game Summary

Schuylkill League Boys' Quarterfinal

At Martz Hall

NATIVITY (55) - Messina 1 0-0 3, Walborn 0 0-0 0, Borden 3 0-0 8, Dolbin 4 0-0 8, Quirk 1 2-2 5, Smith 0 2-2 2, Keating 9 4-5 27, Adams 1 0-0 2. Totals 20 8-9 55.

POTTSVILLE (61) - Hughes-Crane 0 0-0 0, Montone 1 0-0 2, Becker 6 4-5 19, Watkins 5 1-2 12, Alvarez 6 2-3 16, Oswald 4 2-3 11, Bowers 0 0-0 0, Bainbridge 0 1-2 1, Flucker-White 0 0-0 0. Totals 22 10-15 61.

Nat (13-10);10;11;17;17;-;55

Potts (17-6);16;5;22;18;-;61

3-point FGs: Keating 5, Borden 2, Quirk, Messina, Becker 3, Watkins, Alvarez 2, Oswald

Crimson Tide Takes On Nativity on Saturday Night at 7:00 for Schuylkill League Playoffs

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 Crimson Tide Wins a Wild One

POTTSVILLE - Martz Madness came a couple of days early.

Pottsville and North Schuylkill gave a preview of the upcoming Schuylkill League boys' basketball playoffs Tuesday night, battling through two overtimes in a Division I clash at Martz Hall.

Letrel Montone's 3-pointer from the left wing with 28 seconds left proved to be the game-winner as the Crimson Tide pulled out a 68-65 victory that gave Pottsville a share of the Division I championship.

The Tide (16-6, 13-1 D-I) and Blue Mountain (20-2, 13-1) are declared Division I co-champions, with the Eagles getting the No. 1 seed from Division I and a quarterfinal bye in Saturday's playoffs based on District 11 power rating. Pottsville will be the No. 2 seed from Division I and face small-school wild-card Nativity in the last of four games Saturday night at Martz Hall.

North Schuylkill (15-7, 10-4) is the No. 3 seed from Division I and will face Division II champion Schuylkill Haven in the third game Saturday.

"It was a playoff atmosphere tonight, so was the Blue Mountain game the other night," Pottsville coach Jake Wartella said. "We've been playing playoff games the last couple of games.

"We're excited for Nativity. It's going to be a great tournament. There's six great teams in it and anybody can win it."

Tuesday's game had everything a typical playoff game at Martz Hall would have - intense play on both sides of the court, key shots by team leaders at clutch moments, costly turnovers and missed free throws at critical times.

For Montone, his 3-pointer was retribution after Pottsville failed to convert a game-winning situation at the end of regulation.

After Zane Zulkowski's two free throws tied the game at 54-54 with 1 minute left, Pottsville held for one shot. North Schuylkill played tough defense, but the Tide failed to run a play and ran out of time. The only shot Pottsville was able to get off before the buzzer was an off-balance, long-range 3-pointer by Christian Alvarez that didn't find the mark.

{div}"We have to do a better job executing at the end of the game," Wartella said.{/div}

Zulkowski tied the game with a foul shot with 53.4 left, but Chase Oswald put Pottsville ahead 60-58 with two free throws with 51.4 left. North Schuylkill had a chance to tie the game, but Joey Flail missed two free throws - the Spartans were 2-for-7 from the line in the first OT.

Derek Watkins put Pottsville up 61-58 with a free throw with 10.9, but North Schuylkill had one final chance.

With Pottsville opting not to foul - Wartella said he and his coaches "talked about but we let it play out" - Zulkowski banked in an off-balance 3-pointer from the left wing with 2.2 seconds left to tie the game at 61-61 and force a second extra session.

"It was a great play by (Zulkowski)," North Schuylkill coach Will Bracey said. "Great players make great plays and he does that all the time. I'm blessed to have a good group of guys that work hard, and when you work hard great things happen. He had a phenomenal game."

In the second OT, Flail sandwiched two free throws and a layup around a pair of Chase Oswald free throws to put North Schuylkill up 65-63 with 59 seconds left. Pottsville again held for one shot, but this time Montone created space near the top of the key, moved to his left and drained the shot to put Pottsville up 66-65 with 28 seconds left.

After a North Schuylkill turnover, Watkins sank two foul shots to make it 68-65 with 11.5 left. The Spartans then missed a potential game-tying 3-pointer in the final seconds.

"We played Blue Mountain and I gave up a shot at the end of the game, and I just thought, ‘I can get me one,'" Montone said. "At the end of the game, it didn't work out that way. I had Christian behind me and it didn't work out.

"I'm not really big on catch-and-shoot. Most of my threes are pull-up threes. At the end of the game, I knew I had to hit one. I saw the layup and the three was wide open. I had to get me one."

Montone had 14 of his team-high 23 points in the first half as the Tide led 18-15 after one frame and 30-29 at halftime. Oswald, who finished with 15 points, sparked a 9-0 run midway through the third that put Pottsville up 44-35, but North Schuylkill rallied to tie the game at 48-48 with 6:04 left. A putback by Oswald gave the Tide a 54-52 lead with 1:26 left before Zulkowski's free throws forced overtime.

Zulkowski led all scorers with 25 for the Spartans, while Keiter tallied 15 points, Flail had 11 and Jude Maziekas netted 10.

"North Schuylkill is a great team ... we may see them later in the playoffs. We knew it was going to be a battle coming in," Montone said. "This is a great way to prepare for the playoffs. We have Nativity on Saturday ... this is a great way to prepare for us."

Contact the writer: Lboyer@republicanherald.com; 570-628-6026; @pubsportsboss on X 

Game Summary

NORTH SCHUYLKILL (65) - Maziekas 4 0-0 10, Miller 0 0-0 0, Keiter 6 2-4 15, Zulkowski 8 6-10 25, Flail 4 3-6 11, Marcinowski 0 0-0 0, Rivera 2 0-0 4. Totals 24 11-20.

