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H.S. BOYS' BASKETBALL: Tide's Blankenhorn earns player of year honorsBy
Mike Carnahan Published: April 26, 2015 When he was a freshman, Pottsville’s
Travis Blankenhorn was a super athlete who was a pretty-good basketball player. By the time he finished his high school
career, Blankenhorn transformed into a complete player. He also became one of the best in the Schuylkill League. This
past season was no different, and for his performance, Blankenhorn is the 2014-15 Republican-Herald All-Area Boys’ Basketball
Player of the Year. It is the second straight year Blankenhorn has earned the honor after sharing it in 2013-14 with Mahanoy
Area’s Dylan Mahmod. Blankenhorn, a 6-foot-2 senior forward, averaged 16.6 points (482 total), 6.7 rebounds and
2.4 assists per game this season for Crimson Tide. A four-year starter, he’s accurate from beyond the arc — 46
3-pointers on the year — but Blankenhorn also excelled at taking it to the basket, posting up and finishing in the paint.
He ended his career with 1,588 career points. Blankenhorn rounded out his skills this winter by developing into a top-notch
defensive player. With a talented and experienced group of players around him, Blankenhorn helped lead Pottsville to
28-1 overall record, including a 28-game winning streak. Pottsville won its sixth consecutive Schuylkill League Division I
title, fifth overall league title in the past six years, as well as a District 11 Class AAA championship, the Crimson Tide’s
first since 2010. Blankenhorn was named third- team All-State in Class AAA, while Pottsville finished ranked No. 6
in Pennsylvania in Class AAA in the final Pennlive.com rankings. The Crimson Tide’s season ended with a 44-37 loss to
Susquehanna Township in the second round of PIAA playoffs March 10. Blankenhorn was part of a talented group of seniors
in the league as Nativity’s Jeff Yordy (1,729), Tamaqua’s Brett Kosciolek (1,502) and Bo Rottet (1,117), Pine
Grove’s Kobe D’Agostino (1,041) and Lehighton’s Tyler Crum (1,089) also accumulated with more than 1,000
career points. Coach of the Year honors go to Mahanoy Area’s Scott Hudson. Hudson took over for the legendary
Mickey Holland, who retired at the end of last season after 33 years and a 614-243 career record at Mahanoy Area. Despite
five new starters, a thin bench and a move up to Class AA, the success continued. Hudson’s Golden Bears went
22-5 and earned their fourth straight Division III title and appearance in the league playoffs. Mahanoy Area went on to claim
its third consecutive District 11 title, the previous two were in Class A. The Golden Bears’ season ended with an 82-31
loss to eventual state champ Conwell-Egan in the second round of the PIAA playoffs March 11. The Rookie of the Year
is Shenandoah Valley’s Joel Santana. Santana, a 5-8 sophomore point guard who transferred from Brooklyn, New York,
finished the year averaging 20.5 points per game. After a 2-8 start, the Blue Devils finished the regular season winning nine
of their final 12 games as Shenandoah Valley returned to the District 11 Class A playoffs for the first time since 2013. The
Blue Devils lost to eventual district champ Notre Dame-East Stroudsburg in the semifinals 50-46 on Feb. 24. Blankenhorn
becomes complete player When he was a freshman and sophomore, Blankenhorn was mostly a 3-point shooter. But last year
he became more of a threat in the paint and turned into Pottsville’s main offensive weapon, averaging 18.2 points per
game. The one piece that was missing from Blankenhorn’s game was excelling at the tough man-to-man defense that
Crimson Tide coach Dave Mullaney expects out of all his players. Blankenhorn became that type of player this past winter. Mullaney
said he used to hide Blankenhorn on defense as an underclassman, but wasn’t afraid this past year to match him up against
anybody. The best example came against Susquehanna Township in the state playoffs. Blankenhorn guarded first team all-state
player Nehemiah Mac and held him scoreless in the first half. His improvement on the defensive end was the result of
Blankenhorn taking on more of a leadership role. “From a leadership perspective, completely understanding what
we are trying to do as a program,” Mullaney said. “That really led to him being a great defensive player, which,
I don’t know if I would always have considered him that through his years, but as a senior, I think defensively he just
became a great player.” While his scoring average dipped slightly, Blankenhorn’s offensive skills never
deteriorated. In his eyes, Blankenhorn’s best game was at Tamaqua on Jan. 5. He scored a season-high 30 points
that night, helping the Crimson Tide to a 57-40 victory, the first of four meetings between the two teams this past season. The
Raiders were Pottsville’s biggest league rival this year. But the Crimson Tide beat Tamaqua in their next three meetings,
too, including a 33-28 win the Schuylkill League title game Feb. 13, and a 50-35 victory in the district semifinals Feb. 24. “Just
to get a big win on their home court was a big one,” Blankenhorn said of the Jan. 5 game. “That was one of the
most important ones my senior year.” Blankenhorn’s play, along with the performance of his teammates, finally
helped bring the Crimson Tide some state-wide recognition for the program. He finished his career second on Pottsville’s
all-time scoring list behind Nick Schlitzer (1,884). Blankenhorn is proud of the accomplishment, but knows it couldn’t
have happened without his teammates’ contributions. “I had a lot of good players who I played with that
made some good passes and got me into good position to shoot the ball,” he said. “Like Dutch (2013 graduate Brandon
Bridy) was a good point guard, Tyler Heffner (a 2012 graduate), everyone. There was just a lot of people involved with scoring
those points.” That leads to one final area that Mullaney will always remember Blankenhorn for — his humility. “I
can’t imagine any other kid, and I’ve said it a million times, that is as talented as him that has conducted himself
the way he does,” Mullaney said. “I am sure he does some things in games I am sure that maybe rubs somebody the
wrong way, but what I am saying, everybody loves Travis. In practice, he doesn’t act as if he is better than anybody
else. They love him and he is like kind of an all-shucks kid.” Hudson carries on Golden Bears’ tradition Hudson
wasn’t the first coach to replace Holland. Mahanoy Area graduate Ty Wartman was hired last April and worked with
the Golden Bears during the summer. But when Wartman found out his wife was having twins, he resigned in August. With
football underway and the basketball season fast approaching, Hudson felt an obligation to take over. The biggest challenge
facing Hudson, who’s been with the program since he was a sophomore in Holland’s first season in 1981, was replacing
four starters from a team that went a combined 47-9 the previous two years. That included a Schuylkill League title in 2014
and back-to-back District 11 Class AA championships in 2013 and 2014. “Nothing is ever going to be easy when you
are taking over a program that’s been winning for a long time and trying to keep the tradition up and following a guy
like coach Holland,” Hudson said. The number of new starters became five when 2013-14 point guard Jason Richmond
injured his knee in Mahanoy Area’s first football game of the season and was lost for the year in both sports. Hudson
wanted to put his stamp on the program, but the Golden Bears’ style didn’t change much. A big point of emphasis
early was defense, and Hudson saw how good the Golden Bears could be during a Jan. 8 game at home against Nativity. Mahanoy
Area held a high-powered Hilltoppers’ offense that entered averaging 55.4 points per game to eight first-half points.
The Golden Bears jumped out to a 31-8 halftime advantage and went on to win 58-37. Mahanoy Area won 11 in a row during
January, but hit a rough patch, going 2-2 to end the regular season. The Golden Bears were then blown out by Pottsville 59-31
in the league semifinals. “We ran into a stretch at the time it wasn’t good, but looking at it now, it might
have been the best thing that might of happened to us because we sort of got off track a little bit,” Hudson said. “It
is one of those things where you are winning 11, 12 in a row and you might start taking things for granted. “Then
we just caught fire.” Indeed they did, with everybody contributing in three postseason wins by a total of seven
points. Both of the Golden Bears’ District 11 playoffs games went into overtime, a 60-57 victory over Marian in
the semifinals Feb. 24 and a 51-49 win over Minersville on Feb. 28 at Martz Hall. Brian Miller hit the go-ahead 3-pointer
in overtime against the Colts, while Mike Joseph had the go-ahead bucket against the Miners. Mahanoy Area then beat
Wellsboro 42-40 in the first round of the state playoffs March 7, with Matt Yedsena scoring the decisive points. There
was plenty of pressure during the postseason, but Hudson said he never felt pressure from the community to win. Most of the
pressure he felt came from within. “It is more self-inflected pressure because I know the type of pressure I like
to put on myself,” Hudson said. “Just the pressure knowing that the job I think I can do and should do and just
try and keep everybody knowing their roles, accepting their roles and keeping the team playing as a team.” Hudson
also wanted to stress that his players stepped up this season, and the honor wouldn’t have been possible without their
play. “I consider this a team award,” Hudson said. “If they don’t do well, this isn’t
possible.” His first season as Mahanoy Area head coach will also be his last. Hudson felt he didn’t have
the time to devote to the Golden Bears’ summer program and he resigned from the position two weeks ago. Wartman
is expected to become Mahanoy Area’s new coach. Santana leads Blue Devils’ turnaround season From
the moment Shenandoah Valley coach Robbie Miller first saw Santana, he knew he had a player who could score. Santana,
who is the cousin of Shenandoah Valley sophomore Isaiah Alvarez and 2013 Shenandoah Valley graduate Justin Alvarez, did plenty
of that this past season. His season high was 38 during a 57-56 overtime victory against Weatherly on Jan. 8. He poured in
20 or more points in a game 10 times. But it wasn’t until around mid-January that Miller convinced Santana to
start creating more shots for his teammates, and focus more on the defensive end. Santana then grew even more as a player. “He
bought into the team game, cut his shots down and made shots for other people,” Miller said. “That is when he
became a great player. That’s when I started realizing how good he could be.” An example of Santana’s
growth came in the District 11 Class A semifinals against Notre Dame-East Stroudsburg. The Blue Devils struggled in the first
half against the Spartans’ 3-2 zone and fell behind 28-13 at halftime. During the break, Santana pointed out that the
only way Shenandoah Valley could get back in the game was to start knocking down 3-pointers. In the third quarter, he started
to penetrate the zone, then throw kick-out passes to the Blue Devils’ Ian McCole and Jermaine McNeil on the wings. The
Blue Devils held a 23-6 scoring advantage in the third quarter and led 46-40 with 3 minutes left in the game before a 10-0
run closed out Notre Dame-East Stroudsburg’s win. Santana’s biggest strength is creating shots in the paint,
both for himself and his teammates. “It is some of the best I’ve ever seen, especially for someone his size,”
Miller said. “A lot of shots that people his size take in the paint get blocked or they would miss. He would find a
way, like a magician, to get the ball up on the glass and in the hoop. Beyond that, his court vision gets overlooked a lot.
He sees a lot of open things that makes him an excellent point guard beyond the ball handling skills.”
2015 Give & Go Boys Basketball
Camp Monday-Friday June 9 -12 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
at Martz Hall. Camp is open to boys entering grades 3-10 as of September 2015. Camp fee is $80.00 and includes individual
prizes and a T-shirt. For more information and a brochure contact John Toomey at (570) 622-4304 or Dave Mullaney at (570)
269-5695 or go to our website at CTideboysbasketball.com
H.S. BOYS' BASKETBALL: Blankenhorn, Yordy, Miller named all-stateBy
Staff Reports Published: April 3, 2015
In the process, the trio helped take their programs to new
heights. For their performances, the three were rewarded with selections to the 2014-15 Pennsylvania
Sports Writers’ All-State Boys’ Basketball teams. The team was released Thursday
by the Associated Press. All three were named to the third team in their respective classes —
Blankenhorn in Class AAA, Yordy in Class A and Miller in Class AA. It is the first all-state selection
for each. “I was pretty excited,” Blankenhorn said when he found out by Twitter. “It
was definitely an accomplishment. It is good for Pottsville, too. Most of the players on the team were from Philadelphia and
knowing I was right up there with them is a good feeling.” Blankenhorn, a 6-foot-2 senior
forward, finished the season averaging 16.6 points (482 total), 6.7 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game for the Crimson Tide.
He also hit 69 percent (80-for-116) from the foul line, 46 3-pointers and became one of Pottville’s
best defensive players. “I was more of an all-around player than in year’s past,”
Blankenhorn said. Blankenhorn’s season high was 30 points against Tamaqua on Jan. 5. He averaged 15.9 points per game during Crimson Tide’s seven postseason contests, including 28 against Valley
View in the first round of the PIAA Class AAA playoffs March 6, a 63-37 Pottsville win. Blankenhorn
finished his career with 1,588 career points, second on the Pottsville’s boys’ all-time list behind Nick Schlitzer
(1,884). The Crimson Tide went 28-1 overall this past winter, winning their sixth consecutive
Schuylkill League Division I title, fifth overall league championship in six years, and first District 11 Class AAA title
since 2010. Pottsville finished the season ranked No. 6 in Pennsylvania in Class AAA in the final
Pennlive.com rankings and had a 28-game winning streak, longest in program history, snapped with a 44-37 loss to Susquehanna
Township in the second round of the PIAA playoffs March 10. Yordy found out he made the team at
12:30 p.m. Thursday when he got a text from Panther Valley graduate Jake Szczecina. Yordy was pleasantly surprised. “I put a hard work in and I am happy to see it pay off,” Yordy said. Yordy
has been pouring in points since he was a sophomore and earned his third consecutive overall league scoring title this past
winter, averaging 22.4 points per game. The 6-2 senior guard also hit 55 3-pointers and shot 65 percent (77-of-119) from the
foul line on the year. Yordy scored a season-high 39 on Dec. 15 during 69-68 win over North Pocono
on Dec. 15. He also put up 30 or more points in a game three other times, including 34 against a normally stingy Mahanoy Area
defense during a 52-50 Hilltoppers’ victory Feb. 6. Yordy also come through in the postseason,
averaging 16.7 points per game as Nativity (15-10) reached the District 11 Class A championship game and appeared in PIAA
playoffs for the first time since 2007. “It was a good season and making states was a good
accomplishment,” Yordy said. “This is good recognition for our school, too.” He
finished his career with 1,729 points and is currently second on the Hilltoppers’ all-time boys’ list behind Kevin
Cuff. Points wise, Miller had the best season of the three. The 6-foot
guard averaged 24.0 points, 6.5 rebounds, two assists and 1.9 steals per game. Miller scored a season-high 41 against Lancaster
Country Day on Jan. 13 and cracked 30 or more points in a game eight times this season. He also knocked down 93 3-pointers
on the year and was 83-for-125 (66 percent) from the foul line. Miller was named the Tri-Valley
League Player of the Year and led the Trojans (20-5) to their first overall league title since 2008. He
currently has 1,115 career points. Philadelphia schools swept on-court victories in all four of
last month’s PIAA boys’ basketball championships, and dominated again on the all-state teams. Each of four players of the year selected calls the greater Philadelphia area home. Three of the four men chosen
as coaches of the year also front Philadelphia-based programs. And while players from PIAA programs
were eligible to be chosen and honored by the panel, players from non-PIAA schools also were eligible for selection. Just 12 months after claiming Class AA player of the year honors, Constitution’s Ahmad Gilbert was tagged Class
A’s top performer after averaging 17.6 points per game for Robert Moore’s Generals (24-8). Gilbert scored 28 points
and grabbed 11 rebounds as Constitution defeated Farrell 85-53 for its second straight state title. Constitution
won state gold for the third time in four years. Joining Gilbert on the Class A first team are
his Constitution teammate Kimar Williams, Samir Doughty of Math, Civics & Sciences, Brandon Martinazzi of Bishop Carroll,
Malik Miller of Farrell and Nate Sestina of Cameron County. Doughty is a repeat first-team selection,
while Williams and Gilbert landed first-team recognition at the Class AA level. Moore, the Class
AA Coach of the Year following the 2013-14 season, was tagged the Class A Coach of the Year this time around. Although Neumann-Goretti captured its second consecutive Class AAA championship with a 69-67 victory over Philadelphia
Catholic League rival Archbishop Carroll — the Saints have won five of the last six — Carroll’s Derrick
Jones was named Class AAA Player of the Year. The 6-7 Jones, who signed in November with UNLV,
capped his run of five straight double-doubles in state tournament play by popping Neumann-Goretti with a 30 point, 18 rebound
performance. It still wasn’t enough. Jones averaged 19.3 ppg for Paul Romanczuk’s
Patriots, finishing his career as the Radnor school’s all-time leading scorer. Joining Jones
on Class AAA’s first team are Milik Gantz of Harrisburg Bishop McDevitt, the Neumann-Goretti duo of Quade Green and
Lamarr Kimble, Nehemiah Mack of Susquehanna Township and Daron Russell of Imhotep Charter. Jones
and Mack were the lone first-team repeat selections. Indiana’s Greg Lezanic, who piloted
the Little Indians to a 25-3 record and their first WPIAL championship, was named Class AAA Coach of the Year. Roman Catholic junior lead guard Tony Carr, whose stat line (14 points,5 rebounds,6 assists) was a major reason why
the Cahillites turned back Martin Luther King 62-45 in the title game, was tagged Class AAAA’s Player of the Year. The 6-4 Carr is uncommitted, but holds scholarship offers from George Washington, La Salle, Maryland, Penn State,
Rhode Island and Temple. He averaged 12.8 ppg for Chris McNesby’s club. Joining Carr on
Class AAAA’s first team are Levan Alston of Haverford School, Chris Clover of St. Joseph’s Prep, Sammy Foreman
of Martin Luther King, Matty McConnell of Chartiers Valley and Jahaad Proctor of Harrisburg. McNesby,
who guided the Cahillites to a 29-2 record and the Philadelphia Catholic League championship, was named Class AAAA’s
Coach of the Year. Conwell-Egan’s Stevie Jordan, who pocketed 21 points in the Eagles’
62-51 conquest of Aliquippa in the Class AA title game, was named the Class AA Player of the Year. The 5-10 Jordan, just a
junior, averaged 16.8 ppg. Joining Jordan on the Class AA first team are Jair Bolden of Westtown,
Nelly Cummings of Lincoln Park Charter, De’Andre Hunter of Friends Central, Stephon McGinnis of Aliquippa and Trey Staunch
of West Middlesex. Frank Sciolla was tagged Class AA’s Coach of the Year after leading Conwell-Egan
(21-8) to its first state championship. Conwell-Egan had never won a postseason basketball game in 51 seasons, but won six
in a three-week span. HARRISBURG — The 2014-15 Pennsylvania Sports Writers’ All-State
Boys’ Basketball teams, including each player’s school, height, class and scoring average. CLASS AAAA PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Tony Carr, Philadelphia Roman Catholic COACH OF THE YEAR: Chris McNesby, Philadelphia Roman Catholic FIRST TEAM Levan “Shawn” Alston, Haverford School, 6-4, sr, 19.4 ppg Tony Carr, Philadelphia
Roman Catholic, 6-4, jr, 12.8 ppg Chris Clover, St. Joseph’s Prep, 6-3, sr, 20.7 ppg Sammy Foreman, Martin Luther King, 6-1, sr, 14.2 ppg Matty McConnell, Chartiers Valley,
6-2, sr, 29.5 ppg Jahaad Proctor, Harrisburg, 6-3, sr, 24.4 ppg SECOND
TEAM Cole Constantino, North Allegheny, 6-2, sr, 23.4 ppg Kobe Gantz,
J.P. McCaskey, 6-4, jr, 17.8 ppg Kason Harrell, Hempfield (D-7), 6-2, sr, 25.2 ppg Amir Hinton, Abington, 6-4, sr, 19.8 ppg Lamar Stevens, Haverford School, 6-7, jr, 18.3
ppg Lonnie Walker IV, Reading, 6-4, so, 17.0 ppg Derrick Woods, Pennsbury,
6-8, sr, 16.3 ppg THIRD TEAM Nazeer Bostick, Philadelphia Roman Catholic,
6-3, jr, 12.5 ppg Luke Connaghan, Archbishop Wood, 6-5, sr, 19.0 ppg Ramon
Creighton, Taylor Allderdice, 6-1, jr, 12.0 ppg Jonny David, Mount Lebanon, 6-2, sr, 18.5 ppg Gemil Holbrook, Philadelphia Roman Catholic, 6-4, sr, 13.9 ppg David Krmpotich, La Salle
College, 6-7, sr, 13.7 ppg Jahaire Wilson, York William Penn, 6-4, sr, 18.1 ppg CLASS AAA PLAYER OF THE YEAR:Derrick Jones, Archbishop Carroll COACH OF THE YEAR: Greg Lezanic, Indiana FIRST TEAM Milik
Gantz, Harrisburg Bishop McDevitt, 6-4, sr, 18.3 ppg Quade Green, Neumann-Goretti, 5-11, so, 17.8
ppg Derrick Jones, Archbishop Carroll, 6-7, sr, 19.3 ppg Lamarr “Fresh”
Kimble, Neumann-Goretti, 6-0, sr, 14.5 ppg Nehemiah “Bud” Mack, Susquehanna Twp.,
6-0, jr, 14.1 ppg Daron Russell, Imhotep Charter, 5-10, so, 16.5 ppg SECOND
TEAM Sam Allen, Lewisburg, 6-8, jr, 21.9 ppg Tarojae Brake, Octorara,
6-2, sr, 22.5 ppg Daylon Carter, Ambridge, 6-4, sr, 24.0 ppg John
Castello, Mars, 6-5 jr, 17.8 ppg Zane Martin, Neumann-Goretti, 6-2, jr, 16.5 ppg Riley Stapleton, Indiana, 6-4, sr, 13.1 ppg THIRD TEAM Travis
Blankenhorn, Pottsville, 6-2, sr, 16.6 ppg Josh Creach, Beaver Falls, 6-6, so, 17.7 ppg DaShon Giddings, Delaware Valley Charter, 6-4, sr, 16.5 ppg Donovan Jeter, Beaver Falls,
6-5, so, 17.5 ppg Dom Keyes, Steel Valley, 6-7, sr, 19.4 ppg David
Morris, Erie Strong Vincent, 6-1, so, 20.1 ppg Tim Rose, Scranton Prep, 6-0, sr, 15.2 ppg Josh Sharkey, Archbishop Carroll, 5-10 jr, 12.4 ppg CLASS AA PLAYER
OF THE YEAR: Stevie Jordan, Conwell-Egan COACH OF THE YEAR:Frank Sciolla, Conwell-Egan FIRST TEAM Jair Bolden, Westtown, 6-4, jr, 17.0 ppg Nelly
Cummings, Lincoln Park Charter, 6-0, so, 24.5 ppg De’Andre Hunter, Friends Central, 6-7,
jr, 20.8 ppg Stevie Jordan, Conwell-Egan, 5-10, jr, 16.8 ppg Stephon
McGinnis, Aliquippa, 5-9, sr, 17.0 ppg Trey Staunch, West Middlesex, 6-5, sr, 23.6 ppg SECOND TEAM Kyle Datres, Loyalsock Twp., 5-10, sr, 10.2 ppg Noah
Davis, Bellwood-Antis, 6-3, jr, 24.7 ppg Tim Guers, Germantown Academy, 6-3, sr, 16.4 ppg Jason Kenny, Mid Valley, 6-2, sr, 21.4 ppg LaPri McCray-Pace, Conwell-Egan, 6-2, jr,
11.4 ppg Ryan Norkus, Seton-La Salle, 6-3, sr, 18.1 ppg Kody Trude,
West Branch, 6-4, jr, 21.4 ppg THIRD TEAM Julian Collazo, Lancaster
Mennonite, 6-0 sr, 23.2 ppg Vinny Dalessandro, Conwell-Egan, 6-7, jr, 10.5 ppg Austin Gilbertson, Camp Hill Trinity, 6-2, so, 17.8 ppg Sam Lindgren, Germantown Academy,
6-6, sr, 12.6 ppg Matthew “Mookie” Miller, Upper Dauphin, 6-1, jr, 24.1 ppg Romano Sebastiani, Greensburg Central Catholic, 6-4, sr, 22.7 ppg Ben Sosa, Loyalsock
Twp., 6-2, sr, 15.9 ppg CLASS A PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Ahmad Gilbert,
Constitution COACH OF THE YEAR:Robert Moore, Constitution FIRST TEAM Samir Doughty, Math, Civics & Sciences, 6-4, sr, 24.5 ppg Ahmad Gilbert, Constitution, 6-7, sr, 17.6 ppg Brandon Martinazzi, Bishop Carroll, 5-9,
sr, 22.4 ppg Malik Miller, Farrell, 6-3, jr, 20.0 ppg Nate Sestina,
Cameron County, 6-8, sr, 21.5 ppg Kimar Williams, Constitution, 6-1, sr, 16.2 ppg SECOND TEAM Chad Andrews-Fulton, Constitution, 6-7, sr, 11.0 ppg Julian
Batts, Jeannette, 5-11, sr, 22.4 ppg Caesar DeJesus, Goodling Impact Academy, 6-3, sr, 23.4 ppg Dane Jackson, Cornell, 6-1, sr, 28.0 ppg Sagaba Konate, Kennedy Catholic, 6-8, jr, 16.1
ppg Tyerell Mann, Notre Dame-East Stroudsburg, 6-4, sr, 23.0 ppg Lavelle
Rush, Monessen, 6-1, jr, 18.1 ppg THIRD TEAM Kevin Anderson, St. John
Neumann, 6-1, so, 19.1 ppg Michael Bryja, Portage, 6-4, sr, 20.5 ppg Bo
Burleigh, North Penn-Mansfield, 6-2, sr, 18.3 ppg Juwan Gooding, Goodling Impact Academy, 6-0,
sr, 23.8 ppg R.J. Laugand, Clarion-Limestone, 5-11, sr, 17.6 ppg Nasza
Short, St. John Neumann, 6-2, sr, 18.9 ppg Jeff Yordy, Pottsville Nativity, 6-2, sr, 22.4 ppg
2015 Schuylkill
League Champions 2015 District XI AAA Champions
"28 - 1" Best Winning Percentage Ever for Pottsville Boys Basketball Team "What A Season"
To All Crimson Tide Fans,
I have had the pleasure of running, this website for the past couple of years, It has been a great honor to
be associated with the Pottsville Crimson Tide boys basketball team. The character of the young men who represent this
team, this school, and the Pottsville Area School District, is First class, on and off the court. The time and effort,
put in by these young men, into a sport that they love, is unbelievable. Their hard work, paid off in one of the finest season
ever at Pottsville. The word team is well chosen for this year's group of young men, each player on this team bonded
with each other, "Like a Band of Brothers". To all the seniors on this years team, I wish the best of luck
as they move forward with their lives. I know, I will be proud of each and everyone of these young men and I am sure, the
parents are extremely proud of each one of these young men. Respectfully, Craig S.L. Shields
Congratulations To Our Seniors on a Great Season
Travis Blankenhorn
Eli Nabholz
Ty Painter
Derek Shuman
Patrick Coyle
Jake Guzick
Indians knock Crimson Tide out of Class AAA playoffs By Mike Carnahan Published: March 11, 2015
READING — As the Pottsville boys’ basketball
team somberly walked off the court Tuesday night, they got one final standing ovation from the Crimson Tide student section. One of the best seasons in program history came to an end. Travis Blankenhorn had a
game-high 14 points, but the Crimson Tide were done in by some cold shooting and fell to Susquehanna Township 44-37 in the
second round of the PIAA Class AAA playoffs at the Geigle Complex. It the was the second consecutive
year the Crimson Tide (28-1), the District 11 champs, were knocked out the of state playoffs by the Indians, who beat Pottsville
52-45 last year in a game also at the Geigle Complex. This time round, the Crimson Tide’s
half-court, man-to-man defense was once again very good to, at times, great, holding down an offense that came in averaging
66.6 points per game. The tempo of the game was exactly what Pottsville wanted, too. But the
Crimson Tide just weren’t consistent enough offensively, especially down the stretch in
the fourth quarter, and finished the night hitting 11-for-31 (35 percent) from the floor. “I
thought we got some open looks from the guys we wanted to shoot and they didn’t happen to fall,” Pottsville coach
Dave Mullaney said. “I don’t want to just lay it on that. They are a great team. “We
knew we were going to have to play well. I think we played OK and we executed our game plan but we needed to play a little
bit better to beat a team of that caliber.” Dejour Williams had 12 points and Nehemiah “Bud”
Mack 11 for Susquehanna Township (22-6), the third-place finisher out of the District 3. Next up for the Indians is Imhotep
Charter, a 73-54 winner over Scranton Prep on Tuesday, in the quarterfinals Friday. “Pottsville
is probably one of the best defensive teams throughout the state,” Indians’ coach Vince Rogers said “They
showed that tonight. They are just so physical. “It wasn’t easy tonight.” All of Mack’s points came in the second half, seven in the third quarter, including on consecutive possessions
midway through the quarter that gave the Indians the lead for good. Susquenhanna Township didn’t
exactly light it up offensively either, but was just a little bit better on the defense end. That was especially the case
in the fourth quarter, when Pottsville was held to 1-of-10 from the floor. “Our defense
came up big tonight,” Rogers said. “We got critical stops and we got critical rebounds in the fourth period. Defensively,
I can’t be prouder of our kids.” Eli Nabholz (12) and Jordan Melochick (11) also reached
double figures in scoring for Pottsville. The Crimson Tide battled back from a second-quarter,
17-8 deficit and held their final lead of the night at 27-26 at 4:44 of the third quarter when Nabholz hit both foul shots
after he was fouled inside. Mack sliced his way inside for a layup at 3:53, then had a steal
and layup on Pottville’s the next possession. Williams later hit one of his four 3-pointers to make it 33-27 with 2:50
left in the third. The Crimson Tide were within 34-31 at the end of the third, but a putback
by Roman Letterlaugh and dunk by Joe Marshall made it 38-31 early in the fourth. The Crimson
Tide got within four twice, the final time on a Melochick back-door layup with 1:47 left, making it 40-36. But Pottsville
missed its final six shots of the game. It wasn’t Pottsville’s night, but it certainly
has been a season to remember. The 28-game winning streak that was snapped Tuesday was the longest
in program history, as is the .965 winning percentage. This season’s 28 wins were three off the school record of 31-2
mark set in 1983-84. Along the way, Pottsville won its sixth consecutive Schuylkill League Division
I title, its fifth overall league title in the past six years and first District 11 championship since 2010. It was the final game for seniors Connor Hinchliffe, Ty Painter, Jed Dunkel, Derek Shuman, Pat Coyle, Blankenhorn
and Nabholz. “I love going to practice and being around these guys,” Mullaney said.
“They are so close. They are all friends. They are humble. They are a once-in-a-lifetime group of seven seniors. I truly
believe that. Our coaches are well aware of that and its a combination of the talent and the character, everything. They are
special. “It’s sad. There are a lot of emotions in the locker room. I feel really
fortunate to coach them.” Game Summary PIAA Class AAA Second
Round At Geigle Complex, Reading POTTSVILLE (37) — Hinchliffe
0 0-0 0, Painter 0 0-0 0, Blankenhorn 4 4-6 14, Melochick 4 2-2 11, Witman 0 0-0 0, Nabholz 3 5-6 12. Totals 11 11-14
37. SUSQUEHANNA TOWNSHIP (44) — Letterlough 1 0-0 2, Marshall 2 2-3 6, Mack 3
5-6 11, Williams 4 0-0 12, Ward 3 0-1 6, Blair 2 3-4 7, Dawson 0 0-0- 0. Totals 15 10-14 44. Potts (28-1) 8 12 11 6 — 37 Susq. (22-6) 11 8 15 10 — 44 3-point FGs: Blankenhorn 2, Melochick, Nabholz, Williams 4
Pottsville - Susquehanna - WNEP
Susquehanna Twp. outslugs Pottsville in PIAA Class AAA boys' basketball second-round battle
READING -- One field goal over the last 10+ minutes was all Susquehanna Twp. allowed Tuesday night. And that was plenty good enough for the Indians to claim
a defensive slugfest against District 11 champion Pottsville 44-37 in a PIAA Class AAA second-round contest at Reading's Geigle Complex. Nehemiah "Bud" Mack scored all 11 of his points in the second half, and fellow guard Dejour Williams drained four 3-pointers en route to a team-high 12 points for the Indians (22-6), who snapped a 28-game winning
streak by the Crimson Tide (28-1). Next up for Vince Rogers' club is a Friday quarterfinal date
against Philadelphia's Imhotep Charter at a site and time to be determined. Imhotep clocked Scranton Prep 77-54 Tuesday night. Travis Blankenhorn (14), Eli Nabholz (12) and Jordan Melochick (11) shared all 37 points for Dave Mullaney's Crimson Tide, who also lost to Susquehanna Twp. in this round
last year. FOURTH-QUARTER D Pottsville, which held
a 20-19 halftime lead, trailed by just three, 34-31, into the fourth quarter. But the Indians' smothering defense was already
taking over. Blankenhorn's coast-to-coast drive with 2:40 left in the third preceded two free
throws by Nabholz that had the Tide within two points. But the Tide would manage just one more
field goal over the final 10 minutes. Susquehanna Twp. held Pottsville to 1-for-12 shooting in the fourth quarter, including
eight misses in eight 3-point attempts. Plus the Indians rebounded, pulling down eight defensive
boards in the final stanza and owning a 25-20 edge overall. Mack, who added a game-high six assists,
knocked down all four of his free throws in the final two minutes to help punch Susquehanna's ticket into the quarterfinals. POTTSVILLE'S PACE After the teams essentially traded buckets through the first
quarter, the Indians rode seven straight points from reserve Jaquan Blair to a 17-8 lead three minutes into the second quarter. Blair helped save the Indians
in an otherwise ugly first half, scoring all seven of his points and grabbing all four of his rebounds. But after the advantage hit nine points, the slow-it-down Crimson Tide turned up its own defensive pressure and closed
the half on a 12-2 run, including 3-balls from Blankenhorn and Melochick. They took their largest
lead, 25-21, on a Nabholz trey early in the third quarter, but the Indians -- riding an enthusiastic Mack -- embarked on a
12-2 run of its own to seize control. Mack's drive to the dish with 3:58 left in the third gave 'Hanna a lead it would keep. NOTES & NUMBERS Mack scored 22 in last year's 52-45 victory over Pottsville,
one more point than Nabholz for the Tide. ... Pottsville's loss leaves just one unbeaten team
remaining in the PIAA tournament: Aliquippa in Class AA. ... Three of Pottsville's starters -- Nabholz (Penn State), Blankenhorn
(Kentucky) and Connor Hinchliffe (La Salle) -- are ticketed to play NCAA Division I baseball. ... Susquehanna Twp.
finished 47 percent (15 of 32) from the field, bettering Pottsville's 34 percent (11 of 32). The Tide attempted just six shots
in both the second and third quarters. ... The Indians -- well, Williams -- knocked down four
triples over a team total of 10 attempts. Pottsville finished four for 16 from the arc, failing to hit any after Nabholz's
early in the third. ... Leading rebounders for the Indians were Joe Marshall (six), Williams (five), Blair and Quintin Ward (four each). Blankenhorn led the Tide with five, one more than Melochick and Nabholz. We'll add commentary from Rogers, Mack and Mullaney to this post later Tuesday evening.