POTTSVILLE (68) - Montone 9 2-3 23, Becker 3 0-0 8, Watkins 3 3-4 9, Oswald 5 5-5 15, Alvarez 3 0-0 7, Flucker-White 1 0-1 2, Bainbridge 2 0-0 4, Hughes-Crane 0 0-0 0, Bowers 0 0-0 0. Totals 26 10-13 68.

NS (15-7, 10-4);15;14;11;14;7;4;-;65

Po (16-6, 13-1);18;12;16;8;7;7;-;68

3-point FGs: Maziekas 2, Keiter, Zulkowski 3, Montone 3, Becker 2, Alvarez

JV score: North Schuylkill 58-49

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Crimson Tide Falls to the Eagles

  • By Gehrig Hossler Correspondent

ORWIGSBURG - When Pottsville and Blue Mountain get together on the hardwood, it seems right for the game to come down to the wire.

That was the case Friday night when the Tide and Eagles battled in a Schuylkill League Division I first-place showdown.

The Eagles pulled out the victory, 41-38, moving into a first-place tie with Pottsville atop the Division I standings.

"Both teams played extremely aggressive and extremely hard," Blue Mountain head coach Dustin Werdt said. "It certainly showed that it came down to the last minute of the game."

The game was tied at 38-38 with just under a minute remaining in regulation when Tyler Miller made a play. The senior guard chased down a loose ball off a missed shot and kicked the ball out.

The play gave Blue Mountain a second chance and the Eagles capitalized as Isaac Thomas drilled the go-ahead 3-pointer with 41 seconds to go. Thomas' clutch bucket may have been the shot of the game, but Miller's hustle securing the loose ball may have been the play of the game.

"Not everybody recognizes some of the things that Tyler Miller does, but our team recognizes what Tyler Miller does," Werdt said. "He guards people, he gets rebounds, he gets loose balls, the kid never quits on a play."

With 12 seconds remaining, the Eagles needed one more stop. Blue Mountain's defensive ball pressure stepped up as the horn sounded and Pottsville did not even get the shot off leading to a court-storming celebration for the Eagles.

Prior to the wild last minute of play, it looked like the Eagles were going to run away with the win.

Blue Mountain (19-2, 12-1 D-I) came out swinging, going on an 8-0 run to start the game. Pottsville's first bucket did not come until a little over four minutes were left in the first quarter.

Christian Alvarez, who had a game-high 16 points, helped wake up the Tide's offense by earning his team's first points and scoring seven of the Tide's nine total points in the opening quarter.

Despite Pottsville (15-6, 12-1) closing the gap in the early going, Blue Mountain's defense did not let its foot off the gas. The Eagles' defense remained in control for much of the first half, forcing turnovers and not allowing the Crimson Tide to get into a consistent offensive rhythm.

The Eagles held Pottsville to just 13 points in the first half and found themselves with an 11-point lead at the break, 24-13.

Blue Mountain came out fast in the second half, jumping out to its largest lead of the night at 15. However, the Eagles fell into foul trouble and Pottsville's defense stepped up.

Two key players for Blue Mountain, Tyeirre Meade and Eli Feisel, picked up their third fouls midway through the third quarter. The Crimson Tide saw an opportunity to attack, going on a 10-1 run to cut the lead to six and forcing a Blue Mountain timeout with 3:04 on the clock.

The final 24 seconds of the third quarter featured two big momentum swings.

Meade made an immediate impact when he re-entered the game, coming up with a steal that led to an exciting slam dunk that electrified a standing-room crowd. Alvarez then answered for Pottsville, draining a 3-pointer just before time expired, giving Pottsville the momentum going into the fourth quarter down 33-29.

A wild fourth quarter got started with both teams trading buckets. Letrel Montone then took over for the Tide, knocking down a 3-pointer and finishing off a strong drive in the lane with a crafty layup. The five-point burst gave Pottsville its first lead of the evening at 36-35.

Blue Mountain's leading scorer, Thomas, came up big in the clutch.

Following Montone's go-ahead layup, Thomas answered with a strong finish of his own at the rim, making the bucket plus the foul to put the Eagles back in front by two. He finished with 15 points.

Alvarez, who scored a game-high 16 points, then tied it back up at 38-38 with just over four minutes to go.

After three minutes of all-out defensive effort by both teams not allowing either offense to score, Miller's play put Blue Mountain ahead to stay. 

 

Game Summary

POTTSVILLE (38) - Montone 5 2-2 13, Becker 1 0-0 2, Watkins 1 1-2 3, Bainbridge 0 1-2 1, Oswald 1 0-2 3, Alvarez 7 1-2 16, Flucker-White 0 0-0 0. Totals 15 5-10 38.

BLUE MOUNTAIN (41) - Meade 3 5-5 12, McGhee 0 0-0 0, Baldwin 0 0-0 0, Brayford 1 0-0 3, Heim 0 0-0 0, Grace 1 0-0 2, Miller 2 0-0 4, Feisel 2 0-0 5, Thomas 5 4-5 15. Totals 14 9-10 41.

Po (15-6, 12-1);9;4;16;9;-;38

BM (19-2, 12-1);13;11;9;8;-;41

3-point FGs: Montone, Oswald, Alvarez, Meade, Brayford, Feisel, Thomas

JV score: Blue Mountain 57-45

Crimson Tide Pounds The Panthers 

 

Pottsville 63, Panther Valley 43

POTTSVILLE - Derek Watkins paced Pottsville and totaled a team-high 12 points as the Crimson Tide rolled past Panther Valley in a Division I game.

Christian Alvarez, Letrel Montone and Kole Becker each scored 11 points for Pottsville, who led 34-15 at the half.

For the Panthers, Chase Weaver netted a game-high 13 points.

PANTHER VALLEY (43) - Kokinda 3 0-0 8, Weaver 4 5-5 13, Fisher 2 3-4 7, Penberth 1 0-0 2, Jones 2 0-0 5, Hood 0 0-0 0, Wehr 0 0-0 0, Krynock 0 0-0 0, Buyce 2 0-0 6, Neziri 0 0-0 0, Black 0 0-0 0, Maynard 0 0-0 0, Goida 1 0-0 2. Totals 15 8-9 43.

POTTSVILLE (63) - Hughes-Crane 1 0-0 3, Montone 4 2-2 11, Becker 5 0-0 11, Sukeena 0 0-0 0, Herndon 0 0-0 0, Watkins 4 4-6 12, Bainbridge 1 0-0 3, Yourey 0 0-0 0, Oswald 3 1-1 7, Bowers 1 0-0 3, McGinley 0 0-0 0, Alvarez 4 3-4 11, Flucker-White 1 0-0 2, Ivy 0 0-0 0. Totals 24 10-13 63.

PV (11-8, 5-7);8;7;16;12;-;43

Potts (15-5, 12-0);17;17;19;10;-;63

3-point FGs: Kokinda 2, Jones, Buyce 2, Hughes-Crane, Montone, Becker, Bainbridge, Bowers

JV score: Pottsville 67-50

Eight In A Row
 
 
Palmyra: Christian Alvarez scored 10 of his game high 16 points through the middle quarters as the Crimson Tide garnered a non-league road win at Palmyra. Letrel Montone added 15 points and Chase Oswald netted 11 points for Pottsville, which overcame an early deficit with a 28-16 run through the middle Frames.
 
Pottsville (58) Hughes-Crane 0 0-0 0, Montone 6 1-2 15, Becker 3 0-0 7, Watkins 0 0-0 0, Bainbridge 0 1-2 1, Oswald 5 1-2 11, Alvarez 7 2-2 16, Flucker-White 0 0- 0 Totals 21 -5-9 50
 
Palmyra (35) Loser 3 0-0 6, Weldon 0 0-0 0, Scott 0 0-0 0, Burgess 6 2-3 15, Moer 1 0-0 2, Somer 0 0-0 0, Weaber 0 0-0 0, Brown 0 0-0 0, Warner 0 0-0 0, Roesch 4 0-0 10, Willard 1 0-0 2 Totals: 15 2-3 35
 
Pottsville (14-5) 11   16   12   11 -- 50
 
Palmyra 12   9   7   7  -- 35
 
 
3-point FG's: Montone 2, Becker, Burgess, Rosech 2 

Tide on a Roll

 

LEHIGHTON - Letrel Montone scored a game-high 18 points to lead Pottsville past Lehighton 58-35 on Friday night in a Schuylkill League Division I boys' basketball game.

Montone had eight points during the Crimson Tide's 24-3, third-quarter run that broke the game open.

Chase Oswald added 11 points and Christian Alvarez chipped in 10 for Pottsville, which maintained its one-game lead over Blue Mountain in the division standings.

Cole Dietz paced Lehighton with 12 points. 

POTTSVILLE (58) - Hughes-Crane 0 0-0 0, Montone 7 1-2 18, Becker 2 0-0 6, Sukeena 0 0-0 0, Watkins 2 1-3 5, Bainbridge 1 0-0 3, Oswald 3 4-4 11, Bowers 1 0-0 3, McGinley 0 0-0 0, Alvarez 4 0-0 10, Allen 0 0-0 0, Flucker-White 0 0-2 0Ivy 1 0-0 2. Totals 21 6-11 58.

LEHIGHTON (35) - Serfass 1 0-2 2, Solt 0 0-0 0, Light 2 0-0 4, Hawk 0 0-0 0, Fairchild 1 0-0 2, Johnson 0 1-2 1, Roberts 2 1-2 6, Meek 0 0-0 0, Roth 2 4-5 8, Dietz 2 6-9 12. Totals 10 12-20 35.

Po (13-5, 11-0);15;14;24;5;-;58

Leh (12-6, 5-6);12;7;3;13;-;35

3-point FGs: Montone 3, Becker 2, Alvarez 2, Bainbridge, Oswald, Bowers, Dietz 2, Roberts 

Crimson Tide Rolls over Jim Thorpe

 

POTTSVILLE - Christian Alvarez scored a game-high 19 points as Pottsville remained unbeaten in Schuylkill League play with a 59-43 victory over Jim Thorpe in a Division I boys' basketball game Wednesday night at Martz Hall.

Alvarez had 13 of his points in the first half as the Division I-leading Crimson Tide (12-5, 10-0 D-I) opened the game on a 25-4 run and led 41-16 at halftime.

Chase Oswald added nine points for Pottsville, which saw 14 players see action.

Pierce Gothard paced Jim Thorpe with 17 points, while Ben Goldberg had 12.

JIM THORPE (43) - Barile 2 0-1 4, Domski 1 0-0 2, Goldberg 5 0-0 12, Curran 0 1-3 1, Zurn 0 2-2 2, Moore 0 0-0 0, Gothard 7 2-3 17, Schrantz 2 0-0 5. Totals 17 5-8 43.

POTTSVILLE (59) - Hughes-Crane 0 0-0 0, Montone 3 0-0 7, Becker 3 0-0 8, Sukeena 0 0-0 0, Herndon 0 0-0 0, Watkins 2 0-0 4, Bainbridge 0 0-0 0, Yourey 0 0-0 0, Oswald 4 1-1 9, Bowers 1 0-0 3, McGinley 2 0-0 5, Alvarez 9 1-1 19, Flucker-White 0 0-0 0, Ivy 2 0-0 4. Totals 26 2-2 59.

JT (1-17, 0-10);4;12;10;17;-;43

Po (12-5, 10-0);25;16;14;14;-;59

3-point FGs: Goldberg 2, Gothard, Schrantz, Montone, Becker 2, Bowers, McGinley

JV score: Pottsville 64-16

Tide Keeps Rolling Along

TAMAQUA - Christian Alvarez paced a balanced attack with 17 points as Pottsville defeated Tamaqua 68-60 in a Schuylkill League Division I boys' basketball game Saturday night.