Crimson Tide vs. Susquehanna
Township Tuesday, March 10, 2015 at 6:00 pm Geigle Complex, Reading High School Come out and support the Crimson
Tide in the Second Round of States!
PIAA Class AAA Second-Round CapsuleBy
Mike Carnahan Published: March 10, 2015 Class AAA second round 3-3 Susquehanna Twp. (21-6) vs. 11-1
Pottsville (28-0) 6 p.m. today, Geigle Complex, Reading High School About
the Indians Head coach: Vince Rogers (9th season) How got here: In
District 3 playoffs, beat East Pennsboro (69-53) and Berks Catholic (53-47), then lost to Steel-High (64-59) in semifinals,
beat Milton Hershey (49-35) in consolation game; beat 1-2 Glenn Mills (73-53) in first round of PIAA playoffs Team stats: Offense (66.6 points per game), defense (52.8) Probable starting lineup:
G Dejour Williams (sr., 6-0, 16.2 ppg, 54 3-pointers), G Nehemiah “Bud” Mack (jr., 6-0, 13.9, 40 3-pointers),
F Joe Marshall (sr., 6-5, 10.6), F Quintin Ward (sr., 6-6, 12.0), F Roman Letterlough (sr., 6-5, 5.5) Key
reserves: F Jaquan Blair (sr., 6-3, 4.5), F Matt Dawson (sr., 6-1, 1.8) About the Crimson Tide Head coach: Dave Mullaney (8th season) How got here: Beat Blue Mountain (60-31), Tamaqua
(50-35) and Allentown Central Catholic (57-47) to win District 11 title, beat 3-3 Valley View (63-37) in first round of PIAA
playoffs Team stats: Offense (60.5), defense (32.5) Probable starting
lineup: G Connor Hinchliffe (sr., 6-1, 4.5), G Ty Painter (sr., 5-7, 3.2), F Travis Blankenhorn (sr. 6-2, 16.7, 44 3-pointers),
G Jordan Melochick (jr., 6-2, 9.3), F Eli Nabholz (sr., 6-5, 12.4, 25 3-pointers) Key reserves:
G Derek Shuman (sr., 6-1, 1.0), G Christian Witman (jr., 6-1, 1.9), G Jordan Abdo (soph., 5-10, 5.7, 20 3-pointers) Game notes Williams scored 32 points (6 3-pointers) and Mack added 22 in Indians’
first-round victory over Glen Mills. Mack dished out eight assists, while Ward finished with nine points and 11 boards. Susquehanna
Township, which led 32-31 at the half, scored the first 10 points of second half. ... Indians shared Mid-Penn Keystone Division
championship this season, but did not participate in Mid-Penn Conference tournament (lost out on tiebreaker). … Williams
returned to Indians after spending two years at Harrisburg. ... Blankenhorn scored 28 points, while Nabholz added 16 in Crimson
Tide’s first-round win over Valley View. Raced out to a 15-5 lead after the first quarter and put the game away with
a 20-5 scoring advantage in the fourth quarter. Forced 13 turnovers and held Valley View to 13-of-39 from the floor. …
Blankenhorn’s performance against Valley View was two off his season high of 30 against Williamsport on Jan. 5. …
Crimson Tide are No. 5 in Class AAA in most recent PennLive.com state rankings, while the Indians are a team to watch. ...
Rematch of a second-round game from last season, won by the Indians, 52-45, at the Geigle Complex. Crimson Tide got to within
26-25 early in the second half before the Indians pulled away. All five of the Crimson Tide’s likely starters tonight
started in that game. Mack, Ward, Marshall and Letterlough started/logged serious minutes in win for Indians, who went on
to lose in state title game to Neumann-Goretti. What next: Winner faces 2-1 Scranton Prep vs.
12-2 Imhotep Charter winner in quarterfinals Friday, March 13, at site and time to be determined. Directions
to Geigle Complex: Take Pa. Route 61 south for 32.7 miles, then turn left onto Spring Street. Travel 1.1 miles and make right
onto North 13th Street. School is located at 801 N. 13th Street, Reading, Pa. 19604. — Compiled
by Mike Carnahan
• Susquehanna Twp. (3-3, 21-6) vs. Pottsville (11-1, 28-0), at Geigle Complex, Reading, 6 -- Here's another rematch of a 2014 second-round scrap claimed
52-45 by Susquehanna Twp., but not without a physical struggle. Arguably the toughest game Vince Rogers' Indians encountered
before they reached last year's state final. And with a number of players back for Susquehanna Twp. — Nehemiah Mack, Quintin Ward, Joe Marshall, Roman Letterlough and Jaquan Blair shared 39 points — most of Rogers' club knows what to expect. Same for Dave Mullaney's unbeaten Crimson
Tide, which returned all five starters from a defensive-minded group that will try to control tempo while using the screen
effectively at the offensive end. Pottsville's Eli Nabholz and Travis Blankenhorn, who combined for 36 points and six treys a year ago, are equally effective in the paint and on the perimeter.
Difference could be Susquehanna's Dejour Williams, who popped Glen Mills for 32 in opening round. Winner gets Scranton Prep/Imhotep Charter winner. -- The pick:
Susquehanna by 3.
2015 District XI AAA Champions 2015 Schuylkill League Champions 27-0
Fast start leads Crimson Tide to Class AAA title BY MIKE CARNAHAN Published: February 28, 2015
Article
Tools
 JACQUELINE DORMER/STAFF PHOTO Pottsville’s Eli Nabholz goes strong
to the basket past Allentown Central Catholic’s Jack Nosovitch (5) during the Crimson Tide’s 57-47 victory Friday.
 JACQUELINE DORMER/STAFF PHOTO Pottsville's players Travis Blankenhorn,
left, Eli Nabholz, center, and Jed Dunkel, right, celebrate with teammates after defeating Allentown Central Catholic in
the District 11 Class AAA Championship Game Friday at Blue Mountain High School in Orwigsburg. Pottsville took a 57-47 triumph.
ORWIGSBURG — With
16 seconds left in the game, the Pottsville fans rose to their and filled Blue Mountain High School gymnasium with a thunderous
roar. Then when the final buzzer went off, the Crimson Tide bench rushed the court. It was time to celebrate another title this season. Pottsville was expected to be here
when the year began in December. That is where the Crimson Tide were Friday night. Senior Eli
Nabholz scored nine of his game-high 19 points in the first quarter as top-seeded Pottsville started hot and lead from start
to finish in a 57-47 victory over No. 3 Allentown Central Catholic to win the District 11 Class AAA boys’ basketball
championship. Travis Blankenhorn and Jordan Melochick added 11 points apiece for the Crimson Tide
(27-0), who won the Schuylkill League title two weeks ago. Pottsville’s championship Friday
was its first district title since 2010 when the Crimson Tide downed the Vikings 63-58 at Blue Mountain. With all five starters back from last year’s team that was hammered by Allentown Central Catholic 64-34 in
the Class AAA title game, Potts- ville was the favorite to win it all this season. Friday, the Crimson Tide finished it out. “We like to say we win things for ourselves,
but we worked so hard and we finally got one,” Nabholz said. “But I mean this is for Schuylkill County. This is
for every team that we played all year, every team that was close with us. This is a awesome feeling.” Pottsville already clinched a berth in the PIAA tournament by reaching the championship game. Next for the Crimson
Tide is the third-place finisher out of District 2, either Honesdale or Valley View, in the first round of the PIAA playoffs
Friday, March 6, at a site and time to be determined. “Last year they gave it to us pretty
bad,” said senior Connor Hinchliffe, who added eight points Friday. “But this year, we felt confident that we
were going to win this game tonight and we did.” Pottsville certainly played like it from
the opening tip. The start to Friday’s game was exactly what the Crimson Tide wanted, and needed, to do. Led by Nabholz, who scored Pottsville’s first points of the game on a move inside the paint, the Crimson Tide
opened the game on a 7-0 and led 22-12 at the end of the first quarter. It was a lead Pottsville
never lost. The Crimson Tide were up by 12 twice in the second quarter. The Vikings (17-10), who
were looking for their fifth consecutive district title, cut to the deficit to four midway through the third quarter and to
five at 50-45 with 2:53 left in the game. But Pottsville responded with a 7-0 run to put the game away. Nabholz finished the night with nine rebounds, three assists and two blocks. He also took two charges defensively. Blankenhorn added five rebounds and three assists, while Melochick also had three assists. Ben
Pratt led Allentown Central Catholic with 16 points, while Zay Jennings added 14. The first quarter
couldn’t have gone better for Pottsville as the Crimson Tide hit 8-for-13 from the floor, including 3-of-5 from 3-point
land. They also turned the ball over just once. “I think it was key,” Nabholz said
of the start. “Coach (Dave) Mullaney has been harping on us the last couple of days in practice that we need to start
without turning the ball over, start fast and execute. Tonight, we were able to do that. “We
are team. We do what we practice. We move the ball, we set back-screens, we play defense. It was just doing everything right
from the start.” After Nabholz opened the scoring, Blankenhorn chased down his own missed
3-pointer two possessions later that led to a Nabholz three-point play. Blankenhorn then followed with a reverse layup to
make it 7-0 at 6:24. The Vikings got to within two, but Nabholz scored again inside, while Hinchliffe
hit one of his two 3-pointers on the night from the corner to get the lead back up to 12-5. Pottsville
led 17-12 and finished the quarter on a 5-0 run as Blankenhorn drained a 3 from the corner and Ty Painter drove in from the
wing to make it 22-12. “I was happy with the way we came out,” Mullaney said. “At
the same time, it probably got it into a pace that was a little too quick for us. I think in the second half the game was
a little bit more to our liking.” The game slowed down, but Pottsville never lost the lead.
The Crimson Tide finished the night shooting 19-for-37 (51 percent) from the floor. All five Pottsville starters scored at
least five points and six of the seven players who got into the game had a least one 3-pointer. “We’ve
been doing this since we were seven years old, all of us, the same group,” Hinchliffe said. “We are just working
our way all the way through. We have such a close bond. We are all great friends and it shows on the court.” Game Summary District 11 Class AAA Championship At Blue Mountain
H.S. ALLENTOWN CENTRAL CATHOLIC (47) — Maley 1 0-0 3, Nosovitch 3 0-0 6, Pratt 7 0-0 16,
Friel 0 0-0 0, Kern 0 0-0 0, J. Vaughan 2 0-0 4, Dezonie 2 0-0 4, Jennings 4 6-8 14. Totals 19 6-8 47.
POTTSVILLE (57) — Hinchliffe 3 0-0 8, Painter 2 0-0 5, Blankenhorn 3 4-4 11, Melochick
4 2-2 11, Witman 0 0-0 0, Abdo 1 0-0 3, Nabholz 6 6-7 19. Totals 19 12-13 57. ACC
(17-10) 12 14 13 8 — 47 Potts (27-0) 22 10 14 11 — 57 3-point FGs: Maley, Pratt 2, Hinchliffe 2, Painter, Blankenhorn, Melochick, Abdo, Nabholz
Pottsville ends Central's four-year run as district champs; never
looks back in 57-47 win Pottsville ends Central's four-year run SCHUYLKILL HAVEN — The celebration lingered for a long time on the basketball
court at Blue Mountain High School on Friday night as Pottsville players, parents, friends and fans gathered, posing for pictures. But coach Dave Mullaney wasn't in the crowd. He had headed for the locker room down the hall. Mullaney wanted to let his players enjoy the moment. Seven seniors had played their final
District 11 tournament game and finally, they had gold medals around their necks. The Crimson
Tide, living up to its billing as the No. 6 ranked team in the state in Class 3A, bolted to a 7-0 lead in the game's first
minute and 37 seconds and never looked back in defeating Central Catholic 57-47 in the 3A championship game before a standing-room-only
crowd. Pottsville (27-0) won its first district title since beating CCHS for the 2010 3A crown
and ended the Vikings' four-year run as district champs. "I'm extremely proud of our guys,"
Mullaney said. "We came out shooting the ball well and that gave us some confidence that carried throughout the game." The Tide got three 3-pointers in the first quarter when its lead stretched to 22-12, and made seven overall. Six
players connected from beyond the arc. Central (16-10) continually tried to fight back and never
allowed the game to reach blowout status. However, the Vikings could never make it a one-possession game. Every time CCHS tried
to put something together, Pottsville found an answer. "Our kids played with great energy
and the effort was there," Vikings coach Dennis Csensits said. "But we just couldn't make the one or two plays that
could get us over the top. We cut it to six a bunch of times, and got it to four and we had some chances there. We just couldn't
finish it off." Pottsville led 32-20 with 21/2 minutes left in the first half before CCHS
closed the second quarter with a 6-0 run that put the Vikes within six at halftime. The Vikings
scrambled back within 38-34 with 3:20 left in the third quarter when Jack Nosovitch scored off a Zay Jennings pass. And two minutes later, Ben Pratt hit a 3-pointer to get it to 43-39. However, Connor
Hinchcliffe closed the scoring in the third period with a 3-pointer and Central, which was trying to become the first boys
team ever to win five consecutive District 11 championships, would never get closer than five in the closing period. A Jennings drive sliced the Tide lead to 50-45 with 2:54 left, but the Vikings would manage just one more field goal
the rest of the night. Back-to-back layups by Travis Blankenhorn and Hinchcliffe sealed for it
for the Schuylkill League champs. "That's a veteran team that came out of the shoot and made
shots early, even some that were pretty well contested," Csensits said. "They set the tone early and we were playing
from behind all night. But I'm still proud of our kids because we could have gone south a couple of times but didn't." Mullaney said the defense was focused on stopping Jennings and Pratt. While those two
combined for 30 points, they had to work hard for everything. Jennings, one of the area's top 3-point shooters, couldn't connect
from bonus range at all. "The good start built momentum for the rest of the game," said
Jordan Melochick, who defended Jennings. "The rest of the team just tried to sink in and help defensively as much as
they could. It's all about teamwork and team chemistry. We were happy to win the Schuylkill League, but we wanted this more." Central defeated Pottsville 64-34 in last year's title game, but the Tide regrouped to win its first PIAA game. Now, it's the Vikings who will need to put this one behind them and try to make a run in the state tournament. Among
the positives in the defeat was that CCHS freshmen Shackylle Dezonie and Jay Vaughan played well in a pressure game in a hostile
environment. Those two will get more experience as the Vikes play Milton, which defeated Shamokin
59-57 for the District 4 championship, on Friday night at a site to be determined. That site is expected to be much closer
to Milton than Allentown. "We put up a fight," Nosovitch said. "We're proud of
the effort. We're just disappointed with the outcome. " But Nosovitch acknowledged the season
isn't over. "We'll use this as motivation for next week," Nosovitch said. "We don't
want to feel like this again." Pottsville, meanwhile, will play Valley View in its state
opener. The Cougars defeated Honesdale 67-50 in District 2's third-place game. "They're good,
they're very good," Csensits said of Pottsville. "We tried to speed them up and force mistakes, but they're well-balanced.
They were a tough matchup for us and they'll be tough for a lot of teams."
PIAA BOYS' BASKETBALL: Crimson Tide advance in Class AAA with 63-37 winBy Mike Carnahan Published: March 7, 2015
 JACQUELINE DORMER/STAFF PHOTO Pottsville’s Jordan Melochick goes
up high over Valley View’s T.J. Halloran during Friday’s PIAA Class AAA game at Blue Mountain High School. Melochick
had six points as the Tide advanced with a 63-37 win.  JACQUELINE DORMER/STAFF PHOTO Pottsville’s Travis Blankenhorn
drives to the basket over Valley View’s Alec Rodway during Friday’s PIAA Class AAA boys’ basketball first-round
game at Blue Mountain High School. Blankenhorn scored a game-high 28 points as the Crimson Tide beat the Cougars 63-37.
ORWIGSBURG — Travis Blankenhorn picked
a great time to turn in his best offensive game of the postseason. It was just one of the many things that went right
for Pottsville in its PIAA Class AAA boys’ basketball playoff opener Friday. Blankenhorn poured in a game-high
28 points and Eli Nabholz added 16 to back a solid defensive night in the Crimson Tide’s 63-37 victory over Valley View
at Blue Mountain High School. Blankenhorn finished two points shy of his season-high of 30 points scored against Williamsport
on Jan. 5. The 6-foot-2 forward had 10 field goals and was 7-for-8 from the foul line. Blankenhorn had only one 3-pointer,
instead opting to take the ball aggressively to the hoop. His night also included a trio of three-point plays, while he missed
a free throw on another that would have given him four. “I think their kids were a little smaller,” Blankenhorn
said. “I tried to go inside and post up and see if my teammates could give me a lob pass or score a layup.” Blankenhorn
was especially big early in the fourth quarter, when he scored the Crimson Tide’s first seven points to turn a 43-32
Pottsville lead into a 50-34 advantage and finally put the game away. The District 11 champion Crimson Tide (28-0) remained
perfect on the season with the win and advance to the second round of states for the second consecutive year. Next up is a
rematch with Susquehanna Township (21-6), the third-place finisher out of District 3. Susquehanna Township beat District
1 runner-up Glen Mills 73-53 in a first-round game Friday. The Indians knocked the Crimson Tide out of the state playoffs
in second round last year. “It’s a great feeling to win a state game,” Blankenhorn said. “We
do it as a team as always and we hope to keep going.” Nabholz scored nine of his points in the first quarter as
Pottsville opened the game on a 15-3 run and led 15-5 after one quarter. The Crimson Tide were up 30-18 at halftime and 43-32
after three frames. “It is just doing what we always do,” Nabholz said of the Friday’s quick start.
“We move the ball, set a lot of ball screens throughout the game. We try to work a lot inside-out. It pretty much doing
what we always do.” Alec Rodway led Valley View (15-12), the third-place finisher out of District 2, with 16 points.
Rodway scored 11 of those in the third quarter as Cougars hung around but were never able to cut the deficit to single digits. Valley
View couldn’t overcome its slow start as it was 2-of-12 from the floor in the first quarter against Pottsville’s
tough man-to-man defense. “We got off to a slow start and against a team like that, you are not just putting ourself
into a hole, but making it hard to battle back,” Cougars coach Mike Kurpis said. “I don’t know if it was
the big stage that got to us, or their intense, man-to-man pressure, which really takes you out of what you want to do. I
will give them the credit for that. “They have five guys that overplay, their help defense is tremendous and they
rebound the heck out of the ball.” The Crimson Tide forced 13 Valley View turnovers and held the Cougars to 13-of-39
(33 percent) from the floor in the game. Pottsville’s defense was especially strong in the fourth quarter, when the
Crimson Tide held Valley View to 0-of-7 from the floor. “I was disappointed in some of the things we were doing
defensively,” Pottsville coach Dave Mullaney said. “But to hold a team as good as Valley View to 37, you have
to be happy with that. Overall, the effort must have been there. Maybe some of the design or game-plan wasn’t great,
but our guys came through.” Pottsville finished the night hitting 18-of-40 (45 percent). The Crimson Tide felt
they had an advantage inside and pushed the ball down low the entire game. Nabholz scored Pottsville’s first points
of the night on a 3-pointer, while Blankenhorn followed with a 3-point play off a baseline drive. After Rodway knocked down
a 3-pointer from the wing, Nabholz scored on back-to-back layups on a cut inside and then hit two foul shots to make it 12-3
at 3:09. Blankenhorn hit 1-of-2 from the free-throw line after he was fouled after an offensive rebound, and then made
it 15-3, going coast-to-coast after a defensive rebound. Pottsville led 22-9 with 4:47 left in the first half when Christian
Witman hit 1-of-2 from the line. But the Cougars got the deficit down to 30-18 after Rodway knocked down a 3 with 1:36 remaining
in the first half. Game Summary PIAA Class AAA Boys’ First Round At Blue Mountain High School VALLEY
VIEW (37) — Rodway 5 4-8 16, Homish 1 1-2 3, Gallagher 3 0-0 8, Cruz 1 1-2 3, Halloran 3 1-2 7, Thomas 0 0-0 0, Ziminskas
0 0-0 0, Peters 0 0-0 0, Bailleau 0 0-0 0, Cwalinski 0 0-0 0. Totals 13 7-14 37. POTTSVILLE
(63) — Hinchliffe 0 4-4 4, Painter 0 2-2 2, Blankenhorn 10 7-8 28, Thomas 1 0-0 2, Melochick 2 1-3 6, Shuman 0 0-0 0,
Witman 1 3-4 5, Abdo 0 0-0 0, Nabholz 4 6-7 16, Coyle 0 0-0 0, Renninger 0 0-0 0. Totals 18 23-28 63.
VV (15-12) 5 13 14 5 — 37 Pot (28-0) 15 15 13 20 — 63
3-point FGs: Rodway 2, Gallagher 2, Blankehnorn, Melochick, Nabholz 2
28 - 0 Crimson Tide Rolls over Valley View The Crimson Tide rolled over Valley View Cougars by a score
of 63-37 tonight at Blue Mountain High School. The Crimson Tide was led by Travis "Money" Blankenhorn's game
high 28 points and Eli " Big Easy" Naholz's 16 points. The Tide will be playing Susquehanna Township on Tuesday's
night in Reading. The Tide advances to the second round of the state's AAA
playoffs for the second time in two years. This game sets up a rematch from last year's game.
Crimson Tide plays Valley
View Cougars at 7:00, Friday Night at Blue Mountain High School in the First Round of State Playoffs! Come out and support the Crimson Tide!!!
PIAA BOYS' BASKETBALL: Crimson Tide advance in Class AAA with 63-37 winBy Mike Carnahan Published: March 7, 2015
JACQUELINE DORMER/STAFF PHOTO Pottsville’s Jordan Melochick goes
up high over Valley View’s T.J. Halloran during Friday’s PIAA Class AAA game at Blue Mountain High School. Melochick
had six points as the Tide advanced with a 63-37 win. JACQUELINE DORMER/STAFF PHOTO Pottsville’s Travis Blankenhorn
drives to the basket over Valley View’s Alec Rodway during Friday’s PIAA Class AAA boys’ basketball first-round
game at Blue Mountain High School. Blankenhorn scored a game-high 28 points as the Crimson Tide beat the Cougars 63-37.
ORWIGSBURG — Travis Blankenhorn picked
a great time to turn in his best offensive game of the postseason. It was just one of the many things that went right
for Pottsville in its PIAA Class AAA boys’ basketball playoff opener Friday. Blankenhorn poured in a game-high
28 points and Eli Nabholz added 16 to back a solid defensive night in the Crimson Tide’s 63-37 victory over Valley View
at Blue Mountain High School. Blankenhorn finished two points shy of his season-high of 30 points scored against Williamsport
on Jan. 5. The 6-foot-2 forward had 10 field goals and was 7-for-8 from the foul line. Blankenhorn had only one 3-pointer,
instead opting to take the ball aggressively to the hoop. His night also included a trio of three-point plays, while he missed
a free throw on another that would have given him four. “I think their kids were a little smaller,” Blankenhorn
said. “I tried to go inside and post up and see if my teammates could give me a lob pass or score a layup.” Blankenhorn
was especially big early in the fourth quarter, when he scored the Crimson Tide’s first seven points to turn a 43-32
Pottsville lead into a 50-34 advantage and finally put the game away. The District 11 champion Crimson Tide (28-0) remained
perfect on the season with the win and advance to the second round of states for the second consecutive year. Next up is a
rematch with Susquehanna Township (21-6), the third-place finisher out of District 3. Susquehanna Township beat District
1 runner-up Glen Mills 73-53 in a first-round game Friday. The Indians knocked the Crimson Tide out of the state playoffs
in second round last year. “It’s a great feeling to win a state game,” Blankenhorn said. “We
do it as a team as always and we hope to keep going.” Nabholz scored nine of his points in the first quarter as
Pottsville opened the game on a 15-3 run and led 15-5 after one quarter. The Crimson Tide were up 30-18 at halftime and 43-32
after three frames. “It is just doing what we always do,” Nabholz said of the Friday’s quick start.
“We move the ball, set a lot of ball screens throughout the game. We try to work a lot inside-out. It pretty much doing
what we always do.” Alec Rodway led Valley View (15-12), the third-place finisher out of District 2, with 16 points.
Rodway scored 11 of those in the third quarter as Cougars hung around but were never able to cut the deficit to single digits. Valley
View couldn’t overcome its slow start as it was 2-of-12 from the floor in the first quarter against Pottsville’s
tough man-to-man defense. “We got off to a slow start and against a team like that, you are not just putting ourself
into a hole, but making it hard to battle back,” Cougars coach Mike Kurpis said. “I don’t know if it was
the big stage that got to us, or their intense, man-to-man pressure, which really takes you out of what you want to do. I
will give them the credit for that. “They have five guys that overplay, their help defense is tremendous and they
rebound the heck out of the ball.” The Crimson Tide forced 13 Valley View turnovers and held the Cougars to 13-of-39
(33 percent) from the floor in the game. Pottsville’s defense was especially strong in the fourth quarter, when the
Crimson Tide held Valley View to 0-of-7 from the floor. “I was disappointed in some of the things we were doing
defensively,” Pottsville coach Dave Mullaney said. “But to hold a team as good as Valley View to 37, you have
to be happy with that. Overall, the effort must have been there. Maybe some of the design or game-plan wasn’t great,
but our guys came through.” Pottsville finished the night hitting 18-of-40 (45 percent). The Crimson Tide felt
they had an advantage inside and pushed the ball down low the entire game. Nabholz scored Pottsville’s first points
of the night on a 3-pointer, while Blankenhorn followed with a 3-point play off a baseline drive. After Rodway knocked down
a 3-pointer from the wing, Nabholz scored on back-to-back layups on a cut inside and then hit two foul shots to make it 12-3
at 3:09. Blankenhorn hit 1-of-2 from the free-throw line after he was fouled after an offensive rebound, and then made
it 15-3, going coast-to-coast after a defensive rebound. Pottsville led 22-9 with 4:47 left in the first half when Christian
Witman hit 1-of-2 from the line. But the Cougars got the deficit down to 30-18 after Rodway knocked down a 3 with 1:36 remaining
in the first half. Game Summary PIAA Class AAA Boys’ First Round At Blue Mountain High School VALLEY
VIEW (37) — Rodway 5 4-8 16, Homish 1 1-2 3, Gallagher 3 0-0 8, Cruz 1 1-2 3, Halloran 3 1-2 7, Thomas 0 0-0 0, Ziminskas
0 0-0 0, Peters 0 0-0 0, Bailleau 0 0-0 0, Cwalinski 0 0-0 0. Totals 13 7-14 37. POTTSVILLE
(63) — Hinchliffe 0 4-4 4, Painter 0 2-2 2, Blankenhorn 10 7-8 28, Thomas 1 0-0 2, Melochick 2 1-3 6, Shuman 0 0-0 0,
Witman 1 3-4 5, Abdo 0 0-0 0, Nabholz 4 6-7 16, Coyle 0 0-0 0, Renninger 0 0-0 0. Totals 18 23-28 63.
VV (15-12) 5 13 14 5 — 37 Pot (28-0) 15 15 13 20 — 63
3-point FGs: Rodway 2, Gallagher 2, Blankehnorn, Melochick, Nabholz 2
Fast start leads Crimson Tide to Class AAA title BY MIKE CARNAHAN Published: February 28, 2015
Article
Tools
JACQUELINE DORMER/STAFF PHOTO Pottsville’s Eli Nabholz goes strong
to the basket past Allentown Central Catholic’s Jack Nosovitch (5) during the Crimson Tide’s 57-47 victory Friday.
JACQUELINE DORMER/STAFF PHOTO Pottsville's players Travis Blankenhorn,
left, Eli Nabholz, center, and Jed Dunkel, right, celebrate with teammates after defeating Allentown Central Catholic in
the District 11 Class AAA Championship Game Friday at Blue Mountain High School in Orwigsburg. Pottsville took a 57-47 triumph.
ORWIGSBURG — With
16 seconds left in the game, the Pottsville fans rose to their and filled Blue Mountain High School gymnasium with a thunderous
roar. Then when the final buzzer went off, the Crimson Tide bench rushed the court. It was time to celebrate another title this season. Pottsville was expected to be here
when the year began in December. That is where the Crimson Tide were Friday night. Senior Eli
Nabholz scored nine of his game-high 19 points in the first quarter as top-seeded Pottsville started hot and lead from start
to finish in a 57-47 victory over No. 3 Allentown Central Catholic to win the District 11 Class AAA boys’ basketball
championship. Travis Blankenhorn and Jordan Melochick added 11 points apiece for the Crimson Tide
(27-0), who won the Schuylkill League title two weeks ago. Pottsville’s championship Friday
was its first district title since 2010 when the Crimson Tide downed the Vikings 63-58 at Blue Mountain. With all five starters back from last year’s team that was hammered by Allentown Central Catholic 64-34 in
the Class AAA title game, Potts- ville was the favorite to win it all this season. Friday, the Crimson Tide finished it out. “We like to say we win things for ourselves,
but we worked so hard and we finally got one,” Nabholz said. “But I mean this is for Schuylkill County. This is
for every team that we played all year, every team that was close with us. This is a awesome feeling.” Pottsville already clinched a berth in the PIAA tournament by reaching the championship game. Next for the Crimson
Tide is the third-place finisher out of District 2, either Honesdale or Valley View, in the first round of the PIAA playoffs
Friday, March 6, at a site and time to be determined. “Last year they gave it to us pretty
bad,” said senior Connor Hinchliffe, who added eight points Friday. “But this year, we felt confident that we
were going to win this game tonight and we did.” Pottsville certainly played like it from
the opening tip. The start to Friday’s game was exactly what the Crimson Tide wanted, and needed, to do. Led by Nabholz, who scored Pottsville’s first points of the game on a move inside the paint, the Crimson Tide
opened the game on a 7-0 and led 22-12 at the end of the first quarter. It was a lead Pottsville
never lost. The Crimson Tide were up by 12 twice in the second quarter. The Vikings (17-10), who
were looking for their fifth consecutive district title, cut to the deficit to four midway through the third quarter and to
five at 50-45 with 2:53 left in the game. But Pottsville responded with a 7-0 run to put the game away. Nabholz finished the night with nine rebounds, three assists and two blocks. He also took two charges defensively. Blankenhorn added five rebounds and three assists, while Melochick also had three assists. Ben
Pratt led Allentown Central Catholic with 16 points, while Zay Jennings added 14. The first quarter
couldn’t have gone better for Pottsville as the Crimson Tide hit 8-for-13 from the floor, including 3-of-5 from 3-point
land. They also turned the ball over just once. “I think it was key,” Nabholz said
of the start. “Coach (Dave) Mullaney has been harping on us the last couple of days in practice that we need to start
without turning the ball over, start fast and execute. Tonight, we were able to do that. “We
are team. We do what we practice. We move the ball, we set back-screens, we play defense. It was just doing everything right
from the start.” After Nabholz opened the scoring, Blankenhorn chased down his own missed
3-pointer two possessions later that led to a Nabholz three-point play. Blankenhorn then followed with a reverse layup to
make it 7-0 at 6:24. The Vikings got to within two, but Nabholz scored again inside, while Hinchliffe
hit one of his two 3-pointers on the night from the corner to get the lead back up to 12-5. Pottsville
led 17-12 and finished the quarter on a 5-0 run as Blankenhorn drained a 3 from the corner and Ty Painter drove in from the
wing to make it 22-12. “I was happy with the way we came out,” Mullaney said. “At
the same time, it probably got it into a pace that was a little too quick for us. I think in the second half the game was
a little bit more to our liking.” The game slowed down, but Pottsville never lost the lead.
The Crimson Tide finished the night shooting 19-for-37 (51 percent) from the floor. All five Pottsville starters scored at
least five points and six of the seven players who got into the game had a least one 3-pointer. “We’ve
been doing this since we were seven years old, all of us, the same group,” Hinchliffe said. “We are just working
our way all the way through. We have such a close bond. We are all great friends and it shows on the court.” Game Summary District 11 Class AAA Championship At Blue Mountain
H.S. ALLENTOWN CENTRAL CATHOLIC (47) — Maley 1 0-0 3, Nosovitch 3 0-0 6, Pratt 7 0-0 16,
Friel 0 0-0 0, Kern 0 0-0 0, J. Vaughan 2 0-0 4, Dezonie 2 0-0 4, Jennings 4 6-8 14. Totals 19 6-8 47.