Pottsville had four players score in double figures, as Kole Becker made three 3-pointers and added 16 points, Latrel Montone had 14 points and Chase Oswald netted 12.

The Tide made eight 3-pointers and shot 16-for-26 from the foul line, outscoring Tamaqua 34-26 in the second half after the game was tied 34-34 at halftime.

Connor Dillon led Tamaqua with a game-high 19 points, while Noah Mateyak had 13 points and Cooper Ansbach collected 12.

POTTSVILLE (68) - Hughes-Crane 0 0-0 0, Montone 4 4-8 14, Becker 5 3-4 16, Watkins 3 1-2 7, Bainbridge 0 0-0 0, Oswald 3 6-6 12, Bowers 0 0-0 0, Alvarez 6 2-6 17, Flucker-White 1 0-0 2. Totals 22 16-26 68.

TAMAQUA (60) - Ansbach 3 5-6 12, McCabe 1 0-0 2, Mateyak 5 0-0 13, Styka 2 2-2 6, Kane 3 2-2 8, Dillon 5 8-8 19. Totals 19 17-18 60.

Potts (11-5, 9-0);15;19;19;15;-;68

Tam (8-9, 3-6);16;18;13;13;-;60

3-point FGs: Becker 3, Alvarez 3, Montone 2, Mateyak 3, Ansbach, Dillon

JV score: Pottsville 67-24

Crimson Tide Clips Cardinals Wings

Pottsville 70, Pine Grove 43

POTTSVILLE - Christian Alvarez paced Pottsville with a game-high 22 points as the Crimson Tide rolled past Pine Grove in a Schuylkill League Division I game at Martz Hall.

Derek Watkins added nine of his 11 points in the third quarter as Pottsville outscored the Cardinals 26-13 in the frame.

For Pine Grove, Chase Sarge and Quinn Brommer tied a team-high 15 points.

PINE GROVE (43) - Sarge 6 1-2 15, Felty 3 0-0 6, O. Hannevig 0 0-0 0, Schneck-Haines 2 0-1 5, D. Hannevig 0 0-0 0, Brommer 6 3-3 15, Etzweiler 0 0-0 0, Lyons 0 0-0 0, Snyder 1 0-0 2, Boyer 0 0-0 0. Totals 18 4-6 43.

POTTSVILLE (70) - Montone 2 0-0 2, Becker 1 2-2 5, Sukeena 1 0-0 3, Herndon 0 0-0 0, Watkins 4 1-2 11, Bainbridge 0 0-0 0, Yourey 0 0-0 0, Oswald 1 2-4 5, Bowers 3 0-0 9, McGinley 2 0-0 5, Alvarez 8 2-3 22, Flucker-White 2 0-0 4, Ivy 2 0-0 4. Totals 25 7-11 70.

PG (2-13, 1-7);6;13;13;11;-;43

Potts (10-5, 8-0);20;12;26;12;-;70

3-point FGs: Sarge 2, Schneck-Haines, Becker, Sukeena, Watkins 2, Oswald, Bowers 3, McGinley 1, Alvarez 4

JV score: No game

Crimson Tide Hold off the Spartans

 

 

FOUNTAIN SPRINGS - Kole Becker scored six of his team-high 12 points in the fourth quarter to help Pottsville hold off North Schuylkill 49-48 on Thursday in a Schuylkill League Division I boys' basketball game at Cesari-Hope Gymnasium.

With the win, the Crimson Tide remain one game up on Blue Mountain in the division standings.

Christian Alvarez added 11 points, while Letrel Montone and Derek Watkins contributed 10 apiece, for Pottsville.

Jack Keiter led North Schuylkill with 18 points. Zane Zulkowski netted 14 and Joey Flail had 12 for the Spartans.

POTTSVILLE (49) -  Hughes-Crane 0 0-0 0, Montone 4 1-1 10, Becker 3 4-8 12, Watkins 5 0-0 10, Bainbridge 0 0-0 0, Oswald 3 0-0 6, Alvarez 5 1-3 11, Flucker-White 0 0-0 0. Totals 20 6-11 49.

NORTH SCHUYLKILL (48) - Keiter 6 5-5 18, Zulkowski 4 5-8 14, Flail 4 3-3 12, Miller 1 0-0 2, Maziekas 0 0-0 0, Rivera 0 0-0 0, Marcinkowski 1 0-0 2, Chambers 0 0-0 0. Totals 16 13-16 48.

Po (9-5, 7-0);13;9;10;17;-;49

NS (9-5, 5-2);6;11;16;15;-;48

3-point FGs: Becker 2, Montone, Keiter, Zulkowski, Flail

JV score: Tie 41-41

Pottsville TV Interview

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Crimson Tide Clips The Eagles Wings

 

POTTSVILLE - Derek Watkins had a breakout game Monday night at Martz Hall.

The Pottsville junior guard scored a career- and game-high 19 points, including a 10-point surge in the third quarter, as the Crimson Tide defeated Blue Mountain 61-51 in a Schuylkill League Division I battle of unbeatens.

The victory left Pottsville (8-5, 6-0 D-I) as the lone unbeaten in the Division I race. The loss was the first of the season for Blue Mountain (11-1, 5-1).

"This was definitely a stepping stone toward the next level," Watkins said. "Beating Blue Mountain, an undefeated team and the league champion, it's a great team win."

With the Tide leading 29-27 at the half, Blue Mountain's Tyler Miller opened the second half with a steal, followed by five points to push Blue Mountain ahead 35-34.

The Eagles' lead didn't last long, as Watkins was heating up.

Watkins netted 10 points in the third quarter to shift the momentum back on Pottsville's side. The Tide took a 42-40 lead into the fourth quarter.

Alvarez opened the fourth with a 3-pointer. After a Tyeirre Meade scored for Blue Mountain, Alvarez converted a layup, Kole Becker hit a free throw and Tahlil Flucker-White took a charge. A lane-slashing layup from Latrel Montone capped the 10-0 run that gave Pottsville a 52-42 lead with 2:56 left.

Aidan Grace connected on a 3-pointer for the Eagles to stop the bleeding. But Pottsville slowed down the pace, a polar opposite of the first half, and bled the clock. The Tide shot 5-for-6 from the free-throw line in the final seconds of the fourth quarter to hand Blue Mountain its first loss of the season.

"We just have to keep moving forward," Watkins said. "We have to prepare for North Schuylkill on Thursday."

The first half was an old-fashioned slugfest.

The first quarter began with each squad exchanging bucket-for-bucket as the game was tied at 8-8 early. Watkins and Chase Oswald each slashed through the lane for a layup as Pottsville pulled ahead 14-10.

Tyeirre Meade and Isaac Thomas answered with buckets for the Eagles to tie the score at 14-14. Oswald went 1-for-2 from the free-throw line to give the Tide the lead 15-14 at the end of the first quarter.

In the second quarter, Pottsville outscored Blue Mountain 14-13 with five different players chipping in points for the Tide. The Eagles briefly took the lead 27-26 after Grace hit a 3-pointer. He had four 3-pointers and totaled 13 points for Blue Mountain. Thomas paced Blue Mountain with 15 points, while Meade had 12.

Pottsville went on a 5-0 scoring run to head to the half with Watkins adding three points and Alvarez netting a layup off a feed from Oswald. Montone tallied 14 points, while Alvarez finished with 13 and Oswald collected 12 points.

"We knew this was going to be a physical game," Pottsville coach Jake Wartella said. "It always is with (Blue Mountain), they're a great team. They were undefeated for a reason.

"We came out aggressive and matched their intensity. That was the goal."

Contact the writer: edoyle@republicanherald; (570) 628-6019; @iamelidoyle on Twitter

Game Summary

BLUE MOUNTAIN (51) - Meade 4 0-0 12, McGhee 0 0-0 0, Baldwin 0 0-0 0, Brayford 0 0-0 0, Heim 1 1-2 4, Grace 4 1-2 13, Miller 3 1-3 7, Feisel 0 0-0 0, Thomas 7 1-1 15. Totals 19 4-8 51.

POTTSVILLE (61) - Hughes-Crane 0 0-0 0, Montone 3 7-8 14, Becker 0 3-4 3, Watkins 8 3-4 19, Bainbridge 0 0-0 0, Oswald 5 1-2 12, Alvarez 5 1-4 13, Flucker-White 0 0-2 0, Ivy 0 0-0 0. Totals 21 15-24 61.

BM (11-1, 5-1);14;13;13;11;-;51

Potts (8-5, 6-0);15;14;13;19;-;61

3-point FGs: Meade 4, Heim, Grace 4, Alvarez 2, Oswald, Montone

JV score: Pottsville 51-46 

 

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Crimson Tide Pounds The Panthers 

 

Pottsville 51, Panther Valley 39

LANSFORD - Christian Alvarez scored 13 of his game-high 18 points in the second half as the Crimson Tide remained unbeaten in Division I play with a comeback victory over the Panthers.

Chase Weaver tallied five of his 16 to give Panther Valley an early 10-6 after one frame, but the Tide used a 15-7 run in the second period to take a 21-17 halftime lead.

In the second half, Alvarez was 6-for-7 from the foul line, scoring seven points in the fourth quarter to help Pottsville pull away.

Chase Oswald added 10 points and Letrel Montone had 9 for Pottsville, while Thomas Buyce hit three 3-pointers and had 12 points for Panther Valley.

POTTSVILLE (51) - Hughes-Crane 0 0-0 0, Montone 3 2-6 9, Becker 3 0-0 8, Watkins 3 0-0 6, Bainbridge 0 0-0 0, Oswald 4 2-3 10, Alvarez 4 9-11 18, Flucker-White 0 0-0 0. Totals 17 13-20 51.

PANTHER VALLEY (39) - Kokinda 1 0-0 3, Weaver 5 4-4 16, Fisher 0 0-0 0, Penberth 0 4-4 4, Jones 0 0-0 0, Breiner 0 0-0 0, Hood 2 0-3 4, Buyce 4 1-2 12, Black 0 0-0 0, Maynard 0 0-0 0, Goida 0 0-0 0. Totals 12 9-14 39.

Potts (7-5, 5-0);6;15;10;20;-;51

PV (5-4, 2-3);10;7;10;12;-;39

3-point FGs: Montone, Becker 2, Alvarez, Kokinda, Weaver 2, Buyce 3

JV score: Pottsville 48-46 


Crimson Tide Falls To Berks Catholic  

Berks Catholic 57, Pottsville 43

POTTSVILLE - Christian Alvarez netted a team-high 12 points as Pottsville fell to Berks Catholic in a non-league game.

Kole Becker and Letrel Montone each chipped in 11 points for the Tide, who led the Saints 23-17 at the half. Berks Catholic used a 19-5, third-quarter run to take control.

BERKS CATHOLIC (57) - Dominguez 0 0-0 0, Nein 6 6-6 20, K. McKoy 4 1-2 10, J. McKoy 6 11-12 24, Altimar 1 0-0 3, Suski 0 0-0 0, Komoro 0 0-0 0, Diaz 0 0-0 0. Totals 17 18-20 57.

POTTSVILLE (43) - Hughes-Crane 0 0-0 0, Montone 4 0-0 11, Becker 4 0-0 11, Watkins 1 1-1 3, Bainbridge 0 0-0 0, Oswald 2 0-0 4, Bowers 0 0-0 0, Alvarez 4 4-5 12, Flucker-White 1 0-0 2. Totals 16 5-6 43.

BC (7-0);6;11;19;21;-;57

Potts (6-5);13;10;5;15;-;43

Tide Falls To Shamokin

 

Shamokin 58, Pottsville 45

SHAMOKIN - Christian Alvarez netted a team-high 14 points as Pottsville fell to Shamokin in a non-league game.