POTTSVILLE (57) — Hinchliffe 3 0-0 8, Painter 2 0-0 5, Blankenhorn 3 4-4 11, Melochick
4 2-2 11, Witman 0 0-0 0, Abdo 1 0-0 3, Nabholz 6 6-7 19. Totals 19 12-13 57. ACC
(17-10) 12 14 13 8 — 47 Potts (27-0) 22 10 14 11 — 57 3-point FGs: Maley, Pratt 2, Hinchliffe 2, Painter, Blankenhorn, Melochick, Abdo, Nabholz
Pottsville-ACC District XI AAA Championship
Fast start leads Crimson Tide to Class AAA title BY MIKE CARNAHAN Published: February 28, 2015
Article
Tools
JACQUELINE DORMER/STAFF PHOTO Pottsville’s Eli Nabholz goes strong
to the basket past Allentown Central Catholic’s Jack Nosovitch (5) during the Crimson Tide’s 57-47 victory Friday.
JACQUELINE DORMER/STAFF PHOTO Pottsville's players Travis Blankenhorn,
left, Eli Nabholz, center, and Jed Dunkel, right, celebrate with teammates after defeating Allentown Central Catholic in
the District 11 Class AAA Championship Game Friday at Blue Mountain High School in Orwigsburg. Pottsville took a 57-47 triumph.
ORWIGSBURG — With
16 seconds left in the game, the Pottsville fans rose to their and filled Blue Mountain High School gymnasium with a thunderous
roar. Then when the final buzzer went off, the Crimson Tide bench rushed the court. It was time to celebrate another title this season. Pottsville was expected to be here
when the year began in December. That is where the Crimson Tide were Friday night. Senior Eli
Nabholz scored nine of his game-high 19 points in the first quarter as top-seeded Pottsville started hot and lead from start
to finish in a 57-47 victory over No. 3 Allentown Central Catholic to win the District 11 Class AAA boys’ basketball
championship. Travis Blankenhorn and Jordan Melochick added 11 points apiece for the Crimson Tide
(27-0), who won the Schuylkill League title two weeks ago. Pottsville’s championship Friday
was its first district title since 2010 when the Crimson Tide downed the Vikings 63-58 at Blue Mountain. With all five starters back from last year’s team that was hammered by Allentown Central Catholic 64-34 in
the Class AAA title game, Potts- ville was the favorite to win it all this season. Friday, the Crimson Tide finished it out. “We like to say we win things for ourselves,
but we worked so hard and we finally got one,” Nabholz said. “But I mean this is for Schuylkill County. This is
for every team that we played all year, every team that was close with us. This is a awesome feeling.” Pottsville already clinched a berth in the PIAA tournament by reaching the championship game. Next for the Crimson
Tide is the third-place finisher out of District 2, either Honesdale or Valley View, in the first round of the PIAA playoffs
Friday, March 6, at a site and time to be determined. “Last year they gave it to us pretty
bad,” said senior Connor Hinchliffe, who added eight points Friday. “But this year, we felt confident that we
were going to win this game tonight and we did.” Pottsville certainly played like it from
the opening tip. The start to Friday’s game was exactly what the Crimson Tide wanted, and needed, to do. Led by Nabholz, who scored Pottsville’s first points of the game on a move inside the paint, the Crimson Tide
opened the game on a 7-0 and led 22-12 at the end of the first quarter. It was a lead Pottsville
never lost. The Crimson Tide were up by 12 twice in the second quarter. The Vikings (17-10), who
were looking for their fifth consecutive district title, cut to the deficit to four midway through the third quarter and to
five at 50-45 with 2:53 left in the game. But Pottsville responded with a 7-0 run to put the game away. Nabholz finished the night with nine rebounds, three assists and two blocks. He also took two charges defensively. Blankenhorn added five rebounds and three assists, while Melochick also had three assists. Ben
Pratt led Allentown Central Catholic with 16 points, while Zay Jennings added 14. The first quarter
couldn’t have gone better for Pottsville as the Crimson Tide hit 8-for-13 from the floor, including 3-of-5 from 3-point
land. They also turned the ball over just once. “I think it was key,” Nabholz said
of the start. “Coach (Dave) Mullaney has been harping on us the last couple of days in practice that we need to start
without turning the ball over, start fast and execute. Tonight, we were able to do that. “We
are team. We do what we practice. We move the ball, we set back-screens, we play defense. It was just doing everything right
from the start.” After Nabholz opened the scoring, Blankenhorn chased down his own missed
3-pointer two possessions later that led to a Nabholz three-point play. Blankenhorn then followed with a reverse layup to
make it 7-0 at 6:24. The Vikings got to within two, but Nabholz scored again inside, while Hinchliffe
hit one of his two 3-pointers on the night from the corner to get the lead back up to 12-5. Pottsville
led 17-12 and finished the quarter on a 5-0 run as Blankenhorn drained a 3 from the corner and Ty Painter drove in from the
wing to make it 22-12. “I was happy with the way we came out,” Mullaney said. “At
the same time, it probably got it into a pace that was a little too quick for us. I think in the second half the game was
a little bit more to our liking.” The game slowed down, but Pottsville never lost the lead.
The Crimson Tide finished the night shooting 19-for-37 (51 percent) from the floor. All five Pottsville starters scored at
least five points and six of the seven players who got into the game had a least one 3-pointer. “We’ve
been doing this since we were seven years old, all of us, the same group,” Hinchliffe said. “We are just working
our way all the way through. We have such a close bond. We are all great friends and it shows on the court.” Game Summary District 11 Class AAA Championship At Blue Mountain
H.S. ALLENTOWN CENTRAL CATHOLIC (47) — Maley 1 0-0 3, Nosovitch 3 0-0 6, Pratt 7 0-0 16,
Friel 0 0-0 0, Kern 0 0-0 0, J. Vaughan 2 0-0 4, Dezonie 2 0-0 4, Jennings 4 6-8 14. Totals 19 6-8 47.
POTTSVILLE (57) — Hinchliffe 3 0-0 8, Painter 2 0-0 5, Blankenhorn 3 4-4 11, Melochick
4 2-2 11, Witman 0 0-0 0, Abdo 1 0-0 3, Nabholz 6 6-7 19. Totals 19 12-13 57. ACC
(17-10) 12 14 13 8 — 47 Potts (27-0) 22 10 14 11 — 57 3-point FGs: Maley, Pratt 2, Hinchliffe 2, Painter, Blankenhorn, Melochick, Abdo, Nabholz
Pottsville ends Central's four-year run as district champs; never
looks back in 57-47 win Pottsville ends Central's four-year run SCHUYLKILL HAVEN — The celebration lingered for a long time on the basketball
court at Blue Mountain High School on Friday night as Pottsville players, parents, friends and fans gathered, posing for pictures. But coach Dave Mullaney wasn't in the crowd. He had headed for the locker room down the hall. Mullaney wanted to let his players enjoy the moment. Seven seniors had played their final
District 11 tournament game and finally, they had gold medals around their necks. The Crimson
Tide, living up to its billing as the No. 6 ranked team in the state in Class 3A, bolted to a 7-0 lead in the game's first
minute and 37 seconds and never looked back in defeating Central Catholic 57-47 in the 3A championship game before a standing-room-only
crowd. Pottsville (27-0) won its first district title since beating CCHS for the 2010 3A crown
and ended the Vikings' four-year run as district champs. "I'm extremely proud of our guys,"
Mullaney said. "We came out shooting the ball well and that gave us some confidence that carried throughout the game." The Tide got three 3-pointers in the first quarter when its lead stretched to 22-12, and made seven overall. Six
players connected from beyond the arc. Central (16-10) continually tried to fight back and never
allowed the game to reach blowout status. However, the Vikings could never make it a one-possession game. Every time CCHS tried
to put something together, Pottsville found an answer. "Our kids played with great energy
and the effort was there," Vikings coach Dennis Csensits said. "But we just couldn't make the one or two plays that
could get us over the top. We cut it to six a bunch of times, and got it to four and we had some chances there. We just couldn't
finish it off." Pottsville led 32-20 with 21/2 minutes left in the first half before CCHS
closed the second quarter with a 6-0 run that put the Vikes within six at halftime. The Vikings
scrambled back within 38-34 with 3:20 left in the third quarter when Jack Nosovitch scored off a Zay Jennings pass. And two minutes later, Ben Pratt hit a 3-pointer to get it to 43-39. However, Connor
Hinchcliffe closed the scoring in the third period with a 3-pointer and Central, which was trying to become the first boys
team ever to win five consecutive District 11 championships, would never get closer than five in the closing period. A Jennings drive sliced the Tide lead to 50-45 with 2:54 left, but the Vikings would manage just one more field goal
the rest of the night. Back-to-back layups by Travis Blankenhorn and Hinchcliffe sealed for it
for the Schuylkill League champs. "That's a veteran team that came out of the shoot and made
shots early, even some that were pretty well contested," Csensits said. "They set the tone early and we were playing
from behind all night. But I'm still proud of our kids because we could have gone south a couple of times but didn't." Mullaney said the defense was focused on stopping Jennings and Pratt. While those two
combined for 30 points, they had to work hard for everything. Jennings, one of the area's top 3-point shooters, couldn't connect
from bonus range at all. "The good start built momentum for the rest of the game," said
Jordan Melochick, who defended Jennings. "The rest of the team just tried to sink in and help defensively as much as
they could. It's all about teamwork and team chemistry. We were happy to win the Schuylkill League, but we wanted this more." Central defeated Pottsville 64-34 in last year's title game, but the Tide regrouped to win its first PIAA game. Now, it's the Vikings who will need to put this one behind them and try to make a run in the state tournament. Among
the positives in the defeat was that CCHS freshmen Shackylle Dezonie and Jay Vaughan played well in a pressure game in a hostile
environment. Those two will get more experience as the Vikes play Milton, which defeated Shamokin
59-57 for the District 4 championship, on Friday night at a site to be determined. That site is expected to be much closer
to Milton than Allentown. "We put up a fight," Nosovitch said. "We're proud of
the effort. We're just disappointed with the outcome. " But Nosovitch acknowledged the season
isn't over. "We'll use this as motivation for next week," Nosovitch said. "We don't
want to feel like this again." Pottsville, meanwhile, will play Valley View in its state
opener. The Cougars defeated Honesdale 67-50 in District 2's third-place game. "They're good,
they're very good," Csensits said of Pottsville. "We tried to speed them up and force mistakes, but they're well-balanced.
They were a tough matchup for us and they'll be tough for a lot of teams."
"ROLL TIDE" Come out and Support the Tide Tonight! Crimson Tide plays Allentown Central Catholic at 8:00 pm at Blue Mountain High School for the Distrcit XI AAA Title
Coach Jake says bring Home the Championship!
District 11 Class 3A boys basketball capsule Who's in the District 11 Class 3A boys basketball title game? DISTRICT 11
CLASS 3A BOYS CHAMPIONSHIP •Who: Central Catholic (No. 3, 16-9) vs. Pottsville (No. 1, 26-0). •When/where: 8 tonight at Blue Mountain H.S. •What's next: Winner will play
District 2 No. 3 (Honesdale or Valley View); loser will play District 4 champ (Shamokin or Milton) March 6 in first round
of PIAA tournament. CENTRAL CATHOLIC Coach: Dennis
Csensits (third season, 69-14) Projected starters: 5-10 Jr. G Zay Jennings 19.8
ppg; 6-0 Sr. G/F Ben Pratt 10.6 ppg; 6-1 Sr. F Jack Nosovitch 4.3 ppg; 6-4 Fr. F Shackyll Dezonie 5.2 ppg; 6-0 Sr. G/F Bryce
Maley 7.0 ppg. Key reserves: 6-4 Fr. F Kevin Kern 2.0 ppg; 5-9 Fr. G Jay Vaughan
3.5 ppg; 6-3 Jr. F Alex Friel 2.9 ppg. About the Vikings: Average 55.3 ppg, allow
51.8 ppg. … Advanced with a 64-50 win over No. 6 seed Saucon Valley and a 59-48 win over No. 2 Salisbury, increasing
the program's postseason win streak over Colonial League opponents to 23. … Have rebounded with two wins after losing
to Stroudsburg 69-47 in the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference quarterfinals. … In win over Salisbury, Jennings led a
balanced attack with 17 points — nine in the fourth quarter. Maley had a season-high 16 and Nosovitch added 11 points.
Pratt had nine points, seven rebounds and six assists. … Have won four straight district crowns and are trying to become
first boys team in District 11 history to win five consecutive championships. … Have won 10 straight district tournament
games since losing to Pottsville 63-58 in the 2010 3A final. … In the district finals for the sixth straight year and
25th time since 1985 and own a 17-7 record in title games. … Vikings also won four straight district titles from 1992-95.
… Defeated Pottsville 64-34 in last year's district final when now University of Michigan freshman Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman
scored a season-high 34. POTTSVILLE Coach: Dave Mullaney (eighth season, 166-50) Projected starters: 6-1 Sr. G Connor Hinchcliffe 4.4 ppg; 5-7 Sr. G Ty Painter 3.2 ppg; 6-2 Sr.
G Travis Blankenhorn 16.5 ppg; 6-2 Jr. G Jordan Melochick 9.4 ppg; 6-5 Sr. F Eli Nabholz 12.0 ppg. Key
reserves: 6-1 Sr. G Derek Shuman; 6-1 Jr G Christian Witman; 5-10 So. G Jordan Abdo; 6-6 Fr. F Ian Renninger. About the Tide: Average 60.6 ppg, allow 31.8 ppg. … Advanced by beating at No. 9 Blue Mountain
60-31 and No. 4 Tamaqua 50-35 . … Blankenhorn had 20 points in Crimson Tide's semifinal win, including 14 in first
half. Melochick tied a season high with 19 in quarterfinal win over Blue Mountain, while Blankenhorn added 15 and Nabholz
10. ... Blankenhorn is averaging 17.5 points per game during district playoffs, Melochick 13.5 and Nabholz 8.5. … All
five starters played in last year's district title game and two state playoff games. … Won sixth consecutive Schuylkill
League Division I title, then beat Tamaqua 33-28 in overtime in final. … Twenty-six wins have come by an average of
28.7 points. Closest margin was 49-46 win over Berks Catholic on Jan. 28. ... Blankenhorn (University of Kentucky), Nabholz
(Penn State) and Hinchliffe (La Salle) are going to play Division I baseball in college. … Have won five district titles,
the last coming in 2010 with a 63-58 win over CCHS. Keith Groller's prediction: CCHS 59-58, but it will take Vikings' best effort of season.
Tide reach Class AAA finals with win over TamaquaBy
Mike Carnahan Published: February 25, 2015 MINERSVILLE
— The Pottsville boys’ basketball team already has a Schuylkill League championship this season. The Crimson
Tide will now get to play for a District 11 title, too. Travis Blankenhorn scored 14 of his game-high 20 points in the
first half as top-seeded Pottsville built an early lead and downed No. 4 Tamaqua 50-35 in a District 11 Class AAA semifinal
Tuesday at Minersville’s Thomas Fitzpatrick Gymnasium. The Crimson Tide (26-0) will be playing for a district
championship for the second consecutive year. In the process, Pottsville, currently ranked No. 6 in Class AAA in the most
recent Pennlive.com state boys’ rankings, earned a berth in the PIAA Tournament. “This was one of our goals
as a team, to play for a district title,” Blankenhorn said. “We are happy we are here. “We will be
ready for anyone.” The Crimson Tide will get another crack at third-seeded Allentown Central Catholic (16-9) in
the finals at 8 p.m. Friday at Blue Mountain High School. The Vikings beat No. 2 Salisbury 59-48 in the other semifinal. ACC
beat the Crimson Tide 64-34 in last year’s title game, the Vikings’ fourth consecutive championship. Tamaqua
(20-6), meanwhile, will take on the Falcons (21-6) in the consolation game at 6 p.m. Friday at Bethlehem Freedom High School,
with the winner advancing to the state playoffs. Tuesday was Pottsville’s fourth win over the Blue Raiders this
season, the most recent being a 33-28, overtime victory in the Schuylkill League championship game Feb. 13. Round
4 wasn’t as close as Round 3, but it was hardly easy for the Crimson Tide. Blankenhorn knocked down four of Pottsville’s
seven 3-pointers in the game to help the Crimson Tide crack the Raiders’ 2-3 zone. Pottsville opened the game on a 10-1
run and led 19-12 at halftime. The Crimson Tide’s best offensive quarter came in the third when they knocked down
four 3s to build a 36-22 lead. Pottsville put the game away in the fourth from the foul line, hitting 12-of-14. Overall,
the Crimson Tide finished the night hitting 14-for-29 (48 percent) from the field. “They made it difficult,”
Pottsville coach Dave Mullaney said about the Raiders’ 2-3 zone. “I think our guys tried to go off the dribble,
but I just think they are really good in that zone. I think we got more short-corner touches, which was an emphasis tonight.
We thought we could expose that in a 2-3, and I think we penetrated just enough to get some open looks.” Blankenhorn’s
performance was his best offensive night since he had 23 points and knocked down five 3-pointers Jan. 31 against Panther Valley. “Warm-ups
felt pretty good,” Blankenhorn said. “Definitely my teammates driving and getting me open, a lot of the credit
goes to them.” Bo Rottet led the Raiders with 17 points, while Brett Kosciolek added 11 points and eight rebounds.
Tamaqua had a poor-shooting first half, hitting 5-of-19 (26 percent), but were only behind 19-12 at halftime after Rottet
drained a jumper at the buzzer. However, the Raiders also struggled from the floor in the third quarter, hitting 2-of-8. “I
don’t think we shot that well in the first half compared to them,” Tamaqua coach Caszy Kosciolek said. “We
got good shots, but they just didn’t go down for us. “Pottsville is a very good basketball team and we are
proud of the fact that we played them as tough as anybody on their schedule in the last two games. That shows a lot about
the character of our kids.” Blankenhorn scored eight of his points in the first quarter, knocking down two 3s
from the corner and scoring on a layup. A Jordan Abdo steal turned into a transition layup for Eli Nabholz with 2:06 left
in the first, giving Pottsville its early 10-1 lead. Blankenhorn added five more points in the second period. Tamaqua
was within 13-10 at 4:03 before the Crimson Tide went on a 6-0 run to go up 19-10 with 52 seconds left in the half. Everybody
got involved offensively for Pottsville in the third quarter as five players scored, led by five by Connor Hinchliffe. The
Crimson Tide hit 6-of-10 from the floor, with five of those buckets coming off assists. “We just ran a good offense
and got everybody involved,” Blankenhorn said. “Everybody had a good game and everybody can score on our team,
so we were just sharing the ball with whoever was open.” Game Summary District 11 Class AAA Semifinal At
Minersville High School TAMAQUA (35) — Shilko 0 0-0 0, Blaker 0 0-0 0, Miller 0 0-0 0, Rottet 4 8-9 17, Zuber
0 0-0 0, MacDonald 1 1-2 3, Skripko 2 0-0 4, Kosciolek 5 0-0 11, Berezwick 0 0-0 0. Totals 12 9-11 35.
POTTSVILLE (50) — Hinchliffe 2 0-0 5, Painter 0 5-6 5, Blankenhorn 6 4-5 20, Melochick 2 3-4 8, Witman 0
0-0 0, Abdo 1 3-4 5, Nabholz 3 0-1 7. Totals 14 15-20 50. Tam (20-6) 6 6 10 13 — 35
Pot (26-0) 10 9 17 14 — 50 3-point FGs: Rottet, Kosciolek, Hinchliffe, Blankenhorn
4, Melochick, Nabholz
Tide reach Class AAA finals with win over TamaquaBy
Mike Carnahan Published: February 25, 2015 MINERSVILLE
— The Pottsville boys’ basketball team already has a Schuylkill League championship this season. The Crimson
Tide will now get to play for a District 11 title, too. Travis Blankenhorn scored 14 of his game-high 20 points in the
first half as top-seeded Pottsville built an early lead and downed No. 4 Tamaqua 50-35 in a District 11 Class AAA semifinal
Tuesday at Minersville’s Thomas Fitzpatrick Gymnasium. The Crimson Tide (26-0) will be playing for a district
championship for the second consecutive year. In the process, Pottsville, currently ranked No. 6 in Class AAA in the most
recent Pennlive.com state boys’ rankings, earned a berth in the PIAA Tournament. “This was one of our goals
as a team, to play for a district title,” Blankenhorn said. “We are happy we are here. “We will be
ready for anyone.” The Crimson Tide will get another crack at third-seeded Allentown Central Catholic (16-9) in
the finals at 8 p.m. Friday at Blue Mountain High School. The Vikings beat No. 2 Salisbury 59-48 in the other semifinal. ACC
beat the Crimson Tide 64-34 in last year’s title game, the Vikings’ fourth consecutive championship. Tamaqua
(20-6), meanwhile, will take on the Falcons (21-6) in the consolation game at 6 p.m. Friday at Bethlehem Freedom High School,
with the winner advancing to the state playoffs. Tuesday was Pottsville’s fourth win over the Blue Raiders this
season, the most recent being a 33-28, overtime victory in the Schuylkill League championship game Feb. 13. Round
4 wasn’t as close as Round 3, but it was hardly easy for the Crimson Tide. Blankenhorn knocked down four of Pottsville’s
seven 3-pointers in the game to help the Crimson Tide crack the Raiders’ 2-3 zone. Pottsville opened the game on a 10-1
run and led 19-12 at halftime. The Crimson Tide’s best offensive quarter came in the third when they knocked down
four 3s to build a 36-22 lead. Pottsville put the game away in the fourth from the foul line, hitting 12-of-14. Overall,
the Crimson Tide finished the night hitting 14-for-29 (48 percent) from the field. “They made it difficult,”
Pottsville coach Dave Mullaney said about the Raiders’ 2-3 zone. “I think our guys tried to go off the dribble,
but I just think they are really good in that zone. I think we got more short-corner touches, which was an emphasis tonight.
We thought we could expose that in a 2-3, and I think we penetrated just enough to get some open looks.” Blankenhorn’s
performance was his best offensive night since he had 23 points and knocked down five 3-pointers Jan. 31 against Panther Valley. “Warm-ups
felt pretty good,” Blankenhorn said. “Definitely my teammates driving and getting me open, a lot of the credit
goes to them.” Bo Rottet led the Raiders with 17 points, while Brett Kosciolek added 11 points and eight rebounds.
Tamaqua had a poor-shooting first half, hitting 5-of-19 (26 percent), but were only behind 19-12 at halftime after Rottet
drained a jumper at the buzzer. However, the Raiders also struggled from the floor in the third quarter, hitting 2-of-8. “I
don’t think we shot that well in the first half compared to them,” Tamaqua coach Caszy Kosciolek said. “We
got good shots, but they just didn’t go down for us. “Pottsville is a very good basketball team and we are
proud of the fact that we played them as tough as anybody on their schedule in the last two games. That shows a lot about
the character of our kids.” Blankenhorn scored eight of his points in the first quarter, knocking down two 3s
from the corner and scoring on a layup. A Jordan Abdo steal turned into a transition layup for Eli Nabholz with 2:06 left
in the first, giving Pottsville its early 10-1 lead. Blankenhorn added five more points in the second period. Tamaqua
was within 13-10 at 4:03 before the Crimson Tide went on a 6-0 run to go up 19-10 with 52 seconds left in the half. Everybody
got involved offensively for Pottsville in the third quarter as five players scored, led by five by Connor Hinchliffe. The
Crimson Tide hit 6-of-10 from the floor, with five of those buckets coming off assists. “We just ran a good offense
and got everybody involved,” Blankenhorn said. “Everybody had a good game and everybody can score on our team,
so we were just sharing the ball with whoever was open.” Game Summary District 11 Class AAA Semifinal At
Minersville High School TAMAQUA (35) — Shilko 0 0-0 0, Blaker 0 0-0 0, Miller 0 0-0 0, Rottet 4 8-9 17, Zuber
0 0-0 0, MacDonald 1 1-2 3, Skripko 2 0-0 4, Kosciolek 5 0-0 11, Berezwick 0 0-0 0. Totals 12 9-11 35.
POTTSVILLE (50) — Hinchliffe 2 0-0 5, Painter 0 5-6 5, Blankenhorn 6 4-5 20, Melochick 2 3-4 8, Witman 0
0-0 0, Abdo 1 3-4 5, Nabholz 3 0-1 7. Totals 14 15-20 50. Tam (20-6) 6 6 10 13 — 35
Pot (26-0) 10 9 17 14 — 50 3-point FGs: Rottet, Kosciolek, Hinchliffe, Blankenhorn
4, Melochick, Nabholz
District 11 basketball semifinal predictions: Central and Pottsville likely to meet
again for 3A titleWho
is likely to get to the District 11 boys basketball finals? Stopped by at Allen and Salisbury on Monday and there was a good feeling at both schools because
both have boys basketball teams coming off big wins. And both enter the District 11 semifinals knowing that no matter
what happens, they will play again since the district sends three boys team on to the state tournament in both 3A and 4A. There's
also no pressure on the Canaries and Falcons. Allen, in particular, is a heavy underdog against Parkland on Wednesday. As
I said to head coach Doug Snyder, they have an opportunity to shock the Valley. No one outside of Sewards Gym thinks they're
going to beat the Trojans, and really, that's not a bad place to be. Parkland beat Allen twice in the summertime and
again two weeks ago. The Trojans, the No. 4 ranked team in Class 4A, are expected to win again. So the Canaries can go into
this one without the burden of expectations. Salisbury is in a similar situation, although Central Catholic is not nearly
as heavily favored in that matchup tonight as Parkland will be tomorrow over Allen. Yet,
when CCHS hasn't lost to a Colonial League team at this time of year since 1988 and has won 22 straight over CL teams in the
postseason, the general public (and me) expects a Vikings win over the Falcons and a return to the District 11 finals and
a state playoff berth. It won't come easy because the Falcons play well together and CCHS has had some inconsistent
moments throughout the course of the season. They're going to have to play good defense, and that's not always a given
with these Vikes. Still, it's hard to go against the Vikes in this spot. They will have to match the emotion and intensity the Falcons will have
as the underdog, but in the end, I sense they'll get it done. So, in that 3A semifinal, I'll go with Central Cathoic
62, Salisbury 56. In the other 3A, Pottsville is probably tired of seeing Tamaqua. This is their fourth meeting and
the last time went to overtime. I don't see a slowdown this time, but I do see another Crimson Tide victory that will send
Pottsville in Friday's final with a lot of momentum. The pick: Pottsville 55, Tamaqua 40. In Class A, I don't
know much about the two Schuylkill League teams, but I know that Notre Dame-East Stroudsburg is really good. The Spartans
will beat Shenandoah Valley 65-40 and Lincoln Leadership, which I have seen play Salisbury tough and Dieruff, will surprise
Pottsville Nativity, 58-53. CLASS 4A Parkland 70, Allen 60 -- Canaries will hang tough again with the Trojans
and it'll still be a game into the fourth quarter, but the Trojans are too mentally tough to be denined of a district title
game appearance. Whitehall 50, Nazareth 45 -- The Blue Eagles, who needed to beat Northampton on the last night of the
regular season to get in the tournament, have been the surprise team of the 4A bracket so far and are playing with a lot of
confidence right now. The Zephyrs are playing well, too. Whitehall's matchup zone is the key here as I think it will bother
the Blue Eagles just enough to get the Zephs into the district final where they'll get a fourth crack against Parkland. CLASS
2A Minersville 54, Williams Valley 45 -- It's been a long time between games for the Battlin' Miners. Assuming the rust
doesn't slow them down, they should be able to beat Williams Valley for the third time. Mahanoy Area 45, Marian Cathoic
40 -- Marian had to play three games in three days just before the district deadline to qualify. Their last win was by one
point over Pius X or else this would have been a three-team tournament. The Golden Bears have a championship pedigree and
know how to get it done at this time of year.
Crimson Tide Rolls Over Blue Mountain
By Mike Carnahan Published: February 21, 2015
JIM THORPE — Blue Mountain hung tough with
Pottsville for first 12 minutes of Friday’s District 11 Class AAA boys’ basketball quarterfinal. But the Crimson Tide’s inside game, especially Jordan Melochick, and their defense took over and turned the
game into a rout. Melochick tied a season high with 19 points, including nine in the second quarter,
as top-seeded Pottsville closed the first half on a 13-0 run and rolled to a 60-31 victory over the ninth-seeded Eagles at
Jim Thorpe High School. Pottsville opened the game on a 9-0 run, but Blue Mountain, which opened
the playoffs with a 52-48 win over Lehighton in the first round Tuesday, battled back in it. The
Eagles got within a point twice and were down 16-14 after a jumper by Connor Kerstetter with 4:10 left in the first half. But Blue Mountain’s hopes for an upset quickly vanished. The Eagles (12-12) missed
their last two shot attempts from the floor in the half and turned the ball over three times. The Crimson Tide (25-0) started
to push the ball inside, hitting 7-of-9 shots in the quarter, and built a 29-14 halftime lead. Pottsville
then opened the second half with a 9-0 run to go up 38-14 and put the game away. “Our offense
just wasn’t clicking at first,” Melochick said. “But then once the second quarter came around, we started
clicking. “I think our defensive pressure really got our offense going.” Next up for the Crimson Tide is their fourth meeting this season with No. 4 Tamaqua (20-5) in Tuesday’s semifinals.
The Raiders beat No. 5 North Schuylkill 39-33 in a quarterfinal-round game Friday. Pottsville’s
most recent match-up with the Raiders was in the Schuylkill League championship game Feb. 13, a 33-28 overtime win. Melochick had his best offensive game Friday since he had 19 at Lehighton on Jan 10. His performance included a perfect
8-for-8 showing from the floor and 3-of-4 from the foul line. The 6-foot-2 junior forward had
two three-point plays during the second quarter. He also scored on an alley-oop pass from Connor Hinchliffe and hit 1-of-2
from the line after a drive with 4.4 seconds left in the first half to give Pottsville its 15-point halftime advantage. Eli Nabholz also scored six points in the quarter, all in the paint, while Travis Blankenhorn had five. “We knew we have some mismatches, with Travis, Eli and myself, so we tried to get the ball in the paint more,”
Melochick said. Blankenhorn finished with 15 points and five rebounds, while Eli Nabholz had 10
points and seven boards. Brayden Lewis had 10 points to pace the Raiders, while Mark Chelius added
seven points and Kerstetter had five rebounds. After Kerstetter’s bucket midway through
the second quarter, the Eagles didn’t score again until Lewis hit two free throws at 5:21 of the third quarter. Blue
Mountain’s next points came on Lewis’ layup at 2:37 of the third and made it 43-18. Blue
Mountain had a decent night shooting, finishing 10-for-25 (40 percent), but turned the ball over 18 times. “They played great defense,” Eagles coach Dustin Werdt said. “Every time you play them it is a
struggle to score. They are so big and strong, and offensively they really attacked the paint on us in the second quarter
and we really didn’t have much of an answer.” Turnovers plagued Pottsville during
the first quarter as the Crimson Tide committed six. But Pottsville was much crisper from the second quarter on, turning it
over just five times the rest of the night. The Crimson Tide dominated the inside, reflected by
their 25-for-45 (56 percent) shooting night. Pottsville also outrebounded Blue Mountain 27-15. “Our
mentality tonight was we wanted to come out and defend as hard as we have all season,” Pottsville coach Dave Mullaney
said. “I really think we did that. I don’t know if it is the best we’ve defended all season, but our energy
level was real high and I think we fed off of that.” “I think that a big part of it
also (was) us getting the ball into the post. Our post touches in the first half, we scored on a very high percentage of those.” Game Summary District 11 Class AAA quarterfinals At Jim Thorpe
H.S. BLUE MOUNTAIN (31) — NStramara 1 2-2 4, Kerstetter 2 0-0 4, Barton 0 1-2 1, Welsh 0
0-0 0, Lewis 4 2-4 10, Chelius 2 2-8 7, Albertini 1 0-0 3, Zerbe 0 2-2 2, Biever 0 0-0 0, Bobbin 0 0-0 0, Caulfield 0 0-0
0. Totals 10 9-18 31. POTTSVILLE (60) — Hinchliffe 0 0-0 0, Painter
1 0-0 2, Blankenhorn 6 0-0 15, Melochick 8 3-4 19, Shuman 0 0-0 0, Witman 2 2-2 6, Abdo 2 0-2 4, Nabholz 5 0-0 10, Coyle 0
0-0 0, Renninger 1 2-4 4. Totals 25 7-12 60. Blue Mt. (12-12) 6 8 4 13 — 31
Pottsville (25-0) 9 20 16 15 — 60 3-point FGs: Chelius,
Albertini, Blankenhorn 3
Crimson Tide plays Blue Mountain on Friday
at Jim Thorpe!!! I don't know why, we are playing in Jim Thorpe!
Can someone stop either Parkland or Pottsville in district boys basketball
tournaments? 
Keith Groller The
Morning Callkgroller@mcall.com@KeithGroller
APRIL
BARTHOLOMEW, MORNING CALL FILE PHOTO EPC MVP Devante Cross leads a balanced Parkland attack. Which star will
shine the most during district boys basketball tournament? Which team is primed to pull an upset in district boys basketball tournament? Can a Colonial League team end Central's five-peat hopes in boys 3A? Just like it always has been in the real estate world, the District 11 boys basketball
tournament is all about location. No, not the location
of the games, but where your team finds itself in terms of the classification bracket. There was considerable movement this year in terms of class. Most notably, defending Class 2A champ Notre Dame is now in the 3A mix and defending
Class A champ Mahanoy Area is in 2A. Pottsville,
which has fluctuated between 3A and 4A for years, is in 3A this year.
But Bangor and Southern Lehigh, whose lone district crowns were in 3A, are now in 4A, where they will have to contend
with newly crowned Eastern Pennsylvania Conference champion Parkland.
With the exception of unbeaten Pottsville and once-defeated Parkland, consistency has been elusive throughout the
boys basketball landscape. And considering the recent
spate of bad weather, getting consistent practice time also has been elusive. More tricky weather remains in the district
forecast. Once the games begin, here are some
of the things to look for as 31 teams go for the gold and spots in the state tournament: Best players You have to start with the league players of the year — Parkland's Devante Cross in the EPC and Wilson's Phil
Pierfy in the Colonial League. They both have
been great this winter. There may not be a star
out there of the magnitude of Central Catholic graduate and Michigan freshman Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman, who was a big part
of four straight Vikings district titles, but there are many other standout players who can carry their teams in big games. Those players include Parkland's Sam Iorio and Kyle Stout, Stroudsburg's Danny Cuevas,
Southern Lehigh's Noah Kandt, Bangor's Michael Martino, Emmaus' David Kachelries, Easton's Hassan Greenfield and Whitehall's
Brett Radocha in Class 4A and Central Catholic's Zay Jennings, Tamaqua's Bo Rottet and Brett Kosciolek, Salisbury's Dasheen
Reid, Saucon Valley's Mike Kane and Pottsville's Travis Blankenhorn in 3A.
Schuylkill expressway We know for certain that a Schuylkill League team will win the 2A title because the tiny four-team field features
all Schuylkill members. The Schuylkill also has
a 50-50 shot of winning the Class A championship since Shenandoah Valley and Nativity BVM are in the mix along with talented
Notre Dame-East Stroudsburg and Lincoln Leadership Academy squads in another four-team bracket. Best chance for a title-game rematch Pottsville and Central Catholic rank as solid favorites to meet again for the gold. As the No. 1 seed, the Crimson Tide is in the upper half of a bracket that features
all Schuylkill teams and all potential opponents Pottsville has already defeated. Pottsville is 9-0 against potential foes en route to the final. Central Catholic, meanwhile, is in the lower half of the bracket with five Colonial
League members. CCHS hasn't lost to a Colonial League team in the district tournament since then star player Bron Holland
and Bangor defeated the Vikings in the 1988 3A final. Ironically,
Central could be vulnerable in Friday night's quarterfinals against Notre Dame, which is coached by Pat Boyle. Boyle was a
member of that 1988 Vikings' team. Of course, Notre
Dame must first beat Saucon Valley for Boyle to get a crack at his alma mater. If it happens, Boyle also would be coaching against a family member. Boyle's mother and CCHS
senior Jack Nosovitch's mother are first cousins. Most
compelling story lines You have to start
with Central Catholic's quest for a fifth straight 3A title, which would be unprecedented. Unlike the past few years, the
Vikings are not favored this time as Pottsville is undefeated and state-ranked; CCHS has scuffled finding offensive consistency. In 4A, it will be interesting to see if anyone can knock off Parkland, which will
likely be facing several familiar faces. The Trojans have met and defeated everyone in the 12-team field except Colonial League
members Bangor and Southern Lehigh. It also
be interesting to see if any of the season's biggest surprise teams — Palisades, Northampton and Nazareth — can
continue to surprise and survive the week. One of
the fun potential matchups would be Northampton against Bangor on Saturday in the quarters because Konkrete Kids coach Coy
Stampone is a proud Slaters graduate and, like Bangor coach Holland, is a disciple of the legendary Bill Pensyl. In Class A, it'll be interesting to see if anyone can stop a powerful Notre Dame-East
Stroudsburg under the direction of the Spartans' iconic coach, Bob Mullen. This is a team that has lost only to Tamaqua and
North Schuylkill and hasn't been defeated since the second week of the season. Lincoln Leadership is a talented team and has a chance to reach the Class A final for the
first time, but Notre Dame has beaten Lincoln twice and the second time it was 68-32. Best chance for an upset
Both No. 10 seeds in 4A and 3A have a chance to beat the No. 7 seeds. Why? Because they've already beaten them.
In 4A, No. 10 Northampton has defeated No. 7 Whitehall twice and in 3A, Palisades beat Wilson just a few weeks ago
to clinch a district berth, Staying in 4A, No. 11
Nazareth already has defeated No. 3 Stroudsburg, but for that rematch to happen the Blue Eagles would first have to get by
No. 6 Liberty, which looked very good in the EPC tournament last week.
It wouldn't shock me if No. 12 Easton knocked off hard-to-figure No. 5 Emmaus, although the Green Hornets generally
play well at home. Best chance for a
blowout Parkland will play either
Southern Lehigh or Pocono Mountain West in its quarterfinal-round game on Saturday at Easton and the Trojans will be heavy
favorites to beat either team. The Trojans already have defeated the Panthers 80-53 this season. Freshman flashes
Northampton's Aidan Ellwood will get his first district experience as will several rising stars at CCHS. Nazareth's
Jahan Dotson and Notre Dame's Jack Reichenbach also could make an impact.
Teams with the most to prove
Bangor has to prove it can win at the 4A level because the school is not likely to get smaller in enrollment and
the Slaters are going to have to find a way to compete with some of the EPC's elite. The same applies to the Colonial League members at the 3A level. Pottsville and Central
Catholic are always going to be obstacles, but teams like Salisbury, Saucon Valley and Wilson have shown in spurts that they
can knock off teams from other leagues and need to do it more consistently at this time of year. Stroudsburg, which was clearly the best team in the EPC's Mountain Division, needs
to show its dominance in Monroe Country can translate to success elsewhere. Players with the most to prove Liberty's Ludwin Gonzalez has been a good player all season for the Hurricanes, but struggled
in the league final against Parkland. Also, Stroudsburg's
Cuevas didn't have the best of nights against Liberty in the EPC semis.
Wilson's Pierfy had an outstanding senior season one year after suffering a major injury. However, the truly great
players lead teams to championships and he has his last chance to lead the Warriors to a gold medal. The picks 4A: Parkland. It's going to take a team playing exceptionally well, almost flawlessly for
32 minutes, to prevent the Trojans from earning a three-peat. 3A: Central Catholic. I know Pottsville is unbeaten and several Colonial League teams are capable
of upsets. But I have a feeling that the Vikings' best basketball is ahead of them. Dennis Csensits is a quality coach. 2A: Mahanoy Area. The Golden Bears will likely have to face a gritty Minersville team,
but they call them Golden Bears for a reason. A: Notre
Dame-East Stroudsburg. It's a shame that the Spartans didn't go into the Colonial League as originally planned because we'd
know truly how good they are. kgroller@mcall.com Twitter @KeithGrollerby TaboolaSponsored LinksPromoted Links
Athlete of the Weekfrom staff reports Published:
February 17, 2015
JACQUELINE DORMER/STAFF PHOTO Pottsville’s Eli Nabholz came up big in overtime to help the Crimson
Tide defeat Tamaqua in last Friday’s Schuylkill League boys’ basketball final. Name: Eli Nabholz High school:
Pottsville Area High School Grade: Senior Sport: Boys’ basketball Accomplishments: Scored 15 points in two games during Crimson Tide’s run through Schuylkill League playoffs,
a 59-31 win over Mahanoy Area in the semifinals last Wednesday and a 33-28, overtime victory over Tamaqua in the championship
game last Friday. Scored five points in overtime Friday, hitting go-ahead bucket and 3-of-4 from foul line. Also grabbed three
defensive rebounds in overtime to help Pottsville seal the win. Age: 17 Hometown:
Pottsville Family: Mary Jo (mother), John (father) Athletes I admire:
Tom Brady, Justin Verlander Favorite sports teams: Boston Red Sox, New England Patriots What grade did you start playing basketball: Kindergarten How does playing basketball
help with baseball: “Mostly in just competing. In baseball, especially as a pitcher, you start one day and then have
five days off and start again, and then you have your whole offseason where you are just working out. In basketball offseason,
we are not only getting stronger and better physically, but we are competing as well, learning how to compete a lot better
in basketball. It definitely helps to stay in shape.’’ What are one or two things
you’ve improved on this basketball season that helped you in Friday’s championship game: “I think just confidence
wise, that was my biggest improvement. I think it helps fit into the team aspect a little bit more.” How satisfying is it to win the league title knowing that Pottsville was the favorite all season: “This one
was definitely the hardest because we were the favorite. Everybody was gunning for you and everybody had a plan to beat you.
We just had to prepare that much harder.” Goals for the rest of the season (Crimson Tide
are No. 1 seed in District 11 Class AAA playoffs): “We are just worried about Friday night (versus tonight’s Blue
Mountain-Lehighton winner). Right now, that is the most important thing and we will let the rest take care of itself. We just
don’t want to stop playing. That is what it comes down to.” Post-graduation plans:
Attend Penn State University to play baseball and study political science.
2015 Schuylkill League Champions 24-0
WNEP Highlights
Pottsville - Mahanoy Area Highlights-WNEP
Crimson Tide win Schuylkill League title in thriller over Tamaqua By Mike Carnahan Published: February 14, 2015 Article
Tools
After a year’s absence, Pottsville is back
on top of the Schuylkill League in boys’ basketball. The way the Crimson Tide had to do
it made it all the more memorable. Eli Nabholz scored five of his nine points in overtime as Pottsville
was finally able to put away Tamaqua for a thrilling, 33-28 victory in Friday’s league championship game at Martz Hall. “It was stressful, but it was a lot of fun,” Nabholz said. The Crimson Tide
(24-0) kept their undefeated season alive, but it was far from easy. Still, in what was a rare close game for Pottsville this
season, the Tide found a way to get it done in crunch time. The championship was the fifth in
the past six years for the Crimson Tide, who lost 45-44 in last year’s championship game to Mahanoy Area. Pottsville avenged that loss with a 59-31 rout of the Golden Bears in Wednesday’s semifinals. Now, Pottsville
went out a winner in what will be its final game this season at Martz Hall. “It was very
exciting and very close,” Travis Blankenhorn said. “It was a good team win. We played a good team game.” Pottsville, the Division I champ, won the two regular-season meetings against the Raiders
by double digits, including a 53-26 blowout Jan. 27 at Martz Hall. The third go-around was far different. A spread offense by Tamaqua (19-5), the Division I wild card, frustrated Pottsville a little bit and kept the game
close. Just when the Crimson Tide appeared to be pulling away, Tamaqua rallied in the fourth quarter and tied the game on
a 3-pointer by Russell Blaker with 1:12 remaining in regulation. But overtime belonged to Pottsville,
especially Nabholz. Not only did the 6-foot-5 center give the Crimson Tide the lead for good on
their first possession, he was 3-for-4 from the foul line and grabbed three defensive rebounds in the extra session to help
seal the victory. “It is just the will to win,” Nabholz said of his overtime performance.
“After last year we had a bitter taste in our mouth. I just wanted to pull my weight and make sure I did whatever I
could to help us win and so did everybody else.” Nabholz finished the game with five rebounds
and two blocks. Blankenhorn led the Crimson Tide with 10 points. Bo Rottet had 10 points and five
rebounds to pace the Raiders, who were playing in their first league championship game since beating Marian for the title
in 1994. He scored six of his points in the fourth quarter as Tamaqua rallied from a 20-13 deficit to force overtime. Brett Kosciolek added eight points and four rebounds for the Raiders. The Crimson Tide
won their previous 23 games this season by an average margin of 30.3 points per game. Their closest victory was a 49-46 win
Jan. 28 at Berks Catholic. Friday was new territory for Pottsville, but nobody ever seemed rattled. “I think we had confidence the whole game,” Blankenhorn said. “We knew that if we stuck together
as a team, we would be all right.” Blankenhorn set up Nabholz on the Crimson Tide’s
first possession when he kicked out the ball to the wing after penetration. Nabholz, his foot on the 3-point line, knocked
down the jumper to make it 26-24. After Nabholz grabbed a Tamaqua miss, he quickly got the ball
out to Blankenhorn, who ended up scoring a transition layup to make it 28-24. The Raiders got
back to within 1 on their next possession when Kosciolek knocked down a 3-pointer from the corner. Pottsville
then sealed the game from the foul line. Ty Painter hit both ends of a 1-and-1 situation with
1:28 to go. After Nabholz rebounded another miss, he was fouled and hit the second of a double-bonus situation with 54.5 seconds
left. Nabholz rebounded another Raiders’ miss, was fouled again, and hit both ends of the
double-bonus to make it 33-27 with 38.6 seconds remaining. Tamaqua missed three shots in its final
possession. Eventually, Nate MacDonald grabbed an offensive rebound, was fouled and hit the first of a 1-and-1 with 2.5 seconds
left. He missed the second and the clock ran out as the teams scrambled for the rebound. The Martz
Hall crowd of 3,215 people then erupted one last time as the Crimson Tide rushed to the center of the court to celebrate a
championship. “It is just a blessing to come out, especially here in front of so many people,”
Nabholz said. “The crowd was great tonight both ways. Tamaqua had a great game plan. We always say we need to come out
and play our game. It took us a little bit to get into our game but we did. Hats off to Tamaqua, they played a great game.” The victory gave Pottsville the No. 1 seed for the District 11 Class AAA playoffs and settled Tamaqua into fourth.
The Blue Raiders open district play with a quarterfinal game next Saturday against North Schuylkill, while Pottsville will
face the winner of Tuesday’s first-round game between Lehighton and Blue Mountain. Game
Summary Schuylkill League Boys’ Championship At Martz Hall TAMAQUA (28) — Blaker 1 0-0 3, Miller 1 0-1 2, Rottet 4 1-1 10, Zuber 1 0-0 2, MacDonald 1 1-2 3, Skripko 0
0-0 0, Kosciolek 2 2-2 8. Totals 10 4-6 28. POTTSVILLE (33) — Hinchliffe
1 0-0 2, Painter 0 2-2 2, Blankenhorn 4 3-4 11, Dunkel 0 0 0-0 0, Melochick 0 3-6 3, Shuman 0 0-0 0, Witman 0 0-0 0, Abdo
2 0-0 6, Nabholz 2 5-6 9. Totals 9 13-18 33. Tam (19-5) 0 7 6 11 4 — 28
Pot (24-0) 2 8 9 5 9 — 33 3-point FGs: Blaker, Rottet,
Kosciolek 2, Abdo 2 2014-15 — Potttsville 2013-14 — Mahanoy
Area 2012-13 — Pottsville 2011-12 — Pottsville 2010-11 — Pottsville 2009-10 — Pottsville 2008-09
— N. Schuylkill 2007-08 — Shamokin 2006-07 — Blue
Mountain 2005-06 — Mahanoy Area 2004-05 — Mahanoy Area
2003-04 — Pottsville 2002-03 — Blue Mountain 2001-02 — Shamokin 2000-01 — Shamokin 1999-2000
— Pottsville 1998-99 — Mahanoy Area 1997-98 —
Shamokin 1996-97 — Shamokin 1995-96 — Shamokin 1994-95 — Pottsville 1993-94 — Tamaqua 1992-93
— Pottsville 1991-92 — Shamokin 1990-91 — Mahanoy
Area 1989-90 — Lourdes 1988-89 — Pottsville 1987-88 — Lourdes 1986-87 — Pine Grove 1985-86
— Panther Valley 1984-85 — Pottsville 1983-84 —
Pottsville 1982-83 — Pottsville 1981-82 — Saint Clair
1980-81 — Pottsville 1979-80 — Pottsville 1978-79 — Mahanoy Area 1977-78 — N. Schuylkill 1976-77
— N. Schuylkill 1975-76 — Tamaqua 1974-75 — Blue
Mountain 1973-74 — Blue Mountain
Tamaqua's slow-down stategy nearly produces upsetBy Leroy Boyer Published: February 14, 2015 Caszy Kosciolek calls it his “4
to score” offense. A spread-the-floor, patient, slow-down offensive set that makes for boring
basketball, but one that can help an underdog hang with a heavy favorite. The Tamaqua coach utilized
the strategy in Friday’s Schuylkill League boys’ championship game against Pottsville at Martz Hall. After a 27-point loss to Pottsville on the same floor 18 days ago, Kosciolek felt the strategy would give his Blue
Raiders the best chance to knock off the unbeaten Crimson Tide. It nearly worked. Tamaqua held the ball for the nearly the entire first quarter, and stayed in the “4 to score” set the
entire game. The result was a low-scoring, nail-biting, thrilling boys’ final that Pottsville pulled out 33-28 in overtime. “Their defense is the toughest, probably on this side of the state,” Kosciolek said of Pottsville’s
man-to-man, aggressive defense. “We figured if we could spread them out, be patient, take the very best shot. “We want to try to score, but if we can’t, we want to keep the offense moving, keep people spread and
try to make them vulnerable. “You can’t stay enough how smart (his Blue Raiders) played
and how selfless they are in order to play a game like this.” Tamaqua slowed the tempo from
the outset — running nearly four minutes off the clock on one possession — and the game was scoreless until Pottsville’s
Travis Blankenhorn scored on a jumper with two seconds left in the first quarter. The teams combined
for just five shots in the first quarter, with Pottsville going 1-for-2 from the field and Tamaqua shooting 0-for-3. The pace picked up somewhat in the second quarter, as the Crimson Tide outscored the Blue Raiders 8-7. Instead of an up-and-down, high-scoring game that most people figured they would see, the slow-paced contest had
Pottsville leading 10-7 at halftime. “They got us out of our game a little bit,” Pottsville
coach Dave Mullaney said. “They had a great game plan. Them slowing it down as much as they did got us out of what we
wanted to do offensively. “You want to minimize possessions,” Mullaney continued.
“They did a great job of doing that. “We haven’t seen a dribble spread in a
long time. There are ways to defend it. We made some adjustments trying to keep it out of the middle of the floor. In the
first half we allowed them to get it into the middle, and you can run that offense all day if you allow them to do that.” While Tamaqua was slowing the game down offensively, the Blue Raiders were able to slow down Pottsville’s offense
just as effectively on the defensive end of the floor. Tamaqua played a tight 2-1-2/2-3 zone that
sagged 6-foot-7 Brett Kosciolek deep into the lane, but also extended at times to prevent the Crimson Tide from making skip
passes across the zone for open 3-point shots. Pottsville was patient against it, running its
motion offense in search of a good shot, but struggled to hit from the outside against it. “Any
zone defense, you have to shade their shooters, and that’s what we did,” Kosciolek said. “I thought we did
a good job of finding where Blankenhorn was most of the time. It’s a game plan you use against the personnel that’s
there. We shaded shooters, and we did a good job of man principles in that zone defense in knowing where their weapons were. “We did a nice job when the ball went into the short corner and we defended the high post.” The combination of Tamaqua’s patient offense and its tough defense forced the game into a crawl for three-plus
quarters. Pottsville shot 0-for-4 from beyond the arc before sophomore Jordan Abdo came off the bench to hit a pair of 3-pointers
late in the third quarter, and finished 2-for-9 from 3-point range. “They had a good strategy
defensively, and we have good shooters out there. But we needed to be more aggressive against it,” Mullaney said. “There’s
other ways to score against a zone other than just hitting 3s. There are other things we could have gotten that we worked
on, they just did a great job in it. We weren’t hitting from the perimeter, and they could tighten it up a little more.” Tamaqua opened up its offensive attack in the fourth quarter after falling behind 20-13 with 4:41 left, and rallied
to tie it and force overtime. Eli Nabholz tallied five of his nine points in the extra session to help Pottsville win it. The victory gives Pottsville (24-0) the No. 1 seed in the upcoming District 11 Class AAA Tournament and sets up a
quarterfinal contest between Tamaqua and North Schuylkill. The Tamaqua-North Schuylkill winner
could get Pottsville in the semifinals. On a different floor, in a different environment, Tamaqua’s
slow-down strategy may not have worked. It worked to near perfection Friday. “(Pottsville)
is very good,” Kosciolek said. “We’re not into moral victories, but no one has taken this team into overtime.
I told our kids this is something for us to build on going into district play. We learned a lot about ourselves, too.”
H.S. BOYS BASKETBALL: Raiders get another shot at Crimson Tide in Schuylkill League finalsBy Mike Carnahan Published: February 13,
2015 Schuylkill League Boys’
Basketball Championship Tonight, at Martz Hall Tamaqua (19-4, Division
I wild card) vs. Pottsville (23-0, Division I champion), 8 p.m. About
the Blue Raiders Head coach: Caszy Kosciolek (4th season) How got
here: Beat Division II champ Minersville 59-53 in Wednesday’s semifinal Last appearance
in title game: 1994 — Beat Marian 59-52 Previous league titles (since 1966): Two (1976,
1994) Team statistics: Offense (58.0 points per game), defense (43.3 ppg) Probable
starting lineup: G Russell Blaker (jr., 6-1, 8.5 points per game), G Bo Rottet (sr., 6-0, 17.3), F Nate MacDonald (sr., 6-1,
5.7), F Tyler Skripko (sr., 5-10, 3.4), F-C Brett Kosciolek (sr., 6-7, 17.2) Key reserves: G Ben
Miller (sr., 6-1, 1.3), G Thaddaeus Zuber (fr., 5-9, 1.4), G Ernie Shilko (sr., 5-8, 1.7) About
the Crimson Tide Head coach: Dave Mullaney (8th season) How got here:
Beat Division III champ Mahanoy Area 59-31 in semifinal Last appearance in title game: 2014 —
Lost to Mahanoy Area 45-44 Previous league titles (since 1966): 14 — 1980, 1981, 1983, 1984,
1985, 1989, 1993, 1995, 2000, 2004, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 Team statistics: Offense (62.2 points
per game), defense (31.9 ppg) Probable starting lineup: G Connor Hinchliffe (sr., 6-1, 4.7), G
Ty Painter (sr., 5-7, 3.2), G Travis Blankenhorn (sr., 6-2, 16.7), G-F Jordan Melochick (jr., 6-2, 9.3), F-C Eli Nabholz (sr.,
6-5, 12.4) Key reserves: F Jed Dunkel (sr., 6-2, 2.3), G Derek Shuman (sr., 6-1, 1.1), G Christian
Witman (jr., 6-1, 1.9), G Jordan Abdo (soph., 5-10, 6.2) Game notes Rottet
(23 in the game) and Kosciolek (18) combined for 26 second-half points as the Raiders pulled away in their semifinal win over
the Miners. Rottet scored 16 of his points in the second half and finished the night 12-for-15 from the foul line. ... Crimson
Tide were down 11-2 early in the first quarter against the Golden Bears before holding a 57-20 scoring advantage the rest
of the game. Blankenhorn led the Crimson Tide with 12 points. ... Third meeting between two this season. Crimson Tide used
a fourth-quarter run to pull away and win 57-40 on Jan. 5 and then dominated the second meeting, winning 53-26 on Jan. 27.
... Game features three 1,000-career point scorers: Blankenhorn (1,489), Kosciolek (1,430) and Rottet (1,044). Blankenhorn
and Kosciolek reached their milestones last season, Rottet did it last week. ... Crimson Tide are ranked No. 7 in Class AAA
in most recent PennLive.com rankings. Raiders are a team to watch in Class AAA. ... Crimson Tide would wrap up a No. 1 seed
for the District 11 Class AAA playoffs with win. Tamaqua would improve on its No. 4 ranking with a victory. — Complied by Mike Carnahan The first was a competitive game. The second go around was a rout. So what will the third meeting this season between Pottsville
and Tamaqua bring? For certain, it is the most important match-up of them all. It is title time
tonight when the Crimson Tide (23-0) take on the Raiders (19-4) for the Schuylkill League boys’ championship at 7:30
p.m. at Martz Hall. Pottsville, the Division I champ, is playing in its sixth consecutive league
title game and is looking to win its fifth championship in the past six years. The Crimson Tide beat Division III champ Mahanoy
Area 59-31 in the semifinals Wednesday, avenging last year’s title-game loss to the Golden Bears. Tonight is new territory for Tamaqua, the Division I wild card. The Raiders are playing
in their league final since a 59-52 victory over Marian in 1994. Tamaqua reached tonight’s championship with a 59-53
victory over Division II champ Minersville in Wednesday’s semifinals. “They are really
excited,” Tamaqua coach Caszy Kosciolek said about getting another crack at the Crimson Tide. “It is really their
first taste of Martz Hall in the postseason. Their confidence level is as high as I’ve seen it. I think we are ready
to go.” Let’s recap the first two meetings: •
Jan. 5 at Tamaqua, Pottsville 57-40: Travis Blankenhorn poured in 30 points as the Crimson Tide
took their first lead midway through the first quarter and led the rest of the way. But Tamaqua wouldn’t go quietly
and cut the deficit to 39-31 early in the fourth quarter before Pottsville finished the game on an 18-9 run. Ty Painter added 10 points for the Crimson Tide. Brett Kosciolek (14) and Bo Rottet (11) reached double figures
for the Raiders. • Jan. 27 at Martz Hall, Pottsville 53-26:
The game was never close as the Crimson Tide led 28-11 at halftime and rolled to the win. The Raiders shot 10-for-38 (26 percent)
from the floor and turned the ball over 12 times. Blankenhorn scored all of his game-high 14 points in the first half, while
Jordan Melochick (11) and Eli Nabholz (11) also reached double figures. Rottet (12) led the Raiders. If
history is any guide, tonight’s game should be closer than the scores from the regular season. The
last time the Schuylkill League boys’ final featured teams that meet twice during the regular season was in 2011 and
2012 between Pottsville and Pine Grove. After grabbing 39-27 and 62-34 victories during the regular
season, Pottsville edged the Cardinals 51-49 in the 2011 championship game that came down to the wire. In 2012, Pottsville won 48-36 and 43-33 during the regular season and then pulled away late in the title game for
a 38-31 victory. “It is easier because you see a lot of their plays the whole year and we
are used to playing them,” Pottsville senior Connor Hinchliffe said about playing the same team three times on one season.
“We know their players just as good as our own players. It is kind of hard because one day they can come out and shoot
fire, and the next … When we played them at home, they couldn’t hit anything and we beat them pretty good. You
just can’t take anyone lightly.” For Tamaqua to pull off the upset against the No.
7-ranked Class AAA team in the state, Caszy Kosciolek knows the Raiders need to figure out how to have success against Pottsville’s
tough man-to-man defense. The Crimson Tide’s defense dominated the second meeting between
the clubs, as it during Wednesday’s semifinal win over Mahanoy Area. The Golden Bears shot 12-for-41 (29 percent) and
turned the ball over 24 times. “We have to get into the rhythm of our offense,” Coach
Kosciolek said. “We can’t allow them to take us out of our rhythm. That is going to be a critical factor.” Crimson Tide coach Dave Mullaney believes Pottsville needs to defend well, too, especially Brett Kosciolek (17.2
points per game, 1,430 career points) and Rottet (17.3, 1,044). The Crimson Tide also need to attack, and yet be patient,
on offense, no matter what defense the Raiders show. “They have two really, really good
players and we are going to have to defend them,” Mullaney said. “We are going to have to make sure we keep (Russell)
Blaker off the 3-point line, he’s a very good player. We are going to have to be aggressive going against what ever
defense they have. We anticipate some 3-2 zones, 2-3 zone, a little man, whatever they play, we need to be aggressive against
them.”
Pottsville - Mahanoy Area Highlights-WNEP
Schuylkill League Boys' BB: Pottsville overwhelms Mahanoy Areaby mike carnahan Published: February 12, 2015  JACQUELINE DORMER/STAFF PHOTO Pottsville's Connor Hinchliffe hauls
down a rebound over Mahanoy Area's Brian Miller during the semifinals of the Schuylkill League at Martz Hall in Pottsville
Wednesday, February 11, 2015.  JACQUELINE DORMER/STAFF PHOTO Pottsville's Jordan Melochick splits
Mahanoy Area's defenders Mike Joseph (30) and Mike Wronski (22) during Wednesday’s Schuylkill League semifinals at Martz
Hall. The Tide beat the Bears 59-31.
Pottsville’s defense
has overwhelmed the opposition at times this season. That was the case Wednesday night. The Crimson Tide’s intensity on defense allowed Pottsville to overcome an early deficit and roll to a 59-31
victory over Mahanoy Area in the Schuylkill League boys’ basketball semifinals at Martz Hall. Travis
Blankenhorn had 12 points and Jordan Abdo came off the bench to score 10 as the Crimson Tide (23-0) reached the title game
for the sixth consecutive year. Pottsville will take on Division I wild card Tamaqua (19-4) for
the championship at 8 p.m. Friday at Martz Hall. The Raiders beat Division II champ Minersville 59-53 in Wednesday’s
other semifinal. It will be third meeting between the Crimson Tide and Tamaqua this season. Pottsville
won 57-40 on Jan. 5 and 53-26 on Jan. 27. “It is always good to play at Martz Hall,”
said Pottsvile senior Connor Hinchliffe, who had eight points Wednesday. “There is nothing better than playing at Martz
Hall with everyone here and are looking forward to seeing us play.” The Crimson Tide’s
45-44 loss to Mahanoy Area during last year’s title game denied Pottsville a fifth straight league title. Avenging that
loss provided a little extra motivation Wednesday. “Mahanoy is a good team,” Pottsville’s
Ty Painter said. “We came in with a chip on our shoulder and we wanted to make sure we got back to the finals again.” It was a little shaky early for the Crimson Tide as the Golden Bears (18-5) hit their first four shots to take an
11-2 lead 3:21 into the game. The rest of the night belonged to Pottsville. The Crimson Tide, the Division I champs, tied the game at 13 early in the second quarter, starting a 21-4 scoring
advantage in the period to give Pottsville a 32-17 halftime advantage. Division III champion
Mahanoy Area got to within 34-22 midway through the third quarter, but the Crimson Tide put the game away with a 19-2 run
that lasted into the fourth. A big factor was Pottsville’s man-to-man defensive intensity. After the Golden Bears’ early lead, the Crimson Tide put the clamps on Mahanoy Area. Pottsville made it difficult
for the Golden Bears to get any kind of rhythm going in their half-court sets. Mahanoy Area rushed what shots it did get and
finished the night 12-for-41 (29 percent) from the floor. The Golden Bears also committed 25
turnovers. The defensive effort started with Painter, who was matched up on Mahanoy Area point
guard Mike Joseph. “They have great players all around,” Painter said. “He’s
a good ball-handler. We just kept putting pressure on them, don’t let them catch the ball and keep it up defensively.” Hinchliffe added nine rebounds and three steals on the night. He also hit some big buckets in the first half. Hinchliffe had a 3-pointer with 23 seconds in the first quarter from the corner on a kick-out pass from Eli Nabholz
that pulled Pottsville to within 13-11. After a reverse, baseline layup by Nabholz early in the
second quarter tied the game at 13, Hinchliffe gave the Crimson Tide the lead for good on their next possession when he scored
off a Jordan Melochick missed 3-pointer. Hinchliffe hit another 3 with 4:08 left in the first half from the top of the circle
to make it 22-13. Hinchliffe, who came in averaging 4.5 points per game, has seen his offense
pick up the last couple of games. He 16 points combined during Crimson Tide wins over Lehighton and Jim Thorpe last week. “I think early in the year it was just kind of a confidence issue,” Hinchliffe said. “Not many
3s were going in, but I think I just needed to get that first good game to stay confident. Now, when I get an open shot, I
feel confident I am going to knock it down. Matt Yedsena had 10 points to pace the Golden Bears,
while Joseph added eight. A turnaround jumper in the lane by Miller on Mahanoy Area’s opening
possession, followed by a 3-pointer by Joseph and back-to-back 3s by Miller and Yedsena gave the Golden Bears their early
11-2 led. But Mahanoy Area didn’t score again in the first quarter until a Mike Wronski layup with 45 seconds left. Their next field goal of the game came with 1:04 remaining in the first half, making it 29-17 Pottsville. “The first quarter, we did everything we talked about the last two days,” Mahanoy Area coach Scott Hudson
said. “ We boxed out perfectly, ran our sets, set hard screens. But they picked up their defense and sort of shut us
down a little bit at the guard position and sort of gave us some problems. “Give them credit,
their defense picked it up.” Game Summary Schuylkill League
Boys’ Semifinal At Martz Hall POTTSVILLE (59) — Hinchliffe
3 0-0 8, Gerchak 0 0-0 0, Painter 2 0-1 3, Blankenhorn 3 6-6 12, Thomas 0 0-0 0, Dunkel 2 0-0 4, Melochick 2 5-5 9, Shuman
0 0-0 0, Witman 1 0-0 2, Abdo 5 0-0 10, Nabholz 3 2-2 6, Coyle 1 0-0 3, Renninger 0 0-0 0, Schenck 1 0-0 2, O’Pake 0
0-0 0. Totals 21 13-14 59. MAHANOY AREA (31) — Erbe 0 0-0 0, R. Derr 0
0-0 0, Yedsena 4 0-0 10, M. Derr 0 0-0 0, Styka 1 0-0 2, McGee 0 0-0 0, Wronski 2 0-0 5, Fedor 0 0-0 0, Miller 2 1-2 6, Joseph
3 0-0 8. Totals 12 1-2 31. Pot (23-0) 11 21 14 13 — 59
Mah (18-5) 13 4 9 5 — 31 3-point FGs: Hinchliffe 2, Painter, Coyle, Yedsena
2, Wronski, Miller, Joseph 2
HERE WE GO!!!