Jenssyn Shuey scored a game-high 17 points for the Indians, who led 24-21 at the half. Case Lichty added 10 of his 14 points in the third quarter as the Indians went onto outscore the Tide 34-24 in the second half.

POTTSVILLE (45) - Hughes-Crane 0 0-0 0, Montone 2 2-4 6, Becker 0 0-0 0, Watkins 3 0-0 6, Bainbridge 1 4-4 7, Oswald 2 1-2 5, Bowers 1 0-0 3, Alvarez 4 3-4 14, Flucker-White 1 0-1 2, Ivy 1 0-0 2. Totals 15 10-15 45.

SHAMOKIN (58) - Price 1 0-0 2, Hile 4 1-3 10, Schroyer 1 1-2 3, Steinhart 1 0-0 3, Lichty 7 0-0 14, Leffler 2 1-1 6, Renn 1 0-0 3, Shuey 6 5-5 17. Totals 23 8-12 58.

Potts (6-4);6;15;11;13;-;45

Sham (7-4);15;9;18;16;-;58

3-point FGs: Bainbridge, Bowers, Alvarez 3, Hile, Steinhart, Leffler, Renn

JV score: Pottsville 45-36

Tide Wins Over Williamsport

 

WILLIAMSPORT - Another mark in the win column for the Pottsville boys' basketball team.

Christian Alvarez netted a team-high 11 points as Pottsville defeated Williamsport 43-37 on Wednesday in a non-league boys' basketball game at the Magic Dome.

The Crimson Tide trailed the Millionaires 25-21 at the half, but Pottsville found a second-half offensive surge and outscored Williamsport 12-8 in the third quarter and again 10-4 in the fourth.

Letrel Montone and JuJu Bainbridge sparked Pottsville's offense to begin the second half as each knocked down a 3-pointer.

Montone finished with nine points for the Tide, while Kole Becker added two triples and totaled eight points.

POTTSVILLE (43) - Hughes-Crane 0 0-0 0, Montone 2 3-4 9, Becker 3 0-0 8, Watkins 3 0-0 6, Bainbridge 1 0-0 3, Oswald 2 2-2 6, Bowers 0 0-0 0, Alvarez 5 0-0 11, Flucker-White 0 0-0 0. Totals 16 5-6 43.

WILLIAMSPORT (37) - Moses-Clark 1 3-3 5, Lowe 3 0-0 8, Aolt 5 0-0 13, Johnson 1 2-2 4, Diggs 0 0-0 0, Rice 1 1-1 3, Washington 2 0-0 4. Totals 13 6-6 37.

Potts (6-3);14;7;12;10;-;43

Will (1-5);11;14;8;4;-;37

3-point FGs: Montone 2, Becker 2, Bainbridge, Alvarez, Lowe 2, Aolt 3

JV score: Pottsville 42-33

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Photo By Reed Frazier

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Crimson Tide Rolls Over Lehighton 

 

POTTSVILLE - Letrel Montone paced a balanced attack with 15 points as Pottsville remained unbeaten in Schuylkill League Division I boys' basketball play with a 68-47 victory over Lehighton on Monday at Martz Hall.

Christian Alvarez added 13 for Pottsville (5-3, 4-0 D-I), scoring 10 of his points in the first half as the Crimson Tide built a 43-18 halftime lead. Derek Watkins added 10 points for Pottsville, hitting two of the Tide's 11 3-pointers.

Blake Roberts paced Lehighton with 17 points.

LEHIGHTON (47) - Serfass 1 1-1 3, Solt 0 0-0 0, Light 2 0-0 5, Hawk 2 0-0 5, Fairchild 2 0-0 4, Johnson 1 1-1 3, Roberts 7 0-0 17, Meek 0 0-0 0, Roth 0 0-2 0, Dietz 2 1-2 6, Acosta-Rodriguez 2 0-0 4. Totals 19 3-6 47.

POTTSVILLE (68) - Hughes-Crane 1 0-0 2, Montone 5 2-2 15, Becker 3 2-2 8, Sukeena 1 0-0 3, Herndon 1 0-0 2, Watkins 3 4-4 10, Bainbridge 0 0-0 0, Yourey 1 0-0 3, Oswald 0 0-0 0, Bowers 3 0-0 6, McGinley 1 0-0 2, Alvarez 6 1-2 13, Flucker-White 0 0-0 0, Ivy 2 0-0 4. Totals 24 9-10 68.

Leh (4-3, 1-3);7;11;16;13;-;47

Potts (5-3, 4-0);20;23;13;12;-;68

3-point FGs: Light, Hawk, Roberts 3, Dietz, Montone 3, Becker 2, Sukeena, Watkins 2, Yourey, Bowers 2

JV score: Pottsville 46-40

 

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Tide Nipped in Overtime

 

 

NW Lehigh 64, Pottsville 59, OT

POTTSVILLE - Christian Alvarez netted a team-high 17 points as Pottsville fell to Northwestern Lehigh in a non-league game.

The Crimson Tide jumped ahead 18-9 at the end of the first quarter and led 23-14 at the half. The Tigers turned up their aggressiveness and forced overtime with both teams tied at the end of regulation at 50.

Gavin Nelson shot 8-for-8 from the free-throw line in overtime as Northwestern outscored the Tide 14-9. Nelson and Del Tyler each scored a game-high 21 points for the Tigers.

For Pottsville, Letrel Montone collected 15 points and Kole Becker added 12.

NW LEHIGH (64) - Bollinger 2 0-2 5, Zimmerman 2 4-5 8, Wambold 1 0-0 2, Krimmel 0 0-0 0, Kozlowski 2 0-0 4, Nelson 5 10-10 21, Marth 1 0-0 3, Tyler 10 1-1 21. Totals 23 15-18 64.

POTTSVILLE (59) - Montone 5 4-4 15, Becker 5 0-2 12, Watkins 2 2-3 7, Bainbridge 0 0-0 0, Oswald 1 3-3 5, Bowers 1 1-3 3, Alvarez 7 2-3 17, Flucker-White 0 0-0 0. Totals 21 12-18 59.