D-11 BOYS' BB:By Mike Carnahan Published:
February 21, 2015
JIM THORPE — Blue Mountain hung tough with Pottsville for first 12 minutes of
Friday’s District 11 Class AAA boys’ basketball quarterfinal. But the Crimson Tide’s
inside game, especially Jordan Melochick, and their defense took over and turned the game into a rout. Melochick tied a season high with 19 points, including nine in the second quarter, as top-seeded Pottsville closed
the first half on a 13-0 run and rolled to a 60-31 victory over the ninth-seeded Eagles at Jim Thorpe High School. Pottsville opened the game on a 9-0 run, but Blue Mountain, which opened the playoffs with a 52-48 win over Lehighton
in the first round Tuesday, battled back in it. The Eagles got within a point twice and were down
16-14 after a jumper by Connor Kerstetter with 4:10 left in the first half. But Blue Mountain’s
hopes for an upset quickly vanished. The Eagles (12-12) missed their last two shot attempts from
the floor in the half and turned the ball over three times. The Crimson Tide (25-0) started to push the ball inside, hitting
7-of-9 shots in the quarter, and built a 29-14 halftime lead. Pottsville then opened the second
half with a 9-0 run to go up 38-14 and put the game away. “Our offense just wasn’t
clicking at first,” Melochick said. “But then once the second quarter came around, we started clicking. “I think our defensive pressure really got our offense going.” Next up for
the Crimson Tide is their fourth meeting this season with No. 4 Tamaqua (20-5) in Tuesday’s semifinals. The Raiders
beat No. 5 North Schuylkill 39-33 in a quarterfinal-round game Friday. Pottsville’s most
recent match-up with the Raiders was in the Schuylkill League championship game Feb. 13, a 33-28 overtime win. Melochick had his best offensive game Friday since he had 19 at Lehighton on Jan 10. His performance included a perfect
8-for-8 showing from the floor and 3-of-4 from the foul line. The 6-foot-2 junior forward had
two three-point plays during the second quarter. He also scored on an alley-oop pass from Connor Hinchliffe and hit 1-of-2
from the line after a drive with 4.4 seconds left in the first half to give Pottsville its 15-point halftime advantage. Eli Nabholz also scored six points in the quarter, all in the paint, while Travis Blankenhorn had five. “We knew we have some mismatches, with Travis, Eli and myself, so we tried to get the ball in the paint more,”
Melochick said. Blankenhorn finished with 15 points and five rebounds, while Eli Nabholz had 10
points and seven boards. Brayden Lewis had 10 points to pace the Raiders, while Mark Chelius added
seven points and Kerstetter had five rebounds. After Kerstetter’s bucket midway through
the second quarter, the Eagles didn’t score again until Lewis hit two free throws at 5:21 of the third quarter. Blue
Mountain’s next points came on Lewis’ layup at 2:37 of the third and made it 43-18. Blue
Mountain had a decent night shooting, finishing 10-for-25 (40 percent), but turned the ball over 18 times. “They played great defense,” Eagles coach Dustin Werdt said. “Every time you play them it is a
struggle to score. They are so big and strong, and offensively they really attacked the paint on us in the second quarter
and we really didn’t have much of an answer.” Turnovers plagued Pottsville during
the first quarter as the Crimson Tide committed six. But Pottsville was much crisper from the second quarter on, turning it
over just five times the rest of the night. The Crimson Tide dominated the inside, reflected by
their 25-for-45 (56 percent) shooting night. Pottsville also outrebounded Blue Mountain 27-15. “Our
mentality tonight was we wanted to come out and defend as hard as we have all season,” Pottsville coach Dave Mullaney
said. “I really think we did that. I don’t know if it is the best we’ve defended all season, but our energy
level was real high and I think we fed off of that.” “I think that a big part of it
also (was) us getting the ball into the post. Our post touches in the first half, we scored on a very high percentage of those.” Game Summary District 11 Class AAA quarterfinals At Jim Thorpe
H.S. BLUE MOUNTAIN (31) — NStramara 1 2-2 4, Kerstetter 2 0-0 4, Barton 0 1-2 1, Welsh 0
0-0 0, Lewis 4 2-4 10, Chelius 2 2-8 7, Albertini 1 0-0 3, Zerbe 0 2-2 2, Biever 0 0-0 0, Bobbin 0 0-0 0, Caulfield 0 0-0
0. Totals 10 9-18 31. POTTSVILLE (60) — Hinchliffe 0 0-0 0, Painter
1 0-0 2, Blankenhorn 6 0-0 15, Melochick 8 3-4 19, Shuman 0 0-0 0, Witman 2 2-2 6, Abdo 2 0-2 4, Nabholz 5 0-0 10, Coyle 0
0-0 0, Renninger 1 2-4 4. Totals 25 7-12 60. Blue Mt. (12-12) 6 8 4 13 — 31
Pottsville (25-0) 9 20 16 15 — 60 3-point FGs: Chelius,
Albertini, Blankenhorn 3
Athlete of the Weekfrom staff reports Published:
February 17, 2015
JACQUELINE DORMER/STAFF PHOTO Pottsville’s Eli Nabholz came up big in overtime to help the Crimson
Tide defeat Tamaqua in last Friday’s Schuylkill League boys’ basketball final. Name: Eli Nabholz High school:
Pottsville Area High School Grade: Senior Sport: Boys’ basketball Accomplishments: Scored 15 points in two games during Crimson Tide’s run through Schuylkill League playoffs,
a 59-31 win over Mahanoy Area in the semifinals last Wednesday and a 33-28, overtime victory over Tamaqua in the championship
game last Friday. Scored five points in overtime Friday, hitting go-ahead bucket and 3-of-4 from foul line. Also grabbed three
defensive rebounds in overtime to help Pottsville seal the win. Age: 17 Hometown:
Pottsville Family: Mary Jo (mother), John (father) Athletes I admire:
Tom Brady, Justin Verlander Favorite sports teams: Boston Red Sox, New England Patriots What grade did you start playing basketball: Kindergarten How does playing basketball
help with baseball: “Mostly in just competing. In baseball, especially as a pitcher, you start one day and then have
five days off and start again, and then you have your whole offseason where you are just working out. In basketball offseason,
we are not only getting stronger and better physically, but we are competing as well, learning how to compete a lot better
in basketball. It definitely helps to stay in shape.’’ What are one or two things
you’ve improved on this basketball season that helped you in Friday’s championship game: “I think just confidence
wise, that was my biggest improvement. I think it helps fit into the team aspect a little bit more.” How satisfying is it to win the league title knowing that Pottsville was the favorite all season: “This one
was definitely the hardest because we were the favorite. Everybody was gunning for you and everybody had a plan to beat you.
We just had to prepare that much harder.” Goals for the rest of the season (Crimson Tide
are No. 1 seed in District 11 Class AAA playoffs): “We are just worried about Friday night (versus tonight’s Blue
Mountain-Lehighton winner). Right now, that is the most important thing and we will let the rest take care of itself. We just
don’t want to stop playing. That is what it comes down to.” Post-graduation plans:
Attend Penn State University to play baseball and study political science.
2015 Schuylkill League Champions
WNEP Highlights
Crimson Tide win Schuylkill League title in thriller over Tamaqua By Mike Carnahan Published: February 14, 2015
Article
Tools After a year’s absence, Pottsville is back on top of the Schuylkill League in boys’ basketball. The way the Crimson Tide had to do it made it all the more memorable. Eli Nabholz scored
five of his nine points in overtime as Pottsville was finally able to put away Tamaqua for a thrilling, 33-28 victory in Friday’s
league championship game at Martz Hall. “It was stressful, but it was a lot of fun,”
Nabholz said. The Crimson Tide (24-0) kept their undefeated season alive, but it was far from
easy. Still, in what was a rare close game for Pottsville this season, the Tide found a way to get it done in crunch time. The championship was the fifth in the past six years for the Crimson Tide, who lost 45-44 in last year’s championship
game to Mahanoy Area. Pottsville avenged that loss with a 59-31 rout of the Golden Bears in Wednesday’s
semifinals. Now, Pottsville went out a winner in what will be its final game this season at Martz Hall. “It was very exciting and very close,” Travis Blankenhorn said. “It was a good team win. We played
a good team game.” Pottsville, the Division I champ, won the two
regular-season meetings against the Raiders by double digits, including a 53-26 blowout Jan. 27 at Martz Hall. The third go-around
was far different. A spread offense by Tamaqua (19-5), the Division I wild card, frustrated Pottsville
a little bit and kept the game close. Just when the Crimson Tide appeared to be pulling away, Tamaqua rallied in the fourth
quarter and tied the game on a 3-pointer by Russell Blaker with 1:12 remaining in regulation. But
overtime belonged to Pottsville, especially Nabholz. Not only did the 6-foot-5 center give the
Crimson Tide the lead for good on their first possession, he was 3-for-4 from the foul line and grabbed three defensive rebounds
in the extra session to help seal the victory. “It is just the will to win,” Nabholz
said of his overtime performance. “After last year we had a bitter taste in our mouth. I just wanted to pull my weight
and make sure I did whatever I could to help us win and so did everybody else.” Nabholz
finished the game with five rebounds and two blocks. Blankenhorn led the Crimson Tide with 10 points. Bo
Rottet had 10 points and five rebounds to pace the Raiders, who were playing in their first league championship game since
beating Marian for the title in 1994. He scored six of his points in the fourth quarter as Tamaqua rallied from a 20-13 deficit
to force overtime. Brett Kosciolek added eight points and four rebounds for the Raiders. The Crimson Tide won their previous 23 games this season by an average margin of 30.3 points per game. Their closest
victory was a 49-46 win Jan. 28 at Berks Catholic. Friday was new territory for Pottsville, but
nobody ever seemed rattled. “I think we had confidence the whole game,” Blankenhorn
said. “We knew that if we stuck together as a team, we would be all right.” Blankenhorn
set up Nabholz on the Crimson Tide’s first possession when he kicked out the ball to the wing after penetration. Nabholz,
his foot on the 3-point line, knocked down the jumper to make it 26-24. After Nabholz grabbed
a Tamaqua miss, he quickly got the ball out to Blankenhorn, who ended up scoring a transition layup to make it 28-24. The Raiders got back to within 1 on their next possession when Kosciolek knocked down a 3-pointer from the corner. Pottsville then sealed the game from the foul line. Ty Painter hit both ends of a 1-and-1
situation with 1:28 to go. After Nabholz rebounded another miss, he was fouled and hit the second of a double-bonus situation
with 54.5 seconds left. Nabholz rebounded another Raiders’ miss, was fouled again, and hit
both ends of the double-bonus to make it 33-27 with 38.6 seconds remaining. Tamaqua missed three
shots in its final possession. Eventually, Nate MacDonald grabbed an offensive rebound, was fouled and hit the first of a
1-and-1 with 2.5 seconds left. He missed the second and the clock ran out as the teams scrambled for the rebound. The Martz Hall crowd of 3,215 people then erupted one last time as the Crimson Tide rushed to the center of the court
to celebrate a championship. “It is just a blessing to come out, especially here in front
of so many people,” Nabholz said. “The crowd was great tonight both ways. Tamaqua had a great game plan. We always
say we need to come out and play our game. It took us a little bit to get into our game but we did. Hats off to Tamaqua, they
played a great game.” The victory gave Pottsville the No. 1 seed for the District 11 Class
AAA playoffs and settled Tamaqua into fourth. The Blue Raiders open district play with a quarterfinal game next Saturday against
North Schuylkill, while Pottsville will face the winner of Tuesday’s first-round game between Lehighton and Blue Mountain. Game Summary Schuylkill League Boys’ Championship At
Martz Hall TAMAQUA (28) — Blaker 1 0-0 3, Miller 1 0-1 2, Rottet 4 1-1 10, Zuber 1 0-0 2,
MacDonald 1 1-2 3, Skripko 0 0-0 0, Kosciolek 2 2-2 8. Totals 10 4-6 28. POTTSVILLE
(33) — Hinchliffe 1 0-0 2, Painter 0 2-2 2, Blankenhorn 4 3-4 11, Dunkel 0 0 0-0 0, Melochick 0 3-6 3, Shuman 0 0-0
0, Witman 0 0-0 0, Abdo 2 0-0 6, Nabholz 2 5-6 9. Totals 9 13-18 33. Tam
(19-5) 0 7 6 11 4 — 28 Pot (24-0) 2 8 9 5 9 — 33 3-point FGs: Blaker, Rottet, Kosciolek 2, Abdo 2 2014-15 — Potttsville 2013-14 — Mahanoy Area 2012-13 — Pottsville 2011-12
— Pottsville 2010-11 — Pottsville 2009-10 — Pottsville 2008-09 — N. Schuylkill 2007-08 — Shamokin 2006-07
— Blue Mountain 2005-06 — Mahanoy Area 2004-05 —
Mahanoy Area 2003-04 — Pottsville 2002-03 — Blue Mountain
2001-02 — Shamokin 2000-01 — Shamokin 1999-2000 — Pottsville 1998-99 — Mahanoy Area 1997-98
— Shamokin 1996-97 — Shamokin 1995-96 — Shamokin
1994-95 — Pottsville 1993-94 — Tamaqua 1992-93 — Pottsville 1991-92 — Shamokin 1990-91
— Mahanoy Area 1989-90 — Lourdes 1988-89 — Pottsville
1987-88 — Lourdes 1986-87 — Pine Grove 1985-86 — Panther Valley 1984-85 — Pottsville 1983-84
— Pottsville 1982-83 — Pottsville 1981-82 — Saint
Clair 1980-81 — Pottsville 1979-80 — Pottsville 1978-79 — Mahanoy Area 1977-78 — N. Schuylkill 1976-77
— N. Schuylkill 1975-76 — Tamaqua 1974-75 — Blue
Mountain 1973-74 — Blue Mountain
Tamaqua's slow-down stategy nearly produces upsetBy Leroy Boyer Published: February 14, 2015 Caszy Kosciolek calls it his “4
to score” offense. A spread-the-floor, patient, slow-down offensive set that makes for boring
basketball, but one that can help an underdog hang with a heavy favorite. The Tamaqua coach utilized
the strategy in Friday’s Schuylkill League boys’ championship game against Pottsville at Martz Hall. After a 27-point loss to Pottsville on the same floor 18 days ago, Kosciolek felt the strategy would give his Blue
Raiders the best chance to knock off the unbeaten Crimson Tide. It nearly worked. Tamaqua held the ball for the nearly the entire first quarter, and stayed in the “4 to score” set the
entire game. The result was a low-scoring, nail-biting, thrilling boys’ final that Pottsville pulled out 33-28 in overtime. “Their defense is the toughest, probably on this side of the state,” Kosciolek said of Pottsville’s
man-to-man, aggressive defense. “We figured if we could spread them out, be patient, take the very best shot. “We want to try to score, but if we can’t, we want to keep the offense moving, keep people spread and
try to make them vulnerable. “You can’t stay enough how smart (his Blue Raiders) played
and how selfless they are in order to play a game like this.” Tamaqua slowed the tempo from
the outset — running nearly four minutes off the clock on one possession — and the game was scoreless until Pottsville’s
Travis Blankenhorn scored on a jumper with two seconds left in the first quarter. The teams combined
for just five shots in the first quarter, with Pottsville going 1-for-2 from the field and Tamaqua shooting 0-for-3. The pace picked up somewhat in the second quarter, as the Crimson Tide outscored the Blue Raiders 8-7. Instead of an up-and-down, high-scoring game that most people figured they would see, the slow-paced contest had
Pottsville leading 10-7 at halftime. “They got us out of our game a little bit,” Pottsville
coach Dave Mullaney said. “They had a great game plan. Them slowing it down as much as they did got us out of what we
wanted to do offensively. “You want to minimize possessions,” Mullaney continued.
“They did a great job of doing that. “We haven’t seen a dribble spread in a
long time. There are ways to defend it. We made some adjustments trying to keep it out of the middle of the floor. In the
first half we allowed them to get it into the middle, and you can run that offense all day if you allow them to do that.” While Tamaqua was slowing the game down offensively, the Blue Raiders were able to slow down Pottsville’s offense
just as effectively on the defensive end of the floor. Tamaqua played a tight 2-1-2/2-3 zone that
sagged 6-foot-7 Brett Kosciolek deep into the lane, but also extended at times to prevent the Crimson Tide from making skip
passes across the zone for open 3-point shots. Pottsville was patient against it, running its
motion offense in search of a good shot, but struggled to hit from the outside against it. “Any
zone defense, you have to shade their shooters, and that’s what we did,” Kosciolek said. “I thought we did
a good job of finding where Blankenhorn was most of the time. It’s a game plan you use against the personnel that’s
there. We shaded shooters, and we did a good job of man principles in that zone defense in knowing where their weapons were. “We did a nice job when the ball went into the short corner and we defended the high post.” The combination of Tamaqua’s patient offense and its tough defense forced the game into a crawl for three-plus
quarters. Pottsville shot 0-for-4 from beyond the arc before sophomore Jordan Abdo came off the bench to hit a pair of 3-pointers
late in the third quarter, and finished 2-for-9 from 3-point range. “They had a good strategy
defensively, and we have good shooters out there. But we needed to be more aggressive against it,” Mullaney said. “There’s
other ways to score against a zone other than just hitting 3s. There are other things we could have gotten that we worked
on, they just did a great job in it. We weren’t hitting from the perimeter, and they could tighten it up a little more.” Tamaqua opened up its offensive attack in the fourth quarter after falling behind 20-13 with 4:41 left, and rallied
to tie it and force overtime. Eli Nabholz tallied five of his nine points in the extra session to help Pottsville win it. The victory gives Pottsville (24-0) the No. 1 seed in the upcoming District 11 Class AAA Tournament and sets up a
quarterfinal contest between Tamaqua and North Schuylkill. The Tamaqua-North Schuylkill winner
could get Pottsville in the semifinals. On a different floor, in a different environment, Tamaqua’s
slow-down strategy may not have worked. It worked to near perfection Friday. “(Pottsville)
is very good,” Kosciolek said. “We’re not into moral victories, but no one has taken this team into overtime.
I told our kids this is something for us to build on going into district play. We learned a lot about ourselves, too.”
H.S. BOYS BASKETBALL: Raiders get another shot at Crimson Tide in Schuylkill League finalsBy Mike Carnahan Published: February 13,
2015 Schuylkill League Boys’
Basketball Championship Tonight, at Martz Hall Tamaqua (19-4, Division
I wild card) vs. Pottsville (23-0, Division I champion), 8 p.m. About
the Blue Raiders Head coach: Caszy Kosciolek (4th season) How got
here: Beat Division II champ Minersville 59-53 in Wednesday’s semifinal Last appearance
in title game: 1994 — Beat Marian 59-52 Previous league titles (since 1966): Two (1976,
1994) Team statistics: Offense (58.0 points per game), defense (43.3 ppg) Probable
starting lineup: G Russell Blaker (jr., 6-1, 8.5 points per game), G Bo Rottet (sr., 6-0, 17.3), F Nate MacDonald (sr., 6-1,
5.7), F Tyler Skripko (sr., 5-10, 3.4), F-C Brett Kosciolek (sr., 6-7, 17.2) Key reserves: G Ben
Miller (sr., 6-1, 1.3), G Thaddaeus Zuber (fr., 5-9, 1.4), G Ernie Shilko (sr., 5-8, 1.7) About
the Crimson Tide Head coach: Dave Mullaney (8th season) How got here:
Beat Division III champ Mahanoy Area 59-31 in semifinal Last appearance in title game: 2014 —
Lost to Mahanoy Area 45-44 Previous league titles (since 1966): 14 — 1980, 1981, 1983, 1984,
1985, 1989, 1993, 1995, 2000, 2004, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 Team statistics: Offense (62.2 points
per game), defense (31.9 ppg) Probable starting lineup: G Connor Hinchliffe (sr., 6-1, 4.7), G
Ty Painter (sr., 5-7, 3.2), G Travis Blankenhorn (sr., 6-2, 16.7), G-F Jordan Melochick (jr., 6-2, 9.3), F-C Eli Nabholz (sr.,
6-5, 12.4) Key reserves: F Jed Dunkel (sr., 6-2, 2.3), G Derek Shuman (sr., 6-1, 1.1), G Christian
Witman (jr., 6-1, 1.9), G Jordan Abdo (soph., 5-10, 6.2) Game notes Rottet
(23 in the game) and Kosciolek (18) combined for 26 second-half points as the Raiders pulled away in their semifinal win over
the Miners. Rottet scored 16 of his points in the second half and finished the night 12-for-15 from the foul line. ... Crimson
Tide were down 11-2 early in the first quarter against the Golden Bears before holding a 57-20 scoring advantage the rest
of the game. Blankenhorn led the Crimson Tide with 12 points. ... Third meeting between two this season. Crimson Tide used
a fourth-quarter run to pull away and win 57-40 on Jan. 5 and then dominated the second meeting, winning 53-26 on Jan. 27.
... Game features three 1,000-career point scorers: Blankenhorn (1,489), Kosciolek (1,430) and Rottet (1,044). Blankenhorn
and Kosciolek reached their milestones last season, Rottet did it last week. ... Crimson Tide are ranked No. 7 in Class AAA
in most recent PennLive.com rankings. Raiders are a team to watch in Class AAA. ... Crimson Tide would wrap up a No. 1 seed
for the District 11 Class AAA playoffs with win. Tamaqua would improve on its No. 4 ranking with a victory. — Complied by Mike Carnahan The first was a competitive game. The second go around was a rout. So what will the third meeting this season between Pottsville
and Tamaqua bring? For certain, it is the most important match-up of them all. It is title time
tonight when the Crimson Tide (23-0) take on the Raiders (19-4) for the Schuylkill League boys’ championship at 7:30
p.m. at Martz Hall. Pottsville, the Division I champ, is playing in its sixth consecutive league
title game and is looking to win its fifth championship in the past six years. The Crimson Tide beat Division III champ Mahanoy
Area 59-31 in the semifinals Wednesday, avenging last year’s title-game loss to the Golden Bears. Tonight is new territory for Tamaqua, the Division I wild card. The Raiders are playing
in their league final since a 59-52 victory over Marian in 1994. Tamaqua reached tonight’s championship with a 59-53
victory over Division II champ Minersville in Wednesday’s semifinals. “They are really
excited,” Tamaqua coach Caszy Kosciolek said about getting another crack at the Crimson Tide. “It is really their
first taste of Martz Hall in the postseason. Their confidence level is as high as I’ve seen it. I think we are ready
to go.” Let’s recap the first two meetings: •
Jan. 5 at Tamaqua, Pottsville 57-40: Travis Blankenhorn poured in 30 points as the Crimson Tide
took their first lead midway through the first quarter and led the rest of the way. But Tamaqua wouldn’t go quietly
and cut the deficit to 39-31 early in the fourth quarter before Pottsville finished the game on an 18-9 run. Ty Painter added 10 points for the Crimson Tide. Brett Kosciolek (14) and Bo Rottet (11) reached double figures
for the Raiders. • Jan. 27 at Martz Hall, Pottsville 53-26:
The game was never close as the Crimson Tide led 28-11 at halftime and rolled to the win. The Raiders shot 10-for-38 (26 percent)
from the floor and turned the ball over 12 times. Blankenhorn scored all of his game-high 14 points in the first half, while
Jordan Melochick (11) and Eli Nabholz (11) also reached double figures. Rottet (12) led the Raiders. If
history is any guide, tonight’s game should be closer than the scores from the regular season. The
last time the Schuylkill League boys’ final featured teams that meet twice during the regular season was in 2011 and
2012 between Pottsville and Pine Grove. After grabbing 39-27 and 62-34 victories during the regular
season, Pottsville edged the Cardinals 51-49 in the 2011 championship game that came down to the wire. In 2012, Pottsville won 48-36 and 43-33 during the regular season and then pulled away late in the title game for
a 38-31 victory. “It is easier because you see a lot of their plays the whole year and we
are used to playing them,” Pottsville senior Connor Hinchliffe said about playing the same team three times on one season.
“We know their players just as good as our own players. It is kind of hard because one day they can come out and shoot
fire, and the next … When we played them at home, they couldn’t hit anything and we beat them pretty good. You
just can’t take anyone lightly.” For Tamaqua to pull off the upset against the No.
7-ranked Class AAA team in the state, Caszy Kosciolek knows the Raiders need to figure out how to have success against Pottsville’s
tough man-to-man defense. The Crimson Tide’s defense dominated the second meeting between
the clubs, as it during Wednesday’s semifinal win over Mahanoy Area. The Golden Bears shot 12-for-41 (29 percent) and
turned the ball over 24 times. “We have to get into the rhythm of our offense,” Coach
Kosciolek said. “We can’t allow them to take us out of our rhythm. That is going to be a critical factor.” Crimson Tide coach Dave Mullaney believes Pottsville needs to defend well, too, especially Brett Kosciolek (17.2
points per game, 1,430 career points) and Rottet (17.3, 1,044). The Crimson Tide also need to attack, and yet be patient,
on offense, no matter what defense the Raiders show. “They have two really, really good
players and we are going to have to defend them,” Mullaney said. “We are going to have to make sure we keep (Russell)
Blaker off the 3-point line, he’s a very good player. We are going to have to be aggressive going against what ever
defense they have. We anticipate some 3-2 zones, 2-3 zone, a little man, whatever they play, we need to be aggressive against
them.”
Schuylkill League Boys' BB: Pottsville overwhelms Mahanoy Areaby mike carnahan Published: February 12, 2015 JACQUELINE DORMER/STAFF PHOTO Pottsville's Connor Hinchliffe hauls
down a rebound over Mahanoy Area's Brian Miller during the semifinals of the Schuylkill League at Martz Hall in Pottsville
Wednesday, February 11, 2015. JACQUELINE DORMER/STAFF PHOTO Pottsville's Jordan Melochick splits
Mahanoy Area's defenders Mike Joseph (30) and Mike Wronski (22) during Wednesday’s Schuylkill League semifinals at Martz
Hall. The Tide beat the Bears 59-31.
Pottsville’s defense
has overwhelmed the opposition at times this season. That was the case Wednesday night. The Crimson Tide’s intensity on defense allowed Pottsville to overcome an early deficit and roll to a 59-31
victory over Mahanoy Area in the Schuylkill League boys’ basketball semifinals at Martz Hall. Travis
Blankenhorn had 12 points and Jordan Abdo came off the bench to score 10 as the Crimson Tide (23-0) reached the title game
for the sixth consecutive year. Pottsville will take on Division I wild card Tamaqua (19-4) for
the championship at 8 p.m. Friday at Martz Hall. The Raiders beat Division II champ Minersville 59-53 in Wednesday’s
other semifinal. It will be third meeting between the Crimson Tide and Tamaqua this season. Pottsville
won 57-40 on Jan. 5 and 53-26 on Jan. 27. “It is always good to play at Martz Hall,”
said Pottsvile senior Connor Hinchliffe, who had eight points Wednesday. “There is nothing better than playing at Martz
Hall with everyone here and are looking forward to seeing us play.” The Crimson Tide’s
45-44 loss to Mahanoy Area during last year’s title game denied Pottsville a fifth straight league title. Avenging that
loss provided a little extra motivation Wednesday. “Mahanoy is a good team,” Pottsville’s
Ty Painter said. “We came in with a chip on our shoulder and we wanted to make sure we got back to the finals again.” It was a little shaky early for the Crimson Tide as the Golden Bears (18-5) hit their first four shots to take an
11-2 lead 3:21 into the game. The rest of the night belonged to Pottsville. The Crimson Tide, the Division I champs, tied the game at 13 early in the second quarter, starting a 21-4 scoring
advantage in the period to give Pottsville a 32-17 halftime advantage. Division III champion
Mahanoy Area got to within 34-22 midway through the third quarter, but the Crimson Tide put the game away with a 19-2 run
that lasted into the fourth. A big factor was Pottsville’s man-to-man defensive intensity. After the Golden Bears’ early lead, the Crimson Tide put the clamps on Mahanoy Area. Pottsville made it difficult
for the Golden Bears to get any kind of rhythm going in their half-court sets. Mahanoy Area rushed what shots it did get and
finished the night 12-for-41 (29 percent) from the floor. The Golden Bears also committed 25
turnovers. The defensive effort started with Painter, who was matched up on Mahanoy Area point
guard Mike Joseph. “They have great players all around,” Painter said. “He’s
a good ball-handler. We just kept putting pressure on them, don’t let them catch the ball and keep it up defensively.” Hinchliffe added nine rebounds and three steals on the night. He also hit some big buckets in the first half. Hinchliffe had a 3-pointer with 23 seconds in the first quarter from the corner on a kick-out pass from Eli Nabholz
that pulled Pottsville to within 13-11. After a reverse, baseline layup by Nabholz early in the
second quarter tied the game at 13, Hinchliffe gave the Crimson Tide the lead for good on their next possession when he scored
off a Jordan Melochick missed 3-pointer. Hinchliffe hit another 3 with 4:08 left in the first half from the top of the circle
to make it 22-13. Hinchliffe, who came in averaging 4.5 points per game, has seen his offense
pick up the last couple of games. He 16 points combined during Crimson Tide wins over Lehighton and Jim Thorpe last week. “I think early in the year it was just kind of a confidence issue,” Hinchliffe said. “Not many
3s were going in, but I think I just needed to get that first good game to stay confident. Now, when I get an open shot, I
feel confident I am going to knock it down. Matt Yedsena had 10 points to pace the Golden Bears,
while Joseph added eight. A turnaround jumper in the lane by Miller on Mahanoy Area’s opening
possession, followed by a 3-pointer by Joseph and back-to-back 3s by Miller and Yedsena gave the Golden Bears their early
11-2 led. But Mahanoy Area didn’t score again in the first quarter until a Mike Wronski layup with 45 seconds left. Their next field goal of the game came with 1:04 remaining in the first half, making it 29-17 Pottsville. “The first quarter, we did everything we talked about the last two days,” Mahanoy Area coach Scott Hudson
said. “ We boxed out perfectly, ran our sets, set hard screens. But they picked up their defense and sort of shut us
down a little bit at the guard position and sort of gave us some problems. “Give them credit,
their defense picked it up.” Game Summary Schuylkill League
Boys’ Semifinal At Martz Hall POTTSVILLE (59) — Hinchliffe
3 0-0 8, Gerchak 0 0-0 0, Painter 2 0-1 3, Blankenhorn 3 6-6 12, Thomas 0 0-0 0, Dunkel 2 0-0 4, Melochick 2 5-5 9, Shuman
0 0-0 0, Witman 1 0-0 2, Abdo 5 0-0 10, Nabholz 3 2-2 6, Coyle 1 0-0 3, Renninger 0 0-0 0, Schenck 1 0-0 2, O’Pake 0
0-0 0. Totals 21 13-14 59. MAHANOY AREA (31) — Erbe 0 0-0 0, R. Derr 0
0-0 0, Yedsena 4 0-0 10, M. Derr 0 0-0 0, Styka 1 0-0 2, McGee 0 0-0 0, Wronski 2 0-0 5, Fedor 0 0-0 0, Miller 2 1-2 6, Joseph
3 0-0 8. Totals 12 1-2 31. Pot (23-0) 11 21 14 13 — 59
Mah (18-5) 13 4 9 5 — 31 3-point FGs: Hinchliffe 2, Painter, Coyle, Yedsena
2, Wronski, Miller, Joseph 2
HERE WE GO!!!
Schuylkill League Boys' Basketball Semifinal CapsulesBy Mike Carnahan Published: February 11, 2015
Schuylkill League Boys’ Basketball Semifinals Tonight, at Martz Hall Tamaqua (18-4, Division I wild card) vs.
Minersville (18-3, Division II champ), 6 p.m. About Tamaqua Head coach:
Caszy Kosciolek (4th season) Previous Schuylkill League playoff appearances (since 1985): Five Last appearance: 1995 — Lost to Pottsville in semifinals League rankings: Offense
(3rd, 58.0 points per game), defense (3rd, 42.8 ppg) Probable starting lineup: G Russell Blaker
(jr., 6-1, 8.6 points per game), G Bo Rottet (sr., 6-0, 17.0), F Nate MacDonald (sr., 6-1, 5.7), F Tyler Skripko (sr., 5-10,
3.5), F-C Brett Kosciolek (sr., 6-7, 17.2) Key reserves: G Ernie Shilko (sr., 5-8, 1.7), G Ben
Miller (sr., 6-1, 1.4), G Thaddaeus Zuber (fr., 5-9, 1.2) About Minersville Head coach: Cliff Woodford (8th season) Previous Schuylkill League playoff appearances
(since 1985): Three Last appearance: 2011 — Lost to Pine Grove 54-47 in semifinals League rankings: Offense (6th, 53.8 ppg), defense (4th, 43.0 ppg) Probable starting lineup:
G Colin Hashin (sr., 5-8, 6.1), G Jon McBreen (jr., 6-2, 7.4), G Chris Leshko (jr., 6-2, 12.4), F David Graham (jr., 6-0,
11.0), F Spencer Tobin (sr., 6-1, 8.8) Key reserve: F Brian Brennan (jr., 6-2, 3.5) Game notes Two teams met during the regular season Dec. 8 with the Raiders winning 45-33.
Rottet had 23 points in the contest, while Graham had 10 for the Miners. ... Miners enter on eight-game winning streak. That
includes a 46-45 win over North Schuylkill on Jan. 31 and a 59-58 victory over Shenandoah Valley on Saturday. Leshko had the
go-ahead bucket in both games. ... Leshko is the league’s top 3-point shooter, averaging 2.4 per game. ... Rottet went
over 1,000 points for his career last week, joining Kosciolek, who did it last season. ... Tamaqua will likely play a 2-3
zone, but will show other zone looks, too. Miners will play man-to-man. ... Both teams — Tamaqua (Class AAA) and Minersville
(Class AA) — are listed as others to watch in latest PennLive.com Pennsylvania High School Rankings. Mahanoy Area (18-4, Division III champ) vs. Pottsville (22-0,
Division I champ), 7:30 p.m. About Mahanoy Area Head coach: Scott
Hudson (1st season) Previous Schuylkill League playoff appearances (since 1985): 17 overall, 5
titles (1991, 1999, 2005, 2006, 2014) Last appearance: 2014 — Beat Pottsville 45-44 in championship
game League rankings: Offense (5th, 53.9), defense (2nd, 42.3) Probable
starting lineup: G Matt Yedsena (jr., 6-0, 15.7), G Mike Wronski (jr., 5-9, 8.2), G Mike Joseph (soph., 5-8, 8.9), F Peter
Luddy (sr., 5-9, 2.3), F-C Brian Miller (sr., 6-3, 15.4) Key reserves: F Marcus Styka (jr., 6-1,
2.4) About Pottsville Head coach: Dave Mullaney (8th season) Previous Schuylkill League playoff appearances (since 1985): 17 overall, 10 titles (1985, 1989, 1993, 1995, 2000,
2004, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013) Last appearance: 2014 — Lost to Mahanoy Area 45-44 in championship
game League rankings: Offense (2nd, 62.3) defense (1st, 31.9) Probable
starting lineup: G Connor Hinchliffe (sr., 6-1, 4.5), G Ty Painter (sr., 5-7, 3.2), G Travis Blankenhorn (sr., 6-2, 16.9),
G-F Jordan Melochick (jr., 6-2, 9.3), F-C Eli Nabholz (sr., 6-5, 12.7) Key reserves: F Jed Dunkel
(sr., 6-2, 2.2), G Derek Shuman (sr., 6-1, 1.2), G Christian Witman (jr., 6-1, 1.9), G Jordan Abdo (soph., 5-10, 6.0) Game notes Rematch of last year’s title game. All five of Pottsville’s likely
starters tonight started in that game. Miller played for the Golden Bears and scored two points. ... With their 59-29 win
over Jim Thorpe last Friday, Crimson Tide became first boys’ team from Schuylkill League to finish with undefeated regular
season since Mahanoy Area (2006-07). ... Golden Bears were on an 11-game winning streak before going 2-2 in their final four
regular-season games. ... Crimson Tide have simply overwhelmed their opponents this season, winning their games by an average
margin of 30.4 points per game. ... Both teams will play a man-to-man. ... Crimson Tide are ranked No. 7 in Class AAA in latest
PennLive.com rankings. Golden Bears are a team to watch in Class AA. — Complied by Mike
Carnahan
UNDEFEATED!!!!!!
Perfection is preserved. Eli Nabholz scored 14 points, while Travis Blankenhorn added 13
as Pottsville capped its undefeated regular season with a 50-29 Schuylkill League Division I victory over Jim Thorpe on Friday
in Martz Hall. With the win, the
Crimson Tide became the first team in program history to accomplish that feat. Pottsville is also the first team from the
Schuylkill League to end the regular season with a perfect record since Blue Mountain in 2002-03. Blankenhorn tallied all 13 of his points in the middle two quarters
as the Tide outscored the Olympians 28-12 in that stretch. Shane Snisky led Jim Thorpe with nine points, while Chris Micciche had eight. JIM THORPE (29) — Carroll
1 0-0 3, Elmore 0 0-2 0, Micciche 3 1-2 8, Green 0 0-0 0, Luicina 0 0-0 0, McElmoyle 2 0-0 5, S. Snisky 3 3-4 9, Everitt 1
1-2 4, Joyce 0 0-0 0. Totals 10 5-10 29. POTTSVILLE (50) —
Hinchliffe 2 1-1 6, Gerchak 0 0-0 0, Painter 1 0-0 3, Blankenhorn 6 0-0 13, Thomas 0 0-0 0, Dunkel 1 0-0 2, Melochick 0 1-2
1, Shuman 1 1-2 3, Witman 0 2-2 2, Abdo 0 0-0 0, Nabholz 6 2-2 14, Coyle 1 0-0 3, Renninger 0 1-2 1, Schenk 1 0-0 2, O’Pake
0 0-0 0. Totals 19 8-11 50. JT (8-14, 4-10) 6 7 5 11 — 29 Pt
(22-0, 14-0) 13 13 15 9 — 50 3-point FGs: Carroll, Micciche, McElmoyle, Everitt, Hinchliffe, Painter, Blankenhorn, Coyle JV score: Pottsville 50-31
Perfection is preserved. Eli Nabholz scored 14 points, while Travis Blankenhorn added 13
as Pottsville capped its undefeated regular season with a 50-29 Schuylkill League Division I victory over Jim Thorpe on Friday
in Martz Hall. With the win, the
Crimson Tide became the first team in program history to accomplish that feat. Pottsville is also the first team from the
Schuylkill League to end the regular season with a perfect record since Blue Mountain in 2002-03. Blankenhorn tallied all 13 of his points in the middle two quarters
as the Tide outscored the Olympians 28-12 in that stretch. Shane Snisky led Jim Thorpe with nine points, while Chris Micciche had eight. JIM THORPE (29) — Carroll
1 0-0 3, Elmore 0 0-2 0, Micciche 3 1-2 8, Green 0 0-0 0, Luicina 0 0-0 0, McElmoyle 2 0-0 5, S. Snisky 3 3-4 9, Everitt 1
1-2 4, Joyce 0 0-0 0. Totals 10 5-10 29. POTTSVILLE (50) —
Hinchliffe 2 1-1 6, Gerchak 0 0-0 0, Painter 1 0-0 3, Blankenhorn 6 0-0 13, Thomas 0 0-0 0, Dunkel 1 0-0 2, Melochick 0 1-2
1, Shuman 1 1-2 3, Witman 0 2-2 2, Abdo 0 0-0 0, Nabholz 6 2-2 14, Coyle 1 0-0 3, Renninger 0 1-2 1, Schenk 1 0-0 2, O’Pake
0 0-0 0. Totals 19 8-11 50. JT (8-14, 4-10) 6 7 5 11 — 29 Pt
(22-0, 14-0) 13 13 15 9 — 50 3-point FGs: Carroll, Micciche, McElmoyle, Everitt, Hinchliffe, Painter, Blankenhorn, Coyle JV score: Pottsville 50-31
CRIMSON TIDE'S PERFECT SEASON 22 - 0 The Crimson Tide Completed the first perfect season in the school history tonight with
a 50-29 victory over Jim Thorpe!!!! Pottsville (22-0): Hinchliffe 2 1-1 6, Gerchak 0 0-0 0, Painter 1 0-0 3, Blankenhorn 6 0-0 13, Thomas 0 0-0
0, Dunkel 1 0-0 2, Melochick 0 1-2 1, Shuman 1 1-2 3, Witman 0 2-2 2,Abdo 0 0-0 0, Nabholz 6 2-2 14, Coyle 1 0-0 3, Renninger
0 1-2 1, Schenck 1 0-0 2, O'Pake 0 0-0 0, Totals: 19 8-11 (50) Jim Thorpe (): Carroll 1 0-0 3,Elmore 0 0-0 0, Micicle 3 1-2 8, Green 0 0-0 0, Luciana 0 0-0 0, Mcelmoyle 2
0-0 5, Snisky 3 3-4 9, Everitt 1 1-2 4, Joyce 0 0-0 0, T totals: 10 5-10 (29) 3 point FG'S: Carroll, Micciche, McElmoyle, Everitt, Hinchliffe, Painter, Blankenhorn, Coyle
Pottsville 58 Lehighton 33 Travis Blankenhorn scored nine points and Connor Hinchilffe contributed eight during a 22-4 first-quarter
run for the Crimson Tide in a Division I rout of the Indians at Martz Hall. Blankenhorn finished with a game-high 16 points, while Hinchliffe added 10 for Pottsville. Jordan Knappenberger hit four 3-pointers to
pace Lehighton with 14 points. LEHIGHTON (33) — Ruzicka 0 0-0 0, Cordova 0 0-0 0, Crum 2 0-0 4, Zwetolitz 2 0-0 6, Ortiz 1
2-3 4, Williams 0 0-0 0, Buchinsky 0 0-0 0, Chambers 0 0-0 0, Knappenberger 5 0-0 14, Greene 2 1-2 5. Totals
12 3-4 33. POTTSVILLE
(58) — Hinchliffe 4 1-1 10, Painter 0 0-0 0, Blankenhorn 6 1-1 16, Thomas 1 1-2 3, Dunkel 1 0-0 2, Melochick 2 3-4 8,
Shuman 1 0-0 3, Witman 0 0-0 0, Abdo 2 2-2 7, Nabholz 4 0-0 9, Coyle 0 0-0 0. Totals 21 8-10 58. Leh (13-8,
6-7) 4 14 8 7 — 33 Po (21-0, 13-0) 22 8 17 11 — 58 3-point FGs: Zwetolitz 2, Knappenberger 4, Hinchliffe, Blankenhorn
3, Melochick, Shuman, Abdo, Nabholz JV score: Pottsville 51-30
Pottsville 79 Panther Valley 32 LANSFORD — Travis Blankenhorn scored 23 points, and Eli Nabholz added 15 as Pottsville roughed
up Panther Valley in a Division I game that clinched the divisional title for the Tide. Jordan Melochick recorded 14 points for Pottsville, which led 40-22 at the
half. POTTSVILLE (79) — Hinchliffe 1 2-2 4, Gerchak 0 0-0 0, Painter 2 1-1 5, Blankenhorn 9 0-0 23, Thomas 1 4-4
7, Dunkel 0 0-4 0, Melochick 5 3-4 14, Shuman 1 0-0 2, Witman 1 0-0 2, Abdo 1 0-0 2, Nabholz 7 1-2 15, Coyle 0 0-0 0, Renninger
1 1-3 3, Schenck 0 0-0 0, O’Pake 1 0-0 2. Totals 30 12-20 79. PANTHER VALLEY (32)
— Keo 0 0-0 0, Dubosky 4 1-2 10, Vermillion 1 0-3 2, Stanko 0 0-0 0, Micholik 2 0-0 6, Miller 1 0-0 2, Hudicka 2 0-0
5, Blasko 3 0-0 7, Morgans 0 0-0 0, Eickoff 0 0-0 0, Weng 0 0-0 0, Fisher 0 0-0 0, Mehmeti 0 0-0 0.Totals 13 1-5 32. Pott (19-0, 12-0) 19 21 22 17 — 79 PV
(3-16, 1-11) 14 8 2 8 — 32 3-point FGs: Blankenhorn 5, Thomas, Melochick, Dubosky, Micholik 2, Hudicka, Blasko JV score: Pottsville 59-17
The Crimson Tide continues
it's winning ways! The Crimson Tide recorded it's 20th straight
victory with a 79-32 rout of Panther Vallney Panthers. The Tide was led by Travis " Money" Blankenhorn's 23 points,
Eli "Big Easy" Nabholz added 15 points to the cause. Jordan "Melo" Melochick continues to add quality
points with 14 points. The Crimson Tide continues it's quest for the first perfect
season in Pottsville high basketball history. The Tide plays host to Lehighton on Tuesday and Jim Thorpe on Friday to close
out the regular season.
Berks Catholic's late rally falls short against Pottsville
in boys basketball Thursday January 29, 2015 12:01 AM
By Mike Drago
Dave Mullaney brought his unbeaten Pottsville basketball team
down Route 61 Tuesday because he was eager to see how it responded to getting punched in the mouth. The Crimson Tide coach was not disappointed at seeing his guys walk away a little
bruised and swollen. "That's the first time this year
we've been in a game like this," said Mullaney after the Tide dodged a last-second 3-point bid and survived against Berks
Catholic 49-46 in a non-league rumble between playoff-bound teams.
"The reason we put this game on the schedule is to get better at the end-of-game situations," said Mullaney.
"We haven't had a ton of close games." The Tide
(19-0) got all it wanted from the Saints (10-8), who erased most of an 11-point, third-quarter deficit with a fierce fourth-quarter
rally. The Saints stepped up their defensive pressure
and got a pair of big steals from Isaac Lutz and a third from Pop Lacey, each resulting in layups. Lacey's, with 2:40 remaining, cut Pottsville's lead to 45-42. When Lacey found Tyrone Nesby on a backdoor cut 30 seconds later to again make it
a three-point game, Mullaney called timeout to discuss end-game strategy.
That's something his club, ranked No. 8 in the state in Class AAA by PennLive.com, hadn't done all season. The Tide had won each of its games by at least 15 points; it's average winning margin
of 32.4 was second-highest in the state. The Saints
accepted the challenge of playing a top team and brought it for a full 32 minutes. They jumped to leads of 5-0 and 12-5, Lutz sparking them with an early 3-pointer on his way
to 19 points. The experienced Tide, with five returning
starters and three Division I baseball recruits - Travis Blankenhorn (Kentucky), Eli Nabholz (Penn State) and Connor Hinchliffe
(LaSalle) - rose to the challenge. The 6-5 Nabholz
stuck a pair of 3-point daggers in the second quarter to lift his team to a 25-22 halftime lead, then dropped two more in
the third quarter as the Tide took command. He finished
with 19 points, hitting 4-of-6 from beyond the arc as he continually got free on screens and switches. The Saints fought back and made it a one-possession game; they came up short on
a couple of loose balls at the end that might've given them a chance to win it. Instead, they saw their six-game winning streak snapped when Lutz's off-balanced 3 from well beyond the arc was off
target at the final buzzer. "It all comes down
to the foul shots," said Saints coach Snip Esterly. "We're 9-for-18. That's the difference." Mullaney knows a tight game in a playoff atmosphere will only help his club come
March. "We did not handle things as well as we would
have liked the in the fourth quarter," he said. "Credit them. We knew how talented they were, and they're even better
than we thought. I was really impressed with Isaac Lutz. He caused us all kinds of problems." Esterly knows his team is getting close; just not close enough. "These are the (kind of) teams we have to beat to win something," he said,
"and we're not there yet." Contact Mike
Drago: 610-371-5061 or mdrago@readingeagle.com.
READING — Pottsville faced its toughest test of the season Wednesday night. Thanks to a big night from Eli Nabholz, the Crimson Tide’s bid for an undefeated regular season marches on. Nabholz scored 16 of his 19 points in the middle two quarters as Pottsville held on for a 49-46 non-league victory
over Berks Catholic. Nabholz, who knocked down four 3-pointers in the game, had eight points apiece
in second and third periods. The Crimson Tide (19-0) held a 29-15 scoring advantage in the middle quarters to take a 42-31
lead heading into the fourth. Jordan Melochick added 14 points for Pottsville, while Travis Blankenhorn
had 13. Melochick was 4-for-4 from the foul line in the fourth quarter. Isaac Lutz had 19 points
for Berks Catholic (10-8), which cut the deficit to 47-45 late in the game. The Saints had 13 seconds on the clock for their
last possession, but Lutz missed a wild 3-pointer at the buzzer. Pottsville finishes the regular
season at Panther Valley on Friday, hosting Lehighton on Feb. 3 and traveling to Jim Thorpe on Feb. 6. POTTSVILLE (49) — Hinchliffe 0 0-0 0, Painter 0 0-0 0, Blankenhorn 6 0-3 13, Dunkel
0 0-0 0, Melochick 3 6-6 14, Shuman 0 0-0 0, Witman 0 0-0 0, Abdo 1 0-0 3, Nabholz 6 3-3 19. Totals 16 9-12 49.
BERKS CATHOLIC (46) — Wilson 0 0-0 0, Gilbert 0 0-0 0, Suriel 0 0-0 0, Lacy 4 1-2
11, Lutz 7 4-8 19, Nesby 2 0-0 4, Reedy 1 0-0 2, Rivera 0 1-2 1, Jack 3 3-6 9. Totals 17 9-18 46. Pot (19-0) 13 12 17 7 — 49 BC (10-8) 16 6 9 15 — 46
3-point FGs: Blankenhorn, Melochick 2, Abdo, Nabholz 4, Lacy 2, Lutz JV
score: Pottsville 38-23
Crimson Tide Improves to 19 - 0 Pottsville Crimson Tide earned a hard victory over Berks Catholic with a 49-46 win. The Crimson Tide
was pushed all night, Berks Catholic took a 16-13 lead after, the first quarter. The Tide rebound in the second quarter with
a 12-6 run to lead at half 25-22. The Tide then took the third quarter with a 17-9 run to end the third up 42-31. Berks Catholic
push the Tide hard in the fourth, out scoring the Tide 15-7. The Tide earned it's 19th victory, closing out the game 49-46.
Eli "Big Easy" Nabholz led the Tide with 19 points, hitting a couple of big three's, Jordan "Melo" Melochick
added 14 points and Travis "Money" Blankenhorn chipped in 13 points. Pottsville (19-0) 13 12 17 7 (49) Berks Catholic 16 6 9
15 (46) Pottsville: Hincliffe 0 0-0 0,
Painter 0 0-0 0, Blankenhorn 6 0-3 13, Dunkel 0 0-0 0, Melochick 3 6-6 14, Shuman 0 0-0 0, Witman 0 0-0 0, Abdo 1 0-0 3, Nabholtz
6 3-3 19, Totals: 16 9-12 (49) Berks Catholic: Wilson 0 0-0
0,Giblert 0 0-0 0, Lacey 4 1-2 11, Lutz 7 4-8 19, Nesby 2 0-0 4, Reedy 1 0-0 2, Rivera 0 1-2 1, Jack 3 3-6 9, Totals:17 9-18
(46) 3 Point FG's:Lacey (2), Lutz, Blankenhorn, Melochick (2),
Abdo, Nabholz (4)
Crimson
Tide - 18 - 0 The Crimson Tide Wins
it's sixth consecutive Division 1 Title with a 53-26 victory over Tamaqua
By Mike Carnahan, Republican-Herald
Sport Writer
It’s a challenge that any basketball team will go through during the
course of the regular season: Preparing for back-to-back games.
Pottsville (18-0) faces that tonight when they travel
to Berks League and District 3 powerhouse Berks Catholic (10-7).
The Crimson Tide are coming off a big 53-26 victory
over Tamaqua on Tuesday and prepared for both games at practice Sunday since Monday’s practice was cancelled when school
was closed due to the weather.
“With the way we approach it, and some coaches would
say this is crazy, but on our Sunday practice, we took the first half and did all Berks Catholic,” Pottsville coach
Dave Mullaney said. “Then as soon as that was done, we said ‘Guys, you have to put that aside. We are all onto
to Tamaqua.’ We then went on and focused on Tamaqua. With a different group of kids we may not do that. But they are
really mature, they get it, and they responded tonight.”
Tamaqua went last in practice Sunday since it was next
game for the Crimson Tide and Mullaney wanted to make sure that carried over into Tuesday instead of looking ahead to tonight.
“When we started on Tamaqua, we wanted to be all on Tamaqua,” he said. “We figured we were
going to have two days to prepare but we only had the one.”
If Pottsville wins tonight, it could be the Crimson
Tide’s last major hurdle to an undefeated regular season. Pottsville’s remaining three games are at Panther Valley
(3-15) on Friday, at home against Lehighton (11-7) next Tuesday and at Jim Thorpe (6-12) on Feb. 6. The Crimson Tide won the
first meetings with those teams rather handily.
Berks Catholic is in the same situation
as Pottsville. The Saints also played Tuesday, beating Fleetwood 56-44 in a Berks Section II contest. The win was the sixth
straight for Berks Catholic.
The Saints will be the fourth Berks League team the Crimson Tide have faced this season.
Pottsville beat Wilson West Lawn (8-11) 48-33 in the season opener Dec. 9, Governor Mifflin (10-10) 64-40 on Dec. 12 and Muhlenberg
(3-16) 74-23 on Jan. 17.
H.S. BOYS' BASKETBALL: Defense lifts Pottsville over TamaquaBy Mike
Carnahan Published: January 28, 2015  DAVID MCKEOWN/STAFF PHOTO Pottsville’s Travis Blankenhorn, left,
looks to pass the ball around Tamaqua’s Nate MacDonald, center, and Brett Kosciolek during Tuesday’s Schuylkill
League Division I game at Martz Hall.  DAVID MCKEOWN/STAFF PHOTO Pottsville's Jordan Abdo, right, shoots over
Tamaqua's Brett Kosciolek (24) during Tuesday night’s Schuylkill League Division I boys’ basketball game at Martz
Hall. The Crimson Tide rolled to a 53-26 win.
Pottsville coach Dave Mullaney didn’t feel the Crimson Tide played championship-caliber
defense during their two games last week. The defense certainly returned in full force Tuesday
night, putting the Crimson Tide one step closer to their sixth consecutive division title. Pottsville
held Tamaqua to a season low in points, while Travis Blankenhorn scored a game-high 14 in the Crimson Tide’s 53-26 Schuylkill
League Division I victory at Martz Hall. Pottsville (18-0, 11-0 D-I) allowed a season-high in
points, including 30 in the first half, during a 64-48 victory against Blue Mountain a week ago. The Crimson Tide then gave
up 17 during the third quarter last Saturday against North Schuylkill before pulling away in a 60-34 victory. The defense showed up for all four quarters Tuesday. The Raiders (15-3, 9-2) came in
averaging 61.6 points per game, but couldn’t get anything going against the Crimson Tide. Tamaqua was held to single
digits in three quarters, including four in both the first and third, as Pottsville built a 12-4 lead after the first period
and 28-11 at the half. “Last week we didn’t come out and play our best games,”
Blankenhorn said. “We could have played better and definitely defended a lot better. I think we were more mentally
prepared today to do so. We were more prepared and more focused.” Pottsville won the earlier-season
meeting 57-40 on Jan. 5 and moved two games ahead of the Raiders for the division lead. The Crimson Tide can clinch the division
with a victory at Panther Valley on Friday. “Some of the things we didn’t do a very
good job of up there, as far as defending them and some of the switches we do, our kids really executed well,” Mullaney
said. “That’s a credit to them because we didn’t even have practice yesterday.
They focused in what we were able to do Sunday and what we relayed to them verbally and they really executed on that end.”
Eli Nabholz and Jordan Melochick added 11 points apiece for Pottsville, while Melochick had six
rebounds, Travis Painter three assists and Blankenhorn three steals. Bo Rottet led the Raiders
with 12 points. Brett Kosciolek had nine rebounds for Tamaqua, but was held to a season-low six points. Despite the loss, Tamaqua still controls its own density in clinching the division wild card and spot in the Schuylkill
League playoffs. The Raiders are two games ahead of both Blue Mountain (11-7, 6-4) and North Schuylkill (13-4, 6-4) for second
place in the division. Tuesday wasn’t the Raiders’ night as Tamaqua finished 10-for-38
(26 percent) from the floor, including a 4-for-24 (17 percent) showing in the first half. The Raiders also turned the ball
over 12 times. For most of the night, Melochick was matched up against Rottet, while Blankenhorn
guarded Kosciolek, allowing Nabholz to provide help. The Raiders went 4-for-14 from 3-point land,
with three of the treys coming in the fourth quarter when the game was decided. “You have
to keep some of their players off the 3-point line,” Blankenhorn said. “They have very good skill players who
can go to the basket and shoot 3s so we had to keep a lot of focus on them. Anyone on the team can score so it was a big team
effort from the whole defensive group.” The Crimson Tide were patient offensively against
the Raiders’ 2-3 zone, finishing 18-of-36 (50 percent) from the floor. They were also 6-for-17 from beyond the arc. “It wasn’t an up-and-down game,” Mullaney said. “Efficiency wise I thought we played pretty
well. and when we got the lead, we had a couple of possessions in there where we ran some clock, which is a good thing.” Blankenhorn scored all his points in the first half, including on a drive from the wing for the first points of the
game and on a 3. He also hit 2-of-3 from the line after he was fouled on a 3-point attempt at 2:39, giving Pottsville a 10-4
lead. Melochick finished off the quarter, hitting a 7-foot baseline jumper at 1:08 to make it
12-4. A Blankenhorn baseline layup, a Jordan Abdo 3-pointer and two free throws from Blankenhorn
gave the Crimson Tide a 20-6 lead with 4:29 left in the first half. Tamaqua got to within 24-11 after Rottet hit two foul
shots at 1:58, but Nabholz gave Pottsville its 28-11 halftime lead. Painter set him up for a layup and he then scored on a
baseline jumper with 50 seconds left. Game Summary TAMAQUA (26) —
Shilko 0 0-0 0, Blaker 2 0-2 6, Miller 0 0-2 0, Rottet 4 2-2 12, Coleman 0 0-0 0, Zuber 0 0-0 0, MacDonald 0 0-0 0, Murphy
0 0-0 0, Skripko 1 0-0 2, Kosciolek 3 0-0 6, Scott 0 0-0 0, Berezwick 0 0-0 0. Totals 10 2-4 26. POTTSVILLE (53) — Hinchliffe 2 0-0 4, Gerchak 0 0-0 0, Painter 0 0-0 0, Blankenhorn 3 6-8 14, Thomas 0 0-0
0, Dunkel 3 0-0 6, Melochick 4 1-1 11, Shuman 0 0-0 0, Witman 0 0-0 0, Abdo 2 0-0 5, Nabholz 4 2-2 11, Renninger 0 0-0 0,
Schenk 1 0-0 2. Totals 19 9-11 53. Tam (15-3, 9-2) 4 7 4 11 — 26
Pot (18-0, 11-0) 12 16 14 11 — 53 3-point FGs: Blaker 2,
Rottet 2, Blankenhorn 2, Melochick 2, Abdo, Nabholz JV score: Pottsville 63-16
Crimson Tide Rolls to it's Sixth
Consecutive Division 1 Title, with a 53-26 victory over Tamaqua Blue Raiders. The Crimson Tide's Defense was stifling holding
Tamaqua to 11 points at half time. The Tide open the first quarter with a 12-4 score and increased it's lead to 28-11 at the
half. The Tide out scored Tamaqua 14-4 in the third quarter. The Tide then closed out the game in the fourth for a 53-26 victory
and it's eighteen win of the year.
The Tide was led by Travis "Money" Blankenhorn's 14 points, Eli "Big Easy" Nabholz and Jordan "Melo"
Melochick each added 11 points a piece. The Tide travels, tomorrow to Berks Catholic for a non-league game. Pottsville (18-0)
12 16 14 11 (53) Tamaqua (15-3) 4 7 4 11
(26) Pottsville: Hinchliffe 2 0-0 4, Gerchak 0 0-0 0, Painter 0 0-0 0, Blankenhorn 3 6-8 14, Thomas 0 0-0 0, Dunkel
2 0-0 4, Melochick 4 1-1 11, Shuman 1 0-0 2, Witman 0 0-0 0, Abdo 2 0-0 5, Nabholtz 4 2-2 11, Coyle 0 0-0 0, Renninger 1 0-0
2, Schenck 0 0-0 0 Totals: 19 9-11 (53) Tamaqua:Shilko 0 0-0 0, Blaker 2 0-0 6, Miller 0 0-0 0, Rottet 4 2-2 12, Coleman
0 0-0 0, Zuber 0 0-0 0, Macdonald 0 0-0 0, Murphy 0 0-0 0, Skripko 1 0-0 2, Kosciolek 3 0-0 6, Scott 0 0-0 0, Berezwick
0 0-0 0 Totals: 10 2-6 (26) 3-Point FG's: Blaker (2), Rottet, Blankenhorn (2), Melochick (2), Abdo, Nabholtz
H.S. BOYS' BASKETBALL: Pottsville pulls away to down SpartansBy Mike Carnahan Published: January 25, 2015
North
Schuylkill gave Pottsville everything it could handle Saturday evening. But when the Crimson Tide
needed to turn it on, they showed why they’ve been the team to beat in the Schuylkill League all season and a top-10
Class AAA team in Pennsylvania. Eli Nabholz scored 12 of his game- and season-high 25 points in
the fourth quarter as Pottsville pulled away for a 60-34 win over the Spartans in a Division I contest at Martz Hall. The game was closer than the final indicated. Down 32-15 at halftime, North Schuylkill
cut Pottsville’s lead to 43-32 at the end of the third. Then Nabholz took over. The 6-foot-5 forward scored the Crimson Tide’s next 12 points. When he knocked down two free throws after he
was fouled on a putback attempt, Pottsville led 54-34 with 2:21 left in the game. “I was
trying to finish the game.” Nabholz said. “It was just a situation where any one of us could step up and today
in the fourth quarter it was my turn to step up.” Led by Nabholz, the Crimson Tide (17-0,
10-0 D-I) were 7-for-12 from the field in fourth and forced the Spartans (12-4, 6-4) into six turnovers. The victory inched
the Crimson Tide closer to their sixth consecutive Division I title. “We have a lot of experience,”
said Nabholz, whose previous season high was 19 against Governor Mifflin on Dec. 1. “The whole game we knew we weren’t
playing as well as we could have. Give North Schuylkill credit. They came out and were ready to play and we were caught a
little off guard by that. We are mature enough to know when we needed to start playing harder and step it up a little bit.” Jordan Melochick had 14 points for Pottsville, with all of them coming in the first half to help the Crimson Tide
build their 17-point halftime advantage. Ty Painter also had four steals on the night and Travis Blankenhorn six rebounds. Jordan Marlow had 11 points to lead North Schuylkill, while John Mercado had four assists. The Spartans’ Major
Jordan also held Blankenhorn to a season-low seven points. Saturday’s performance was marked
improvement from the earlier-season meeting between the two Dec. 22, a 55-21 Pottsville rout. Since then, the Spartans have
won 8-of-10, with Saturday’s loss snapping a five-game winning streak. North Schuylkill
didn’t make it easy for the Crimson Tide. “We were doing what we normally do and we
were trying to get them out of their comfort zone and make them work a little harder offensively,” Spartans coach Curt
Ziegmont said. “It is tough to do that for 32 minutes. They are good. You have to give them a lot of credit, those kids
responded in the fourth quarter. We did some silly things. I am proud of the effort of my guys.” The Spartans trailed 37-15 early in the second half before finishing the third quarter on a 17-5 run to get to within
42-32. Marlow had seven of his points in third as North Schuylkill started to attack the basket. Jordan finished off the
run, working his way inside for two after an offensive rebound with 37 seconds left in the quarter. That
was as close as the Spartans got. Nabholz opened the fourth with a 3-pointer, one of his four
in the game, from the top of the circle, and then completed a three-point play to make it 48-32 at 6:38. He later scored on
an inside spin move and then again in the paint. After Marlow scored the Spartans’ last points of the game, Nabholz
knocked down two foul shots for a 56-34 advantage. “He was a beast,” Ziegmont said.
“It is very difficult to guard a 6-5 kid who can post you up and knock down 3s all night.” While Nabholz led the way in the fourth quarter, Melochick was the Tide’s offensive spark in the first half. He gave Pottsville the lead for good at 7-5 with a 3-pointer at 2:29 of the first quarter. Melochick then scored
nine of his points in the second period. He began the second with a three-point play off a baseline drive, and later on a
layup off an assist by Nabholz. Melochick hit two foul shots with 1:11 in the first half and finished the half by knocking
down a 10-foot baseline jumper as the buzzer sounded to give the Crimson Tide their 32-15 advantage. “It’s
a run play for me and Eli is supposed to pass it to me,” Melochick said. “The kid pushed me off so I just got
the ball and knew time was expiring so I just turned around and shot it and it went in. “I
just try to be aggressive and score and make plays for my teammates.” Game Summary NORTH SCHUYLKILL (34) — Carney 0 0-0 0, Marlow 5 0-0 11, Murray 2 2-4 6, Mazur 0 0-0 0, Wood 0 0-0 0, Mercado
2 2-2 6, Smith 0 0-0 0, Mazeika 1 0-0 2, Jordan 3 1-2 7, Heaton 1 0-0 2. Totals 14 5-8 34. POTTSVILLE (60) — Hinchliffe 3 0-3 6, Painter 1 0-0 2, Blankenhorn 3 0-0 7, Dunkel 0 0-0 0, Melochick 5 3-3
14, Shuman 0 0-0 0, Witman 2 0-0 4, Abdo 1 0-0 2, Nabholz 8 5-5 25, Renninger 0 0-0 0. Totals 23 8-11 60.