NWL (2-0);9;5;18;18;14;-;64

Potts (4-3) 18,5, 11, 16, 9 ; 59 


Crimson Tide Rolls Over Jim Thorpe 

 

Pottsville 63, Jim Thorpe 37

JIM THORPE - Christian Alvarez led a balanced attack with 12 points as Pottsville cruised past Jim Thorpe in a Division I game.

Kole Becker added 11 points and Chase Oswald netted 10 for the Crimson Tide, who led 37-21 at halftime.

Matt Domski led the Olympians with eight points.

POTTSVILLE (63) - Hughes-Crane 2 0-0 4, Montone 3 0-0 6, Becker 4 0-0 11, Sukeena 1 0-0 2, Herndon 0 0-0 0, Watkins 4 1-2 9, Bainbridge 0 0-0 0, Oswald 5 0-0 10, Bowers 1 0-0 3, McGinley 0 0-0 0, Alvarez 6 0-0 12, Flucker-White 0 1-2 1, Ivy 2 0-0 4, Yourey 0 1-2 1. Totals 28 3-6 63.

JIM THORPE (37) - J. Spruill 2 0-0 4, Domski 3 0-0 8, Goldberg 2 1-2 6, Curran 2 1-3 5, Zurn 1 0-0 2, Z. Spruill 0 0-0 0, Moore 1 0-0 2, Gothard 1 1-1 3, Schrantz 2 2-2 7. Totals 14 5-8 37.

Po (4-2, 3-0);20;17;17;9;-;63

JT (0-6, 0-3);7;14;3;13;-;37

3-point FGs: Becker 3, Bowers, Domski 2, Goldberg, Schrantz

JV score: Pottsville 68-26

Tide Rolls over Tamaqua

 

Pottsville 74, Tamaqua 47

POTTSVILLE - Christian Alvarez scored 15 of his game-high 26 points in the first quarter, leading Pottsville to a Division I win over Tamaqua at Martz Hall.

Derek Watkins added 10 points for the Crimson Tide, who led 41-27 at halftime. Cooper Ansbach tallied 19 and Connor Dillon netted 10 for the Blue Raiders. Each team made eight 3-pointers.

TAMAQUA (47) - Ansbach 7 2-3 19, McCabe 0 0-0 0, Mateyak 3 0-0 9, Vecolitis 0 0-0 0, Styka 1 0-0 2, Kane 3 0-0 6, Frohnheiser 0 0-2 0, Dillon 3 3-5 11, Kamant 0 0-0 0, Davis 0 0-0 0, Tamagini 0 0-0 0. Totals 17 5-10 47.

POTTSVILLE (74) - Hughes-Crane 2 0-0 5, Montone 3 0-0 7, Sukeena 1 0-0 2, Herndon 0 0-0 0, Watkins 4 2-2 10, Bainbridge 1 0-0 2, Oswald 2 1-4 6, Bowers 3 0-0 7, McGinley 1 0-0 3, Alvarez 10 3-3 26, Flucker-White 3 0-3 6, Ivy 0 0-0 0, Yourey 0 0-0 0. Totals 30 6-12 74.

Tam (2-3, 0-2);17;10;11;9;-;47

Potts (3-2, 2-0);25;16;15;18;-;74

3-point FGs: Ansbach 3, Mateyak 3, Dillon 2, Hughes-Crane, Montone, Oswald, Bowers, McGinley, Alvarez 3

JV score: Pottsville 69-15

 

Crimson Tide fall to Hazleton

 

POTTSVILLE - Hazleton Area survived an aggressive offensive surge by Pottsville in second half in a game that went wire-to-wire.

Luis Guzman netted a game-high 20 points and grabbed some key offensive rebounds as the Cougars thwarted the Crimson Tide 54-47 in a main event matchup Saturday evening at Martz Hall.

"Luis played a great game," Hazleton Area coach Pat Brogan said. "He's very talented offensively and defensively.

"Most of our guys are upperclassmen, so they've been through this. We wanted to play each possession one at a time and value each possession."

Hazleton Area (2-1) led 29-18 at halftime after a first half that saw the Cougars execute a master class on second-chance scoring opportunities.

Guzman grabbed four of Hazleton Area's seven first-half offensive boards. He scored six putbacks and Joey Marshall added one as the Cougars collected eight early points on second chances.

"Offensive rebounds killed us and we weren't making shots," Pottsville coach Jake Wartella said. "We ended up being down at half, but the kids responded pretty well.

"The kids bought in to everything we said, they played hard and we're happy with the effort."

Things changed in the second half for the Crimson Tide (2-2).

Letrel Montone led Pottsville's 7-0 scoring run to start the third quarter. Montone netted two quick buckets and Christian Alvarez hit a 3-pointer as the Crimson Tide started rolling. Suddenly the Cougars lead had shrunk to 29-25.

Thalil Flucker-White took a charge to stop a Hazleton Area fast break, but on its next possession Dylan Stish netted a 3-pointer to end the Cougars' scoring drought.

Pottsville maintained its intensity as the game went back and forth from there. Hazleton Area had a counter for everything Pottsville threw at it.

Montone drew an offensive foul, Derek Watkins added two free throws and Alvarez chipped in a steal followed by a successful three-point play to narrow Hazleton's lead to 43-41.

Bryant Diaz countered with a three for the Cougars, before Chase Oswald netted a layup off an inbound play for the Tide as Hazleton Area remained ahead 46-43.

Flucker-White took another charge for Pottsville and Montone barreled through the lane for two points to bring the Crimson Tide within one.

Guzman nailed Hazleton's seventh 3-point field goal with 1:48 remaining to push the Cougars lead to 49-45.

Watkins added two more points for the Tide, who desperately needed a stop and momentum swirling bucket.

Pottsville's defense trapped Hazleton Area's Luke Gennaro and forced a Cougar timeout. After a missed field goal from Hazleton and a defensive rebound by Alvarez, the Tide had their opportunity as the clock ticked under a minute.