NS (12-4, 6-4) 8 7 17 2 — 34 Pot (17-0, 10-0) 14 18 10 18 — 60
3-point FGs: Marlow, Blankenhorn, Melochick, Nabholz 4
The "Big Easy" leads the Crimson
Tide to victory over North Schuylkill Eli "Big Easy"
Nabholz score a season high 25 points to lead the Tide to a 60-34 victory over North Schulkill. The Tide led 14-8 after the
first quarter. The Tide pushed the lead to 32-15 at half. North Schuylkill out scored the Tide 17-10 in the third quarter
to narrow The Tide's lead to 42-32, after three. The Tide then rolled to 18-2 fourth quarter to seal it's 17 straight Victory
of the season. The Tide's scoring was led by Eli Nabholtz's 25 points, followed by
Jordan "Melo" Melochick's 14 points. The Tide will now face Tamaqua, this Tuesday night for the Division I
title. Pottsville (17-0) 14 18
10 18 (60) North Schuylkill (14-3) 8
7 17 2 (34) Pottsville:
Hinchliffe 3 0-3 6, Painter 1 0-0 2, Blankenhorn 3 0-0 7, Dunkel 0 0-0 0, Melochick 5 3-3 14, Shuman 0 0-0 0, Witman
2 0-0 4, Abdo 1 0-0 2, Nabholz 8 5-5 25, Renninnger 0 0-0 0, Totals: 23 8-11 (60) North
Schuylkill: Carney 0 0-0 0, Marlow 5 0-0 11, Wiest 0 0-0 0, Murray 2 2-4 6, Mazur 0 0-0 0, Wood 0 0-0 0, Mercado 2 2-2 6,
Smith 0 0-0 0, Mazeika 1 0-0 2, Jordan 3 1-3 7, Heaton 1 0-0 2, Totals 14 5-9 (34) 3
Point FG's: Marlow, Blankenhorn, Melochick, Nabholtz (4)
ORWIGSBURG — Travis Blankenhorn and Eli Nabholz combined for 23 second-half points to lead
unbeaten Pottsville to a 64-48 comeback victory over Blue Mountain in a Division I game Tuesday. After
Blue Mountain led 30-27 at halftime, the Crimson Tide outscored the Eagles 20-6 in the third quarter. The
rally included an intentional foul on Blankenhorn. He sank one of his two foul shots and Pottsville’s Jordan Abdo
scored a 3-pointer on the ensuing possession, building the Tide’s lead to 44-34. Nabholz
had 17 points, while Blankenhorn posted 16, Jordan Melochick had 13 and Abdo had 10. Mark Chelius
had 17 points for Blue Mountain. POTTSVILLE (64) — Hinchliffe
1 0-2 2, Painter 1 2-4 4, Blankenhorn 6 3-4 16, Melochick 5 3-5 13, Witman 1 0-0 2, Abdo 4 0-0 10, Nabholz 6 5-8 17, Dunkel
0 0-0 0. Totals 24 13-24 64. BLUE MOUNTAIN (48) — Puzzi 2 0-0 5,
Stramara 3 0-0 8, Kerstetter 2 0-0 4, Lewis 2 2-2 6, Chelius 4 7-9 17, Albertini 3 1-4 8, Barton 0 0-0 0, Welsh 0 0-0 0,
Zerbe 0 0-0 0. Totals 16 10-15 48. Pot (16-0, 9-0) 15 12 20 17 — 64
BM (8-7, 5-4) 14 16 6 12 — 48 3-point FGs: Blankenhorn,
Abdo 2, Puzzi, Stramara 2, Chelius 2, Albertini
Crimson Tide earned A Hard Fought Victory
over Blue Mountain 64-48 The Crimson Tide
enter the game with 15-0 record, The Tide after leading 15-14 after the first quarter, found themselves behind for the first
time this season at 30-27. Blue Mountain held the lead with a high shooting percentage in the first half. The Tide came out
in the third quater with a 20 -6 run to take the lead at the end of the quarter 47-36. The Tide never looked back closing
out the fourth quarter with a 17-12 quarter. The final score was Crimson Tide 64, Blue Mountain 48.
The Tide was led by Eli "Big Easy" Nabholz's 17 points, Eli added 12 rebounds. Travis "Money" Blankenhorn
added 16 points, Jordan "Melo" Melochick added 13 points. Jordan Abdo coming off the bench added 10 points and hitting
a nice three pointer over an Eagle defender. The Tide now looks to play North Schuylkill on Saturday at Martz Hall. Pottsville (16-0): 15 12 20
17 (64) Blue Mountain (8-7): 14 16
6 12 (48) Pottsville: Hinchliffe 1 0-2 2, Painter 1 2-4 4, Blankenhorn 6 3-4 16, Dunkel 0 0-0 0, Melochick 5 3-5 b13, Witman
1 0-0 2, Abdo 4 0-0 10, Nabholz 6 5-8 17, Totals:24 13-23 (64) Blue Mountain: Puzzi
2 0-0 5, Stramara 3 0-0 8, Kerstetter 2 0-0 4, Barton 0 0-0 0, Welsh 0 0-0 0, Lewis 2 2-2 6, Chelius 4 7-9 17, Albertini 23
1-4 8, Zerbe 0 0-0 0, Totals: 16 10-15 (48) 3-Point FG's:Blankenhorn, Abdo
(2), Puzzi, Stramara (2), Chelius (2), Albertini
Travis 25 - Muhlenberg 23!
Pottsville 74 Muhlenberg 23 Travis Blankenhorn scored all of his game-high 25 points in the first half as the Crimson Tide blasted the Muhls
in a non-league game at Martz Hall. Eli Nabholz added 13 points for the Crimson Tide,
while Jordan Abdo had 12, all on 3-pointers. MUHLENBERG
(23) — Brown 1 2-3 4, Kipp 1 0-0 2, Aubourg 0 0-0 0, Prieto 0 0-1 0, Stinson 2 1-2 5, Fidler 1 1-1 3, Seibert 1 0-0
2, Heere 0 0-2 0, Richard 1 1-2 3, Jenkins 0 0-0 0, Nazario 0 0-0 0, Kauffman 1 0-0 2, Okonski 0 0-0 0, Sheipe 1 0-1 2. Totals
9 5-12 23. POTTSVILLE (74) — Hinchliffe 1 0-0 2, Gerchak 0
0-0 0, Painter 0 0-0 0, Blankenhorn 10 1-1 25, Thomas 2 0-0 5, Dunkel 1 0-3 2, Melochick 3 1-1 7, Shuman 0 0-0 0, Witman 0
1-2 1, Abdo 4 0-0 12, Nabholz 5 3-3 13, Coyle 1 0-0 3, Renninger 2 0-0 4, Schenk 0 0-0 0, O’Pake 0 0-0 0. Totals
29 6-10 74. Muhl (2-13) 3 6 6 8 — 23
Pot (15-0) 23 24 18 9 — 74 3-point FGs: Blankenhorn
4, Thomas, Adbo 4, Coyle JV score: Pottsville 54-27
What Can I Say!!!! Tide Rolls ! The Crimson Tide rolls over Pine Grove with a impressive victory
73-18. The Tide rolled to a 26-6, first quarter, with everybody scoring. The Tide built it's led to 56-6 at half time.
The starting five were finished for the night. The Tide coasted in the second half to close out the victory.Travis "Money"
Blankenhorn and Jordan Abdo finished the game with 12 points apiece, followed by Jordan "Melo" Melochick adding
10 points. Pottsville (14-0): 25 31
8 9 (73) Pine Grove: 6 0 4
8 (18) Pottsville: Hinchliffe 5 0-2
10, Gerchak 0 0-0 0, Painter 1 0-0 3, Blankenhorn 5 1-1 12, Dunkel 3 0-0 6, Melochick 2 1-1 6,, Shuman 0 0-0 0, Witman 1 0-0
3, Abdo 3 5-6 12, Nabholz 1 4-4 6, Coyle 3 0-0 9, Renninger 0 1-2 1, Schenk 2 1-2 5, O'Pake 0 0-0 0, Totals: 26 13-18 (73) Pine Grove: Rossi 0 0-0 0, 0 0-0 0, 1 0-0 2, 0 0-0 0, 1 0-0 2, 2 8-8 12, 1 0-0 2, 0 0-0 0, Totals:
5 8-9 (18) 3 Point FG's: Painter, Blankenhorn, Melochick, Witman, Abdo, Coyle (3)
Pottsville 73 Pine Grove 18 PINE GROVE —
Travis Blankenhorn and Jordan Abdo each scored 12 points as the Crimson Tide routed the Cardinals in a Division I game. POTTSVILLE (73) — Hinchliffe 5 0-2 10, Gerchak 0 0-0 0, Painter 1 0-0 3, Blankenhorn 5 1-1 12, Dunkel 3 0-0
6, Melochick 2 1-1 6, Shuman 0 0-0 0, Witman 1 0-0 3, Abdo 3 5-6 12, Nabholz 1 4-4 6, Coyle 3 0-0 9, Renninger 0 1-2 1, Schenk
2 1-2 5. Totals 26 13-18 73. PINE GROVE (18) — Rossi 0 0-1 0, Snedden
0 0-0 0, Soper 1 0-0 2, Kreiser 0 0-0 0, Leininger 1 0-0 2, D’Agostino 2 8-8 12, Weinus 1 0-0 2, Griffiths 0 0-0 0,
Fick 0 0-0 0. Totals 5 8-9 18. Pot (14-0, 8-0) 25 31 8 9 — 73
PG (2-12, 0-7) 6 0 4 8 — 18 3-point FGs: Painter, Blankenhorn,
Melochick, Witman, Abdo, Coyle 3 JV score: Pottsville 53-14
JIM THORPE — Travis Blankenhorn tallied a game-high 21 points as the Crimson Tide remained unbeaten
with a rout of the Olympians in a Division I game. Eli Nabholz added 15 points for Pottsville. Brian Carroll’s five points paced Jim Thorpe. POTTSVILLE
(62) — Hinchliffe 1 0-0 2, Gerchak 0 0-0 0, Painter 1 0-0 3, Blankenhorn 8 5-8 21, Thomas 0 0-0 0, Dunkel 2 1-2 5, Melochick
2 0-2 5, Shuman 0 0-0 0, Witman 2 0-0 5, Abdo 1 2-2 4, Nabholz 7 1-3 15, Coyle 0 0-0 0, Renninger 0 0-0 0, Schenk 0 0-0 0,
O’Pake 1 0-0 2. Totals 25 9-17 62. JIM THORPE (21) — Carroll
2 0-0 5, Veney 1 0-0 2, Elmore 1 0-0 2, Micciche 0 1-2 1, Green 1 1-2 3, O. Snisky 0 0-0 0, Lauer 0 0-0 0, Twardzick 0 0-0
0, Luciana 0 0-0 0, McElmoyle 1 0-0 2, Jefferson 1 0-0 2, S. Snisky 1 2-3 4, Everitt 0 0-0 0. Totals 8 4-7 21.
Pot (13-0, 7-0) 14 13 15 20 — 62 JT (5-8, 2-4) 1 8 5 7 — 21
3-point FGs: Painter, Melochick, Witman, Carroll
Crimson Tide rolls over Jim Thorpe The Crimson Tide rolled to it's 13 straight victory, with
a 62-21 win over Jim Thorpe. Travis "Money" Blankenhorn led the charge with 21 points, followed by Eli "Big
Easy" Nabholz's 15 points. The Tide took a 14-1 led after the first quarter and rolled to 27-9 half time led. The Tide
increased it's led to 42-14 after three. The Tide closed out the game at 62-21. Pottsville (13-0): 14 13 15 15 (62) Jim Thorpe: (5-8) 1 8 5
7 (21) Pottsville:
Hinchliffe 1 0-0 2, Gerchak 0 0-0 0, Painter 1 0-0 3, Blankenhorn 8 5-8 21, Thomas 0 0-0 0, Dunkel 2 1-2 5, Melochick 2 0-2
5, Shuman 0 0-0 0, Witman 2 0-0 5, Abdo 1 2-2 4, Nabholtz 7 1-3 15, Coyle 0 0-0 0, Renninger 0 0-0 0, Schenck 0 0-0 0, O'Pake
1 0-0 2, Totals: 5 9 -17 (62) Jim Thorpe:Carroll 2 1-1 5, Veney 1
0-0 2, Elmore 1 0-0 2, Miccicine 0 1-2 1, Green 1 1-2 3, Snisky 0 0-0 0, Laver 0 0-0 0, Twardzik 0 0-0 0, Luciana 0 0-0
0, McElmoyle 1 0-0 2, Jefferson 1 0-0 2, Snisky 1 2-3 4, Everitt 0 0-0 0, Totals: 8 4-8 (21) 3 Point FG's: Carroll,Painter, Melochick, Witman
Pottsville 58 Lehighton 38 LEHIGHTON —
Jordan Melochick led the Crimson Tide with 19 points, while Travis Blankenhorn added 12 as Pottsville used a 39-24 second
half to finish off the Indians in a Division I contest. Tyler Crum paced Lehighton with 17 points,
and Nick Chambers had 11. POTTSVILLE (58) — Hinchliffe 3 2-2
8, Painter 1 0-0 3, Blankenhorn 5 2-3 12, Dunkel 1 0-0 2, Melochick 7 4-4 19, Witman 1 0-0 2, Abdo 3 1-2 8, Nabholz 2 0-0
4. Totals 23 9-11 58. LEHIGHTON (38) — Crum 5 7-9 17, Zwetolitz
0 0-0 0, Williams 1 0-0 2, Chambers 5 0-3 11, Knappenberger 3 0-0 8, Greene 0 0-0 0. Totals 14 7-12 38.
Pot. (12-0, 6-0) 6 13 23 16 — 58 Leh. (9-4, 2-4) 6 8 15 9 — 38
3-point FGs: Painter, Melochick, Abdo, Chambers, Knappenberger 2
Crimson Tide Improves to 12 - 0 The Pottsville Crimson Tide ran it's win streak to 12 in a row
with a victory over Lehighton Indians on thier home court by a score of 58-38. The first quarter was a 6-6 tie, in which Eli"Big
Easy" Nabholz got two questionable fouls called on him, which limited his playing time in the first half and the
game. The Tide outscored the Indians 13-8, to go into the lockerroom with a 19-14 led at the half.
The Tide came out and outscored the Indians 23 - 15 in the third quarter taking a 42-29 led into the fourth quater. The Tide
closed it out in the fourth quarter and sealed a 58-38 victory, to improve to 12-0. The Tide was led by Jordan "Melo"
Melochick, best game of the seaon with a season high 19 points, Travis "Money" Blankenhorn followed with 12
points. Connor "Hitman" Hinchliffe and Jordan Abdo each added 8 points. When the Tide got into some foul trouble
the whole team responded with tough defense. The Highlight of the night, was "Coach"
Jake Guzick dance routine celebrating a Tide victory. The Tide play their next game Monday night at Martz Hall against
Jim Thorpe.
POTTSVILLE (58) — Hinchliffe 3 2-2 8, Painter 1 0-0 3, Blankenhorn 5 2-3 12, Dunkel 1 0-0 2,
Melochick 7 4-4 19, Witman 1 0-0 2, Abdo 3 1-2 8, Nabholz 2 0-0 4. Totals 23 9-11 58. LEHIGHTON (38) — Crum 5 7-9 17, Zwetolitz 0 0-0 0, Williams 1 0-0 2, Chambers 5 0-3 11, Knappenberger 3 0-0
8, Greene 0 0-0 0. Totals 14 7-12 38. Pot. (12-0, 6-0) 6 13 23 16 — 58
Leh. (9-4, 2-4) 6 8 15 9 — 38 3-point FGs: Painter, Melochick,
Abdo, Chambers, Knappenberger 2
Pottsville - Panther Valley
Crimson Tide Pounces on the Panthers The Crimson Tide rolled to it's highest point total this season with
a 80-28 victory over Panther Valley. A well round scoring effort by the Tide, with Travis "Money" Blankenhorn leading
the charge with 15 points, followed by Eli "Big Easy" Nabholz's 13 points. Connor "Hitman" Hinchcliffe
added his season high with 10 points, as did Jed Dunkels with his season high of 8 points, Jordan "Melo"
Melochick added 9 points. Every member of the team got extended playing time.The
Tide led 20-11 after the first quarter and streched it's led to 45-22 at half. The Tide's deffense shut out the Panthers in
the third period 19-0, The Tide closed out the game with a 80-28 final. The Tide will play lehighton on Saturday. Pottsville (11-0) 20 25 19 16 (80) Panther Valley 11 11 0
6 (28) Pottsville: Hinchliffe
4 0-0 10, Gerchak 0 2-2 2, Painter 1 0-0 2, Blankenhorn 7 0-0 15, Thomas 2 0-0 5, Dunkel 4 0-3 8, Melochick 4 0-0
9, Shuman 0 0-0 0, Witman 1 0-0 2, Abdo 2 1-2 5, Nabholz 5 2-3 v13, Coyle 1 0-0 3, Renninger 1 2-4 4, Schenck 1 0-0 2, O'Pake
0 0-0 0 Totals: 33 7-14 (80) Panther Valley: Kea 0 0-0 0, Dubosky 1 5-6 7, Vermillon
2 0-0 6, Stanko 0 0-0 0, Micholik 1 2-2 5, Nase 1 2-2 4, Miller 0 0-0 0, Hudicka 2 1-4 6, Eickoff 0 0-0 0, Weng 0 0-0 0, Fisher
0 0-0 0, Blasko 0- 0-0 0, Emmert 0 0-0 0, Morgans 0 0-0 0, Mehmeri 0 0-0 0, Totals: 7 10-14 (28) 3-Point FG's: Hinchliffe (2),Blankenhorn, Thomas,Nabholz,Coyle,Vermillon (2),Micholik,Hudicka
Pottsville 80 Panther Valley 28 Travis Blankenhorn
led a trio of double-digit scorers with 15 points as the Crimson Tide rolled past the Panthers in a Division I rout to clinch
a spot in the District 11 Class AAA playoffs. Eli Nabholz tallied 13 points and Connor Hinchliffe
had 10 for Pottsville, which had a 45-22 lead at halftime. PANTHER
VALLEY (28) — Keo 0 0-0 0, Dubosky 1 5-6 7, Vermillion 2 0-0 6, Stanko 0 0-0 0, Miholick 1 2-2 5, Nase 1 2-2 4, Miller
0 0-0 0, Hudicka 2 1-4 6, Eickoff 0 0-0 0, Wang 0 0-0 0, Fisher 0 0-0 0, Blasko 0 0-0 0, Emmert 0 0-0 0, Mehmeti 0 0-0 0.
Totals 7 10-14 28. POTTSVILLE (80) — Hinchliffe 4 0-0 10, Gerchak
0 2-2 2, Painter 1 0-0 2, Blankenhorn 7 0-0 15, Thomas 2 0-0 5, Dunkel 4 0-3 8, Melochick 4 0-0 9, Shuman 0 0-0 0, Witman
1 0-0 2, Abdo 2 1-2 5, Nabholz 5 2-3 13, Coyle 1 0-0 3, Renninger 1 2-4 4, Schenk 1 0-0 2, O’Pake 0 0-0 0. Totals
33 7-14 80. PV (2-10, 0-5) 11 11 0 6 — 28 Pot
(11-0, 5-0) 20 25 19 16 — 80 3-point FGs: Vermillion 2, Miholick, Hudicka,
Hinchliffe 2, Blankenhorn, Thomas, Melochick, Nabholz, Coyle JV score: Pottsville 50-15
Pottsville - Shamokin
Schuylkill League Boys' Basketball Semifinal CapsulesBy Mike Carnahan Published: February 11, 2015
Schuylkill League Boys’ Basketball Semifinals Tonight, at Martz Hall Tamaqua (18-4, Division I wild card) vs.
Minersville (18-3, Division II champ), 6 p.m. About Tamaqua Head coach:
Caszy Kosciolek (4th season) Previous Schuylkill League playoff appearances (since 1985): Five Last appearance: 1995 — Lost to Pottsville in semifinals League rankings: Offense
(3rd, 58.0 points per game), defense (3rd, 42.8 ppg) Probable starting lineup: G Russell Blaker
(jr., 6-1, 8.6 points per game), G Bo Rottet (sr., 6-0, 17.0), F Nate MacDonald (sr., 6-1, 5.7), F Tyler Skripko (sr., 5-10,
3.5), F-C Brett Kosciolek (sr., 6-7, 17.2) Key reserves: G Ernie Shilko (sr., 5-8, 1.7), G Ben
Miller (sr., 6-1, 1.4), G Thaddaeus Zuber (fr., 5-9, 1.2) About Minersville Head coach: Cliff Woodford (8th season) Previous Schuylkill League playoff appearances
(since 1985): Three Last appearance: 2011 — Lost to Pine Grove 54-47 in semifinals League rankings: Offense (6th, 53.8 ppg), defense (4th, 43.0 ppg) Probable starting lineup:
G Colin Hashin (sr., 5-8, 6.1), G Jon McBreen (jr., 6-2, 7.4), G Chris Leshko (jr., 6-2, 12.4), F David Graham (jr., 6-0,
11.0), F Spencer Tobin (sr., 6-1, 8.8) Key reserve: F Brian Brennan (jr., 6-2, 3.5) Game notes Two teams met during the regular season Dec. 8 with the Raiders winning 45-33.
Rottet had 23 points in the contest, while Graham had 10 for the Miners. ... Miners enter on eight-game winning streak. That
includes a 46-45 win over North Schuylkill on Jan. 31 and a 59-58 victory over Shenandoah Valley on Saturday. Leshko had the
go-ahead bucket in both games. ... Leshko is the league’s top 3-point shooter, averaging 2.4 per game. ... Rottet went
over 1,000 points for his career last week, joining Kosciolek, who did it last season. ... Tamaqua will likely play a 2-3
zone, but will show other zone looks, too. Miners will play man-to-man. ... Both teams — Tamaqua (Class AAA) and Minersville
(Class AA) — are listed as others to watch in latest PennLive.com Pennsylvania High School Rankings. Mahanoy Area (18-4, Division III champ) vs. Pottsville (22-0,
Division I champ), 7:30 p.m. About Mahanoy Area Head coach: Scott
Hudson (1st season) Previous Schuylkill League playoff appearances (since 1985): 17 overall, 5
titles (1991, 1999, 2005, 2006, 2014) Last appearance: 2014 — Beat Pottsville 45-44 in championship
game League rankings: Offense (5th, 53.9), defense (2nd, 42.3) Probable
starting lineup: G Matt Yedsena (jr., 6-0, 15.7), G Mike Wronski (jr., 5-9, 8.2), G Mike Joseph (soph., 5-8, 8.9), F Peter
Luddy (sr., 5-9, 2.3), F-C Brian Miller (sr., 6-3, 15.4) Key reserves: F Marcus Styka (jr., 6-1,
2.4) About Pottsville Head coach: Dave Mullaney (8th season) Previous Schuylkill League playoff appearances (since 1985): 17 overall, 10 titles (1985, 1989, 1993, 1995, 2000,
2004, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013) Last appearance: 2014 — Lost to Mahanoy Area 45-44 in championship
game League rankings: Offense (2nd, 62.3) defense (1st, 31.9) Probable
starting lineup: G Connor Hinchliffe (sr., 6-1, 4.5), G Ty Painter (sr., 5-7, 3.2), G Travis Blankenhorn (sr., 6-2, 16.9),
G-F Jordan Melochick (jr., 6-2, 9.3), F-C Eli Nabholz (sr., 6-5, 12.7) Key reserves: F Jed Dunkel
(sr., 6-2, 2.2), G Derek Shuman (sr., 6-1, 1.2), G Christian Witman (jr., 6-1, 1.9), G Jordan Abdo (soph., 5-10, 6.0) Game notes Rematch of last year’s title game. All five of Pottsville’s likely
starters tonight started in that game. Miller played for the Golden Bears and scored two points. ... With their 59-29 win
over Jim Thorpe last Friday, Crimson Tide became first boys’ team from Schuylkill League to finish with undefeated regular
season since Mahanoy Area (2006-07). ... Golden Bears were on an 11-game winning streak before going 2-2 in their final four
regular-season games. ... Crimson Tide have simply overwhelmed their opponents this season, winning their games by an average
margin of 30.4 points per game. ... Both teams will play a man-to-man. ... Crimson Tide are ranked No. 7 in Class AAA in latest
PennLive.com rankings. Golden Bears are a team to watch in Class AA. — Complied by Mike
Carnahan
UNDEFEATED!!!!!!
Perfection is preserved. Eli Nabholz scored 14 points, while Travis Blankenhorn
added 13 as Pottsville capped its undefeated regular season with a 50-29 Schuylkill League Division I victory over Jim Thorpe
on Friday in Martz Hall. With the win, the Crimson Tide became the first team in program history
to accomplish that feat. Pottsville is also the first team from the Schuylkill League to end the regular season with a perfect
record since Blue Mountain in 2002-03. Blankenhorn tallied all 13 of his points in the middle
two quarters as the Tide outscored the Olympians 28-12 in that stretch. Shane Snisky led Jim
Thorpe with nine points, while Chris Micciche had eight. JIM THORPE
(29) — Carroll 1 0-0 3, Elmore 0 0-2 0, Micciche 3 1-2 8, Green 0 0-0 0, Luicina 0 0-0 0, McElmoyle 2 0-0 5, S. Snisky
3 3-4 9, Everitt 1 1-2 4, Joyce 0 0-0 0. Totals 10 5-10 29. POTTSVILLE
(50) — Hinchliffe 2 1-1 6, Gerchak 0 0-0 0, Painter 1 0-0 3, Blankenhorn 6 0-0 13, Thomas 0 0-0 0, Dunkel 1 0-0 2, Melochick
0 1-2 1, Shuman 1 1-2 3, Witman 0 2-2 2, Abdo 0 0-0 0, Nabholz 6 2-2 14, Coyle 1 0-0 3, Renninger 0 1-2 1, Schenk 1 0-0 2,
O’Pake 0 0-0 0. Totals 19 8-11 50. JT (8-14, 4-10) 6 7 5 11 — 29
Pt (22-0, 14-0) 13 13 15 9 — 50 3-point FGs: Carroll, Micciche,
McElmoyle, Everitt, Hinchliffe, Painter, Blankenhorn, Coyle JV score: Pottsville 50-31
Perfection is preserved. Eli Nabholz scored 14 points, while Travis Blankenhorn added 13
as Pottsville capped its undefeated regular season with a 50-29 Schuylkill League Division I victory over Jim Thorpe on Friday
in Martz Hall. With the win, the
Crimson Tide became the first team in program history to accomplish that feat. Pottsville is also the first team from the
Schuylkill League to end the regular season with a perfect record since Blue Mountain in 2002-03. Blankenhorn tallied all 13 of his points in the middle two quarters
as the Tide outscored the Olympians 28-12 in that stretch. Shane Snisky led Jim Thorpe with nine points, while Chris Micciche had eight. JIM THORPE (29) — Carroll
1 0-0 3, Elmore 0 0-2 0, Micciche 3 1-2 8, Green 0 0-0 0, Luicina 0 0-0 0, McElmoyle 2 0-0 5, S. Snisky 3 3-4 9, Everitt 1
1-2 4, Joyce 0 0-0 0. Totals 10 5-10 29. POTTSVILLE (50) —
Hinchliffe 2 1-1 6, Gerchak 0 0-0 0, Painter 1 0-0 3, Blankenhorn 6 0-0 13, Thomas 0 0-0 0, Dunkel 1 0-0 2, Melochick 0 1-2
1, Shuman 1 1-2 3, Witman 0 2-2 2, Abdo 0 0-0 0, Nabholz 6 2-2 14, Coyle 1 0-0 3, Renninger 0 1-2 1, Schenk 1 0-0 2, O’Pake
0 0-0 0. Totals 19 8-11 50. JT (8-14, 4-10) 6 7 5 11 — 29 Pt
(22-0, 14-0) 13 13 15 9 — 50 3-point FGs: Carroll, Micciche, McElmoyle, Everitt, Hinchliffe, Painter, Blankenhorn, Coyle JV score: Pottsville 50-31
CRIMSON TIDE'S PERFECT SEASON 22 - 0 The Crimson Tide Completed the first perfect season in the school history tonight with
a 50-29 victory over Jim Thorpe!!!! Pottsville (22-0): Hinchliffe 2 1-1 6, Gerchak 0 0-0 0, Painter 1 0-0 3, Blankenhorn 6 0-0 13, Thomas 0 0-0
0, Dunkel 1 0-0 2, Melochick 0 1-2 1, Shuman 1 1-2 3, Witman 0 2-2 2,Abdo 0 0-0 0, Nabholz 6 2-2 14, Coyle 1 0-0 3, Renninger
0 1-2 1, Schenck 1 0-0 2, O'Pake 0 0-0 0, Totals: 19 8-11 (50) Jim Thorpe (): Carroll 1 0-0 3,Elmore 0 0-0 0, Micicle 3 1-2 8, Green 0 0-0 0, Luciana 0 0-0 0, Mcelmoyle 2
0-0 5, Snisky 3 3-4 9, Everitt 1 1-2 4, Joyce 0 0-0 0, T totals: 10 5-10 (29) 3 point FG'S: Carroll, Micciche, McElmoye, Everitt, Hinchliffe, Painter, Blankenhorn, Coyle
CRIMSON TIDE 22 - 0 Crimson Tide continue's it's run to the perfect regular season, The Tide plays Jim Thorpe in it's final game
at home, The Tide victory would be the First Time in School History that a team remained undefeated in the regular season!!!!
Pottsville 58 Lehighton 33 Travis Blankenhorn scored nine points and Connor Hinchilffe contributed eight during a 22-4 first-quarter
run for the Crimson Tide in a Division I rout of the Indians at Martz Hall. Blankenhorn finished with a game-high 16 points, while Hinchliffe added 10 for Pottsville. Jordan Knappenberger hit four 3-pointers to
pace Lehighton with 14 points. LEHIGHTON (33) — Ruzicka 0 0-0 0, Cordova 0 0-0 0, Crum 2 0-0 4, Zwetolitz 2 0-0 6, Ortiz 1
2-3 4, Williams 0 0-0 0, Buchinsky 0 0-0 0, Chambers 0 0-0 0, Knappenberger 5 0-0 14, Greene 2 1-2 5. Totals
12 3-4 33. POTTSVILLE
(58) — Hinchliffe 4 1-1 10, Painter 0 0-0 0, Blankenhorn 6 1-1 16, Thomas 1 1-2 3, Dunkel 1 0-0 2, Melochick 2 3-4 8,
Shuman 1 0-0 3, Witman 0 0-0 0, Abdo 2 2-2 7, Nabholz 4 0-0 9, Coyle 0 0-0 0. Totals 21 8-10 58. Leh (13-8,
6-7) 4 14 8 7 — 33 Po (21-0, 13-0) 22 8 17 11 — 58 3-point FGs: Zwetolitz 2, Knappenberger 4, Hinchliffe, Blankenhorn
3, Melochick, Shuman, Abdo, Nabholz JV score: Pottsville 51-30
Crimson Tides improves to 21 - 0 with a 58-33 victory over Lehighton!
Pottsville 79 Panther Valley 32 LANSFORD — Travis Blankenhorn scored 23 points, and Eli Nabholz added 15 as Pottsville roughed
up Panther Valley in a Division I game that clinched the divisional title for the Tide. Jordan Melochick recorded 14 points for Pottsville, which led 40-22 at the
half. POTTSVILLE (79) — Hinchliffe 1 2-2 4, Gerchak 0 0-0 0, Painter 2 1-1 5, Blankenhorn 9 0-0 23, Thomas 1 4-4
7, Dunkel 0 0-4 0, Melochick 5 3-4 14, Shuman 1 0-0 2, Witman 1 0-0 2, Abdo 1 0-0 2, Nabholz 7 1-2 15, Coyle 0 0-0 0, Renninger
1 1-3 3, Schenck 0 0-0 0, O’Pake 1 0-0 2. Totals 30 12-20 79. PANTHER VALLEY (32)
— Keo 0 0-0 0, Dubosky 4 1-2 10, Vermillion 1 0-3 2, Stanko 0 0-0 0, Micholik 2 0-0 6, Miller 1 0-0 2, Hudicka 2 0-0
5, Blasko 3 0-0 7, Morgans 0 0-0 0, Eickoff 0 0-0 0, Weng 0 0-0 0, Fisher 0 0-0 0, Mehmeti 0 0-0 0.Totals 13 1-5 32. Pott (19-0, 12-0) 19 21 22 17 — 79 PV
(3-16, 1-11) 14 8 2 8 — 32 3-point FGs: Blankenhorn 5, Thomas, Melochick, Dubosky, Micholik 2, Hudicka, Blasko JV score: Pottsville 59-17
Berks Catholic's late rally falls short against Pottsville
in boys basketball Thursday January 29, 2015 12:01 AM
By Mike Drago
Dave Mullaney brought his unbeaten Pottsville basketball team
down Route 61 Tuesday because he was eager to see how it responded to getting punched in the mouth. The Crimson Tide coach was not disappointed at seeing his guys walk away a little
bruised and swollen. "That's the first time this year
we've been in a game like this," said Mullaney after the Tide dodged a last-second 3-point bid and survived against Berks
Catholic 49-46 in a non-league rumble between playoff-bound teams.
"The reason we put this game on the schedule is to get better at the end-of-game situations," said Mullaney.
"We haven't had a ton of close games." The Tide
(19-0) got all it wanted from the Saints (10-8), who erased most of an 11-point, third-quarter deficit with a fierce fourth-quarter
rally. The Saints stepped up their defensive pressure
and got a pair of big steals from Isaac Lutz and a third from Pop Lacey, each resulting in layups. Lacey's, with 2:40 remaining, cut Pottsville's lead to 45-42. When Lacey found Tyrone Nesby on a backdoor cut 30 seconds later to again make it
a three-point game, Mullaney called timeout to discuss end-game strategy.