Alvarez and Montone each missed on shots from beyond the arc and the Tide had to intentionally foul.

Diaz and Guzman each went 2-for-2 in bonus free throws as Hazleton successfully thwarted a game Tide squad.

"We were a little rusty at times," Brogan said. "We kind of let up a little bit, but it was a good game for us and a good win. Pottsville's a good team and very well coached."

Marshall finished with 13 points and Diaz added eight for the Cougars. For the Tide, Montone scored a team-high 13 points, Alvarez added 12 and Watkins and Oswald each added nine.

Pottsville was without senior starting guard Kole Becker, leading to Flucker-White getting the start. Flucker-White he did not score, but did provide two key stops and provided quality defense down the stretch against Hazleton's Marshall and Guzman.

"I told our kids 'You can't hang your head after a loss like that,' " Wartella said. We're proud of the effort and the way we played. It showed us that we can compete with anyone on our schedule. It's going to go along way.

"We have a fun group, the kids respond. We're far from perfect, but we'll compete with anybody and play hard at all times."

 

 

Game Summary

HAZLETON AREA (54) - Gennaro 2 2-4 7, Coste 0 0-2 0, Stish 3 0-0 6, S. Guzman 0 0-0 0, Saladin 0 0-0 0, Diaz 2 2-2 8, L. Guzman 8 2-2 20, Marshall 5 3-5 13, Reimold 0 0-0 0. Totals 19 9-15 54.

POTTSVILLE (47) - Hughes-Crane 1 0-0 2, Montone 6 0-2 13, Watkins 3 2-2 9, Bainbridge 0 0-0 0, Oswald 3 3-4 9, Bowers 0 0-0 0, Alvarez 4 3-5 12, FLucker-White 0 0-0 0, Ivy 1 0-0 2. Totals 18 8-13 47.

Haz (2-1);15;14;14;11;-;54

Potts (2-2);10;8;16;13;-;47

3-point FGs: Gennaro, Stish 2, Diaz 2, L. Guzman 2, Montone, Watkins, Alvarez

Crimson Tide Clips The Cardinals

Pottsville 65, Pine Grove 37

PINE GROVE - Christian Alvarez scored a game-high 16 points as Pottsville rolled past Pine Grove in a Division I game.

Derek Watkins had 12 points and Kole Becker added 11 for the Crimson Tide, which jumped out to a 19-1 lead after the first quarter.

Chase Sarge paced the Cardinals with nine points.

POTTSVILLE (65) - Crane 0 0-0 0, Montone 2 0-0 5, Becker 5 0-0 11, Sukeena 1 0-0 3, Herndon 0 0-2 0, Watkins 5 1-2 12, Bainbridge 0 0-0 0, Oswald 2 0-0 4, Bowers 1 0-0 3, McGinley 2 0-0 5, Alvarez 5 5-6 16, White 1 0-0 2, Ivy 2 0-0 4. Totals 25 6-10 65.

PINE GROVE (37) - Sarge 4 0-0 9, O. Hannevig 3 1-1 7, Banonis 0 0-0 0, Schneck-Haines 0 0-0 0, D. Hannevig 2 3-4 7, Yeagley 0 0-0 0, Brommer 3 2-7 8, Etzweiler 0 0-0 0, Lyons 0 0-0 0, Snyder 3 0-0 6, Boyer 0 0-2 0. Totals 15 6-14 37.

Potts (2-1, 1-0);19;11;18;17;-;65

PG (0-3, 0-1);1;10;11;15;-;37 

3-point FGs: Becker 3, Montone, Sukeena, Watkins, Bowers, McGinley, Alvarez, Sarge

JV score: Pottsville 59-31

Crimson Tide Beats ELCO
 
Christian Alvarez scored 13 of his team high 19 points in the second half as the Crimson Tide topped the Raiders for their first victory of the season.  Letrel Montone added 12 points for Pottsville, which used a 17-12 run in the third quarter to take control.
 
Pottsville (50) -- Montone 4 3-4 12, Becker 1 1-2 4, Watkins 4 1-3 9, Bainbridge 0 0-0 0, Oswald 2 0-2 4, Alvarez 7 5-6 19, Flucker-White 1 0-0 2 Totals 19 10-18
 
ELCO (45) Kiess 0 0-0 0, Schultz 2 1-2 7, Marquette 3 1-1 7, James 1 0-0 2, Hayes 0 0-0 0, Boyer 3 0-0 7, Leonard 1 0-0 2, Gray 6 4-4 19 Total: 16 6-7 45
 
Pottsville (1-1)   14   7   17   12 -- 50
ELCO: (0-1)       12   12   12  9  -- 45
 
3-point FG's: Montone, Becker, Schultz James Boyer Gray 3
 
JV Score: Pottsville 55-42 


Crimson Tide Falls To Wilson 

 

Wilson 59, Pottsville 35

ALLENTOWN - Christian Alvarez collected a team-high 11 points as Pottsville fell to Wilson in a non-league game.

Letrel Montone and Derek Watkins each added eight points for the Crimson Tide.

POTTSVILLE (35) - Montone 3 1-1 8, Becker 0 0-0 0, Bowers 1 0-0 3, Sukeena 0 0-0 0, Watkins 2 3-3 8, Bainbridge 1 0-0 3, Alvarez 4 2-3 11, Flucker-White 0 0-0 0. Totals 19 6-7 35.

WISLON (59) - Wright 0 2-2 2, Gruber 4 4-4 12, T. Hunsucker 2 0-0 2, Rullinger 2 0-0 2, Etim 7 1-2 11, Woods 0 0-2 0, Twinford 5 0-0 11, Green 1 0-0 3, Akings 2 1-2 7, C. Hunsucker 3 0-0 6, Glover 1 0-0 2. Totals 33 8-12 59.

Potts (0-1);11;3;12;9;-;35

Wil (1-0);16;12;14;17;-;59

3-point FGs: Montone, Watkins, Bainbridge, Alvarez, Bowers

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