That's something his club, ranked No. 8 in the state in Class AAA by PennLive.com, hadn't done all season. The Tide had won each of its games by at least 15 points; it's average winning margin
of 32.4 was second-highest in the state. The Saints
accepted the challenge of playing a top team and brought it for a full 32 minutes. They jumped to leads of 5-0 and 12-5, Lutz sparking them with an early 3-pointer on his way
to 19 points. The experienced Tide, with five returning
starters and three Division I baseball recruits - Travis Blankenhorn (Kentucky), Eli Nabholz (Penn State) and Connor Hinchliffe
(LaSalle) - rose to the challenge. The 6-5 Nabholz
stuck a pair of 3-point daggers in the second quarter to lift his team to a 25-22 halftime lead, then dropped two more in
the third quarter as the Tide took command. He finished
with 19 points, hitting 4-of-6 from beyond the arc as he continually got free on screens and switches. The Saints fought back and made it a one-possession game; they came up short on
a couple of loose balls at the end that might've given them a chance to win it. Instead, they saw their six-game winning streak snapped when Lutz's off-balanced 3 from well beyond the arc was off
target at the final buzzer. "It all comes down
to the foul shots," said Saints coach Snip Esterly. "We're 9-for-18. That's the difference." Mullaney knows a tight game in a playoff atmosphere will only help his club come
March. "We did not handle things as well as we would
have liked the in the fourth quarter," he said. "Credit them. We knew how talented they were, and they're even better
than we thought. I was really impressed with Isaac Lutz. He caused us all kinds of problems." Esterly knows his team is getting close; just not close enough. "These are the (kind of) teams we have to beat to win something," he said,
"and we're not there yet." Contact Mike
Drago: 610-371-5061 or mdrago@readingeagle.com.
READING — Pottsville faced its toughest test of the season Wednesday night. Thanks to a big night from Eli Nabholz, the Crimson Tide’s bid for an undefeated regular season marches on. Nabholz scored 16 of his 19 points in the middle two quarters as Pottsville held on for a 49-46 non-league victory
over Berks Catholic. Nabholz, who knocked down four 3-pointers in the game, had eight points apiece
in second and third periods. The Crimson Tide (19-0) held a 29-15 scoring advantage in the middle quarters to take a 42-31
lead heading into the fourth. Jordan Melochick added 14 points for Pottsville, while Travis Blankenhorn
had 13. Melochick was 4-for-4 from the foul line in the fourth quarter. Isaac Lutz had 19 points
for Berks Catholic (10-8), which cut the deficit to 47-45 late in the game. The Saints had 13 seconds on the clock for their
last possession, but Lutz missed a wild 3-pointer at the buzzer. Pottsville finishes the regular
season at Panther Valley on Friday, hosting Lehighton on Feb. 3 and traveling to Jim Thorpe on Feb. 6. POTTSVILLE (49) — Hinchliffe 0 0-0 0, Painter 0 0-0 0, Blankenhorn 6 0-3 13, Dunkel
0 0-0 0, Melochick 3 6-6 14, Shuman 0 0-0 0, Witman 0 0-0 0, Abdo 1 0-0 3, Nabholz 6 3-3 19. Totals 16 9-12 49.
BERKS CATHOLIC (46) — Wilson 0 0-0 0, Gilbert 0 0-0 0, Suriel 0 0-0 0, Lacy 4 1-2
11, Lutz 7 4-8 19, Nesby 2 0-0 4, Reedy 1 0-0 2, Rivera 0 1-2 1, Jack 3 3-6 9. Totals 17 9-18 46. Pot (19-0) 13 12 17 7 — 49 BC (10-8) 16 6 9 15 — 46
3-point FGs: Blankenhorn, Melochick 2, Abdo, Nabholz 4, Lacy 2, Lutz JV
score: Pottsville 38-23
Crimson Tide Improves to 19 - 0 Pottsville Crimson Tide earned a hard victory over Berks Catholic with a 49-46 win. The Crimson Tide
was pushed all night, Berks Catholic took a 16-13 lead after, the first quarter. The Tide rebound in the second quarter with
a 12-6 run to lead at half 25-22. The Tide then took the third quarter with a 17-9 run to end the third up 42-31. Berks Catholic
push the Tide hard in the fourth, out scoring the Tide 15-7. The Tide earned it's 19th victory, closing out the game 49-46.
Eli "Big Easy" Nabholz led the Tide with 19 points, hitting a couple of big three's, Jordan "Melo" Melochick
added 14 points and Travis "Money" Blankenhorn chipped in 13 points. Pottsville (19-0) 13 12 17 7 (49) Berks Catholic 16 6 9
15 (46) Pottsville: Hincliffe 0 0-0 0,
Painter 0 0-0 0, Blankenhorn 6 0-3 13, Dunkel 0 0-0 0, Melochick 3 6-6 14, Shuman 0 0-0 0, Witman 0 0-0 0, Abdo 1 0-0 3, Nabholtz
6 3-3 19, Totals: 16 9-12 (49) Berks Catholic: Wilson 0 0-0
0,Giblert 0 0-0 0, Lacey 4 1-2 11, Lutz 7 4-8 19, Nesby 2 0-0 4, Reedy 1 0-0 2, Rivera 0 1-2 1, Jack 3 3-6 9, Totals:17 9-18
(46) 3 Point FG's:Lacey (2), Lutz, Blankenhorn, Melochick (2),
Abdo, Nabholz (4)
The Crimson Tide Wins it's sixth consecutive Division 1 Title with a 53-26 victory over Tamaqua
By Mike Carnahan, Republican-Herald
Sport Writer
It’s a challenge that any basketball team will go through during the
course of the regular season: Preparing for back-to-back games.
Pottsville (18-0) faces that tonight when they travel
to Berks League and District 3 powerhouse Berks Catholic (10-7).
The Crimson Tide are coming off a big 53-26 victory
over Tamaqua on Tuesday and prepared for both games at practice Sunday since Monday’s practice was cancelled when school
was closed due to the weather.
“With the way we approach it, and some coaches would
say this is crazy, but on our Sunday practice, we took the first half and did all Berks Catholic,” Pottsville coach
Dave Mullaney said. “Then as soon as that was done, we said ‘Guys, you have to put that aside. We are all onto
to Tamaqua.’ We then went on and focused on Tamaqua. With a different group of kids we may not do that. But they are
really mature, they get it, and they responded tonight.”
Tamaqua went last in practice Sunday since it was next
game for the Crimson Tide and Mullaney wanted to make sure that carried over into Tuesday instead of looking ahead to tonight.
“When we started on Tamaqua, we wanted to be all on Tamaqua,” he said. “We figured we were
going to have two days to prepare but we only had the one.”
If Pottsville wins tonight, it could be the Crimson
Tide’s last major hurdle to an undefeated regular season. Pottsville’s remaining three games are at Panther Valley
(3-15) on Friday, at home against Lehighton (11-7) next Tuesday and at Jim Thorpe (6-12) on Feb. 6. The Crimson Tide won the
first meetings with those teams rather handily.
Berks Catholic is in the same situation
as Pottsville. The Saints also played Tuesday, beating Fleetwood 56-44 in a Berks Section II contest. The win was the sixth
straight for Berks Catholic.
The Saints will be the fourth Berks League team the Crimson Tide have faced this season.
Pottsville beat Wilson West Lawn (8-11) 48-33 in the season opener Dec. 9, Governor Mifflin (10-10) 64-40 on Dec. 12 and Muhlenberg
(3-16) 74-23 on Jan. 17.
H.S. BOYS' BASKETBALL: Defense lifts Pottsville over TamaquaBy Mike
Carnahan Published: January 28, 2015 DAVID MCKEOWN/STAFF PHOTO Pottsville’s Travis Blankenhorn, left,
looks to pass the ball around Tamaqua’s Nate MacDonald, center, and Brett Kosciolek during Tuesday’s Schuylkill
League Division I game at Martz Hall. DAVID MCKEOWN/STAFF PHOTO Pottsville's Jordan Abdo, right, shoots over
Tamaqua's Brett Kosciolek (24) during Tuesday night’s Schuylkill League Division I boys’ basketball game at Martz
Hall. The Crimson Tide rolled to a 53-26 win.
Pottsville coach Dave Mullaney didn’t feel the Crimson Tide played championship-caliber
defense during their two games last week. The defense certainly returned in full force Tuesday
night, putting the Crimson Tide one step closer to their sixth consecutive division title. Pottsville
held Tamaqua to a season low in points, while Travis Blankenhorn scored a game-high 14 in the Crimson Tide’s 53-26 Schuylkill
League Division I victory at Martz Hall. Pottsville (18-0, 11-0 D-I) allowed a season-high in
points, including 30 in the first half, during a 64-48 victory against Blue Mountain a week ago. The Crimson Tide then gave
up 17 during the third quarter last Saturday against North Schuylkill before pulling away in a 60-34 victory. The defense showed up for all four quarters Tuesday. The Raiders (15-3, 9-2) came in
averaging 61.6 points per game, but couldn’t get anything going against the Crimson Tide. Tamaqua was held to single
digits in three quarters, including four in both the first and third, as Pottsville built a 12-4 lead after the first period
and 28-11 at the half. “Last week we didn’t come out and play our best games,”
Blankenhorn said. “We could have played better and definitely defended a lot better. I think we were more mentally
prepared today to do so. We were more prepared and more focused.” Pottsville won the earlier-season
meeting 57-40 on Jan. 5 and moved two games ahead of the Raiders for the division lead. The Crimson Tide can clinch the division
with a victory at Panther Valley on Friday. “Some of the things we didn’t do a very
good job of up there, as far as defending them and some of the switches we do, our kids really executed well,” Mullaney
said. “That’s a credit to them because we didn’t even have practice yesterday.
They focused in what we were able to do Sunday and what we relayed to them verbally and they really executed on that end.”
Eli Nabholz and Jordan Melochick added 11 points apiece for Pottsville, while Melochick had six
rebounds, Travis Painter three assists and Blankenhorn three steals. Bo Rottet led the Raiders
with 12 points. Brett Kosciolek had nine rebounds for Tamaqua, but was held to a season-low six points. Despite the loss, Tamaqua still controls its own density in clinching the division wild card and spot in the Schuylkill
League playoffs. The Raiders are two games ahead of both Blue Mountain (11-7, 6-4) and North Schuylkill (13-4, 6-4) for second
place in the division. Tuesday wasn’t the Raiders’ night as Tamaqua finished 10-for-38
(26 percent) from the floor, including a 4-for-24 (17 percent) showing in the first half. The Raiders also turned the ball
over 12 times. For most of the night, Melochick was matched up against Rottet, while Blankenhorn
guarded Kosciolek, allowing Nabholz to provide help. The Raiders went 4-for-14 from 3-point land,
with three of the treys coming in the fourth quarter when the game was decided. “You have
to keep some of their players off the 3-point line,” Blankenhorn said. “They have very good skill players who
can go to the basket and shoot 3s so we had to keep a lot of focus on them. Anyone on the team can score so it was a big team
effort from the whole defensive group.” The Crimson Tide were patient offensively against
the Raiders’ 2-3 zone, finishing 18-of-36 (50 percent) from the floor. They were also 6-for-17 from beyond the arc. “It wasn’t an up-and-down game,” Mullaney said. “Efficiency wise I thought we played pretty
well. and when we got the lead, we had a couple of possessions in there where we ran some clock, which is a good thing.” Blankenhorn scored all his points in the first half, including on a drive from the wing for the first points of the
game and on a 3. He also hit 2-of-3 from the line after he was fouled on a 3-point attempt at 2:39, giving Pottsville a 10-4
lead. Melochick finished off the quarter, hitting a 7-foot baseline jumper at 1:08 to make it
12-4. A Blankenhorn baseline layup, a Jordan Abdo 3-pointer and two free throws from Blankenhorn
gave the Crimson Tide a 20-6 lead with 4:29 left in the first half. Tamaqua got to within 24-11 after Rottet hit two foul
shots at 1:58, but Nabholz gave Pottsville its 28-11 halftime lead. Painter set him up for a layup and he then scored on a
baseline jumper with 50 seconds left. Game Summary TAMAQUA (26) —
Shilko 0 0-0 0, Blaker 2 0-2 6, Miller 0 0-2 0, Rottet 4 2-2 12, Coleman 0 0-0 0, Zuber 0 0-0 0, MacDonald 0 0-0 0, Murphy
0 0-0 0, Skripko 1 0-0 2, Kosciolek 3 0-0 6, Scott 0 0-0 0, Berezwick 0 0-0 0. Totals 10 2-4 26. POTTSVILLE (53) — Hinchliffe 2 0-0 4, Gerchak 0 0-0 0, Painter 0 0-0 0, Blankenhorn 3 6-8 14, Thomas 0 0-0
0, Dunkel 3 0-0 6, Melochick 4 1-1 11, Shuman 0 0-0 0, Witman 0 0-0 0, Abdo 2 0-0 5, Nabholz 4 2-2 11, Renninger 0 0-0 0,
Schenk 1 0-0 2. Totals 19 9-11 53. Tam (15-3, 9-2) 4 7 4 11 — 26
Pot (18-0, 11-0) 12 16 14 11 — 53 3-point FGs: Blaker 2,
Rottet 2, Blankenhorn 2, Melochick 2, Abdo, Nabholz JV score: Pottsville 63-16
By Mike Carnahan, Republican-Herald Sports Writer
Pottsville coach Dave Mullaney didn’t feel the Crimson Tide played
championship-caliber defense during their two games last week.
The defense certainly returned in full force Tuesday
night, putting the Crimson Tide one step closer to their sixth consecutive division title.
Pottsville held Tamaqua to
a season low in points, while Travis Blankenhorn scored a game-high 14 in the Crimson Tide’s 53-26 Schuylkill League
Division I victory at Martz Hall.
Pottsville (18-0, 11-0 D-I) allowed a season-high in points, including 30 in the first
half, during a 64-48 victory against Blue Mountain a week ago. The Crimson Tide then gave up 17 during the third quarter last
Saturday against North Schuylkill before pulling away in a 60-34 victory.
The defense showed up for all four quarters
Tuesday.
The Raiders (15-3, 9-2) came in averaging 61.6 points per game, but couldn’t get anything going against
the Crimson Tide. Tamaqua was held to single digits in three quarters, including four in both the first and third, as Pottsville
built a 12-4 lead after the first period and 28-11 at the half.
“Last week we didn’t come out and play our
best games,” Blankenhorn said. “We could have played better and definitely defended a lot better. I think we were
more mentally prepared today to do so. We were more prepared and more focused.”
For the rest of the
story, pick up a copy of Wednesday’s Republican-Herald.
Crimson Tide Rolls to it's Sixth
Consecutive Division 1 Title, with a 53-26 victory over Tamaqua Blue Raiders. The Crimson Tide's Defense was stifling holding
Tamaqua to 11 points at half time. The Tide open the first quarter with a 12-4 score and increased it's led to 28-11 at the
half. THe Tide outscored Tamaqua 14-4 in the third quarter. The Tide then closed out the game in the fourth for a 53-26 victory
and it's eighteen win of the year.
The Tide was led by Travis "Money" Blankenhorn's 14 points, Eli "Big Easy" Nabholz and Jordan "Melo"
Melochick each added 11 points a piece. The Tide travels, tomorrow to Berks Catholic for a non-league game. Pottsville (18-0)
12 16 14 11 (53) Tamaqua (15-3) 4 7 4 11
(26) Pottsville: Hinchliffe 2 0-0 4, Gerchak 0 0-0 0, Painter 0 0-0 0, Blankenhorn 3 6-8 14, Thomas 0 0-0 0, Dunkel
2 0-0 4, Melochick 4 1-1 11, Shuman 1 0-0 2, Witman 0 0-0 0, Abdo 2 0-0 5, Nabholtz 4 2-2 11, Coyle 0 0-0 0, Renninger 1 0-0
2, Schenck 0 0-0 0 Totals: 19 9-11 (53) Tamaqua:Shilko 0 0-0 0, Blaker 2 0-0 6, Miller 0 0-0 0, Rottet 4 2-2 12, Coleman
0 0-0 0, Zuber 0 0-0 0, Macdonald 0 0-0 0, Murphy 0 0-0 0, Skripko 1 0-0 2, Kosciolek 3 0-0 6, Scott 0 0-0 0, Berezwick
0 0-0 0 Totals: 10 2-6 (26) 3-Point FG's: Blaker (2), Rottet, Blankenhorn (2), Melochick (2), Abdo, Nabholtz
H.S. BOYS' BASKETBALL: Pottsville pulls away to down SpartansBy Mike Carnahan Published: January 25, 2015
North
Schuylkill gave Pottsville everything it could handle Saturday evening. But when the Crimson Tide
needed to turn it on, they showed why they’ve been the team to beat in the Schuylkill League all season and a top-10
Class AAA team in Pennsylvania. Eli Nabholz scored 12 of his game- and season-high 25 points in
the fourth quarter as Pottsville pulled away for a 60-34 win over the Spartans in a Division I contest at Martz Hall. The game was closer than the final indicated. Down 32-15 at halftime, North Schuylkill
cut Pottsville’s lead to 43-32 at the end of the third. Then Nabholz took over. The 6-foot-5 forward scored the Crimson Tide’s next 12 points. When he knocked down two free throws after he
was fouled on a putback attempt, Pottsville led 54-34 with 2:21 left in the game. “I was
trying to finish the game.” Nabholz said. “It was just a situation where any one of us could step up and today
in the fourth quarter it was my turn to step up.” Led by Nabholz, the Crimson Tide (17-0,
10-0 D-I) were 7-for-12 from the field in fourth and forced the Spartans (12-4, 6-4) into six turnovers. The victory inched
the Crimson Tide closer to their sixth consecutive Division I title. “We have a lot of experience,”
said Nabholz, whose previous season high was 19 against Governor Mifflin on Dec. 1. “The whole game we knew we weren’t
playing as well as we could have. Give North Schuylkill credit. They came out and were ready to play and we were caught a
little off guard by that. We are mature enough to know when we needed to start playing harder and step it up a little bit.” Jordan Melochick had 14 points for Pottsville, with all of them coming in the first half to help the Crimson Tide
build their 17-point halftime advantage. Ty Painter also had four steals on the night and Travis Blankenhorn six rebounds. Jordan Marlow had 11 points to lead North Schuylkill, while John Mercado had four assists. The Spartans’ Major
Jordan also held Blankenhorn to a season-low seven points. Saturday’s performance was marked
improvement from the earlier-season meeting between the two Dec. 22, a 55-21 Pottsville rout. Since then, the Spartans have
won 8-of-10, with Saturday’s loss snapping a five-game winning streak. North Schuylkill
didn’t make it easy for the Crimson Tide. “We were doing what we normally do and we
were trying to get them out of their comfort zone and make them work a little harder offensively,” Spartans coach Curt
Ziegmont said. “It is tough to do that for 32 minutes. They are good. You have to give them a lot of credit, those kids
responded in the fourth quarter. We did some silly things. I am proud of the effort of my guys.” The Spartans trailed 37-15 early in the second half before finishing the third quarter on a 17-5 run to get to within
42-32. Marlow had seven of his points in third as North Schuylkill started to attack the basket. Jordan finished off the
run, working his way inside for two after an offensive rebound with 37 seconds left in the quarter. That
was as close as the Spartans got. Nabholz opened the fourth with a 3-pointer, one of his four
in the game, from the top of the circle, and then completed a three-point play to make it 48-32 at 6:38. He later scored on
an inside spin move and then again in the paint. After Marlow scored the Spartans’ last points of the game, Nabholz
knocked down two foul shots for a 56-34 advantage. “He was a beast,” Ziegmont said.
“It is very difficult to guard a 6-5 kid who can post you up and knock down 3s all night.” While Nabholz led the way in the fourth quarter, Melochick was the Tide’s offensive spark in the first half. He gave Pottsville the lead for good at 7-5 with a 3-pointer at 2:29 of the first quarter. Melochick then scored
nine of his points in the second period. He began the second with a three-point play off a baseline drive, and later on a
layup off an assist by Nabholz. Melochick hit two foul shots with 1:11 in the first half and finished the half by knocking
down a 10-foot baseline jumper as the buzzer sounded to give the Crimson Tide their 32-15 advantage. “It’s
a run play for me and Eli is supposed to pass it to me,” Melochick said. “The kid pushed me off so I just got
the ball and knew time was expiring so I just turned around and shot it and it went in. “I
just try to be aggressive and score and make plays for my teammates.” Game Summary NORTH SCHUYLKILL (34) — Carney 0 0-0 0, Marlow 5 0-0 11, Murray 2 2-4 6, Mazur 0 0-0 0, Wood 0 0-0 0, Mercado
2 2-2 6, Smith 0 0-0 0, Mazeika 1 0-0 2, Jordan 3 1-2 7, Heaton 1 0-0 2. Totals 14 5-8 34. POTTSVILLE (60) — Hinchliffe 3 0-3 6, Painter 1 0-0 2, Blankenhorn 3 0-0 7, Dunkel 0 0-0 0, Melochick 5 3-3
14, Shuman 0 0-0 0, Witman 2 0-0 4, Abdo 1 0-0 2, Nabholz 8 5-5 25, Renninger 0 0-0 0. Totals 23 8-11 60.
NS (12-4, 6-4) 8 7 17 2 — 34 Pot (17-0, 10-0) 14 18 10 18 — 60
3-point FGs: Marlow, Blankenhorn, Melochick, Nabholz 4
The "Big Easy" leads the Crimson
Tide to victory over North Schuylkill Eli "Big Easy"
Nabholz score a season high 25 points to lead the Tide to a 60-34 victory over North Schulkill. The Tide led 14-8 after the
first quarter. The Tide pushed the lead to 32-15 at half. North Schuylkill out scored the Tide 17-10 in the third quarter
to narrow The Tide's lead to 42-32, after three. The Tide then rolled to 18-2 fourth quarter to seal it's 17 straight Victory
of the season. The Tide's scoring was led by Eli Nabholtz's 25 points, followed by
Jordan "Melo" Melochick's 14 points. The Tide will now face Tamaqua, this Tuesday night for the Division I
title. Pottsville (17-0) 14 18
10 18 (60) North Schuylkill (14-3) 8
7 17 2 (34) Pottsville:
Hinchliffe 3 0-3 6, Painter 1 0-0 2, Blankenhorn 3 0-0 7, Dunkel 0 0-0 0, Melochick 5 3-3 14, Shuman 0 0-0 0, Witman
2 0-0 4, Abdo 1 0-0 2, Nabholz 8 5-5 25, Renninnger 0 0-0 0, Totals: 23 8-11 (60) North
Schuylkill: Carney 0 0-0 0, Marlow 5 0-0 11, Wiest 0 0-0 0, Murray 2 2-4 6, Mazur 0 0-0 0, Wood 0 0-0 0, Mercado 2 2-2 6,
Smith 0 0-0 0, Mazeika 1 0-0 2, Jordan 3 1-3 7, Heaton 1 0-0 2, Totals 14 5-9 (34) 3
Point FG's: Marlow, Blankenhorn, Melochick, Nabholtz (4)
ORWIGSBURG — Travis Blankenhorn and Eli Nabholz combined for 23 second-half points to lead
unbeaten Pottsville to a 64-48 comeback victory over Blue Mountain in a Division I game Tuesday. After
Blue Mountain led 30-27 at halftime, the Crimson Tide outscored the Eagles 20-6 in the third quarter. The
rally included an intentional foul on Blankenhorn. He sank one of his two foul shots and Pottsville’s Jordan Abdo
scored a 3-pointer on the ensuing possession, building the Tide’s lead to 44-34. Nabholz
had 17 points, while Blankenhorn posted 16, Jordan Melochick had 13 and Abdo had 10. Mark Chelius
had 17 points for Blue Mountain. POTTSVILLE (64) — Hinchliffe
1 0-2 2, Painter 1 2-4 4, Blankenhorn 6 3-4 16, Melochick 5 3-5 13, Witman 1 0-0 2, Abdo 4 0-0 10, Nabholz 6 5-8 17, Dunkel
0 0-0 0. Totals 24 13-24 64. BLUE MOUNTAIN (48) — Puzzi 2 0-0 5,
Stramara 3 0-0 8, Kerstetter 2 0-0 4, Lewis 2 2-2 6, Chelius 4 7-9 17, Albertini 3 1-4 8, Barton 0 0-0 0, Welsh 0 0-0 0,
Zerbe 0 0-0 0. Totals 16 10-15 48. Pot (16-0, 9-0) 15 12 20 17 — 64
BM (8-7, 5-4) 14 16 6 12 — 48 3-point FGs: Blankenhorn,
Abdo 2, Puzzi, Stramara 2, Chelius 2, Albertini
Crimson Tide earned A Hard Fought Victory
over Blue Mountain 64-48 The Crimson Tide
enter the game with 15-0 record, The Tide after leading 15-14 after the first quarter, found themselves behind for the first
time this season at 30-27. Blue Mountain held the lead with a high shooting percentage in the first half. The Tide came out
in the third quater with a 20 -6 run to take the lead at the end of the quarter 47-36. The Tide never looked back closing
out the fourth quarter with a 17-12 quarter. The final score was Crimson Tide 64, Blue Mountain 48.
The Tide was led by Eli "Big Easy" Nabholz's 17 points, Eli added 12 rebounds. Travis "Money" Blankenhorn
added 16 points, Jordan "Melo" Melochick added 13 points. Jordan Abdo coming off the bench added 10 points and hitting
a nice three pointer over an Eagle defender. The Tide now looks to play North Schuylkill on Saturday at Martz Hall. Pottsville (16-0): 15 12 20
17 (64) Blue Mountain (8-7): 14 16
6 12 (48) Pottsville: Hinchliffe 1 0-2 2, Painter 1 2-4 4, Blankenhorn 6 3-4 16, Dunkel 0 0-0 0, Melochick 5 3-5 b13, Witman
1 0-0 2, Abdo 4 0-0 10, Nabholz 6 5-8 17, Totals:24 13-23 (64) Blue Mountain: Puzzi
2 0-0 5, Stramara 3 0-0 8, Kerstetter 2 0-0 4, Barton 0 0-0 0, Welsh 0 0-0 0, Lewis 2 2-2 6, Chelius 4 7-9 17, Albertini 23
1-4 8, Zerbe 0 0-0 0, Totals: 16 10-15 (48) 3-Point FG's:Blankenhorn, Abdo
(2), Puzzi, Stramara (2), Chelius (2), Albertini
BOYS' BB NOTEBOOK: Mid-season reportBy Mike Carnahan Published: January 20, 2015
I am running a bit behind this year. Usually by this point, I’ve put together my annual mid-season look at the high school boys’ basketball
season. We are, however, past that point. In fact, a good majority of the teams are headed down the home stretch and —
hard to believe — the Schuylkill League playoffs are just three weeks away. So with thoughts
of Martz Hall and the postseason not that far off, let’s call this the beyond mid-season progress report. As expected, Pottsville (15-0 overall, 8-0 Division I) has been as good as everybody anticipated. In fact, the Crimson
Tide, ranked No. 8 in the state in the most recent Pennlive.com Class AAA rankings, have been dominating, winning their games
by an average of 33.6 points per game. While the Crimson Tide appear to be well on their way to
winning their sixth consecutive division title, there are still plenty of races to follow in the coming weeks. Tamaqua (13-2, 7-1) is a game behind Pottsville for the Division I lead and is two games up on Blue Mountain (8-6,
5-3) for second place in the division and the league wild-card spot. North Schuylkill (9-3, 4-3) is 2½ games behind
Tamaqua. Minersville (10-3, 6-1) and Williams Valley (9-4, 5-2) have emerged as the leaders in
Division II, with the Vikings a game out of first. The Miners won the first meeting of the season between the two Dec. 15,
with the second showdown set for Friday in Tower City. Mahanoy Area (11-2, 7-0), last year’s
overall league champ, has taken control of the Division III race. The Golden Bears have come together in the new year and
are two games ahead of Shenandoah Valley (6-8, 5-2) and three up on Nativity (8-6, 4-3) in the division. What follows is a brief look at how all 21 area teams are doing to this point in the season: DIVISION I Blue Mountain (8-6 overall, 5-3 D-I) Team rankings: Offense (53.8 points per game, 7th), defense (50.0, 12th) Leading scorers:
Mark Chelius (15.8 points per game), Aaron Albertini (11.0) Review/outlook: The Eagles’
non-league win over Pleasant Valley on Saturday snapped a two-game losing skid. In the running for a spot in the Schuylkill
League and District 11 Class AAA playoffs. Making the postseason would be beneficial for a team that starts three sophomores
and a junior. Jim Thorpe (5-9, 2-5) Team rankings: Offense (46.1,
11th), defense (51.1, 13th) Leading scorers: Shane Snisky (10.1), Rayan Green (9.8) Review/outlook: The Olympians have taken steps forward since last season and had won 3-of-4 before suffering a three-game
losing streak against the division’s top-three teams. A strong finish in their seven remaining division games might
get them a spot in the District 11 Class AAA field. Lehighton (10-5, 3-4) Team
rankings: Offense (64.5, 2nd), 54.3, 17th) Leading scorers: Jordan Knappenberger (15.9), Tyler
Crum (14.6) Review/outlook: Indians have gone 1-4 after a 9-1 start and the 30 points scored during
a loss to Northampton on Saturday were a season low. They still have plenty of talented offensive players, but need to break
out of their slump to make a run during the District 11 Class AAA playoffs. North Schuylkill (10-3,
4-3) Team rankings: Offense (52.1, 8th), defense (46.5, 8th) Leading
scorers: Tevin Murray (14.2), Major Jordan (9.7) Review/outlook: The Spartans have won three straight,
including a big win over Blue Mountain last Thursday that got them back in the division wild-card race. Defense has been solid
for the most part, but the foul shooting (49.8 percent) must improve. Panther Valley (3-12, 1-7) Team rankings: Offense (35.7, 19th), defense (57.7, 19th) Leading scorers: Chad Dubosky
(7.5), Tristan Blasko (6.9) Review/outlook: The young Panthers have struggled on both ends of
the floor. Thursday’s 68-51 loss to Lehighton was a big improvement from the 75-31 defeat to the Indians earlier in
the season. Looking to be more competitive down the stretch and build for the future. Pine Grove
(2-13, 0-7) Team rankings: Offense (41.1, 16th), defense (56.3, 18th) Leading
scorers: Kobe D’Agostino (17.7), Mark Weinus (7.4) Review/outlook: D’Agostino is having
standout year for the Cardinals, who have loss six in a row. Looking for a strong finish as the program continues to rebuild. Pottsville (15-0, 8-0) Team rankings: Offense (63.9, 3rd), defense (30.3, 1st) Leading scorers: Travis Blankenhorn (17.9), Eli Nabholz (11.2) Review/outlook: The Crimson
Tide have overwhelmed the opposition. The big question is, how far will they go in the postseason? Tamaqua
(13-2, 7-1) Team rankings: Offense (53.8, 4th), defense (43.3, 4th) Leading
scorers: Brett Kosciolek (18.5), Bo Rottet (17.5) Review/outlook: The Raiders are having their
best season in years and control their own destiny in their quest to make the league playoffs for the first time since 1995.
Now have the solid defense to go along with an already high-scoring offense. DIVISION II Lourdes (4-10, 1-6) Team rankings: Offense (39.4, 18th), defense (44.9, 7th) Leading scorers: Larry Czeponis (10.2), Jordan Fobia (9.1) Review/outlook: Red Raiders’
win over Sunbury Christian on Saturday snapped an eight-game losing streak. Defense has been pretty solid, but the offense
has struggled. Strong finish will build momentum for a team that is loaded with underclassmen. Minersville
(10-3, 6-1) Team rankings: Offense (51.3, 9th), defense (42.6, 2nd) Leading
scorers: Chris Leshko (11.4), David Graham (11.0) Review/outlook: A last-second, heart-breaking
loss to Mahanoy Area last Thursday snapped a four-game winning streak. Strong defense has backed up a balanced offensive attack.
Need one more win to reach the District 11 Class AA playoffs. Could put themselves in position to win division title with
victory at Williams Valley on Friday. Schuylkill Haven (7-8, 3-4) Team
rankings: Offense (45.0, 14th), defense (44.0, 5th) Leading scorers: Danny Blugis (11.2), J.T.
Hughes (9.0) Review/outlook: Hurricanes dropped back under .500 with two losses this past week.
Offense hasn’t been great, but defense has kept them in every game. Have played hard to this point and need to finish
strong to be rewarded with a District 11 Class AA playoff berth. Tri-Valley (2-10, 0-7) Team rankings: Offense (45.7, 13th), defense (52.1, 15th) Leading scorers: Jaden Buchanan
(14.0), Jericho Zemencik (9.8) Review/outlook: The Bulldogs have been a disappointment and are
currently on a nine-game losing streak. A few wins would help end the season on a positive note. Williams
Valley (9-5, 5-2) Team rankings: Offense (45.8, 12th), defense (44.4, 6th) Leading scorers: Nick Rodichok (18.8), Cody Miller (9.1) Review/outlook: After a 1-2
start, the Vikings have won 8-of-11. Defense has kept them in games while offense has produced enough points to put them two
wins away from a spot in the District 11 Class AA playoffs. A victory over Minersville on Friday will make a tight division
race even tighter. DIVISION III Mahanoy Area (12-2, 2-7) Team rankings: Offense (54.4, 5th), defense (42.9, 3rd) Leading scorers: Matt Yedsena
(15.7), Brian Miller (15.0) Review/outlook: The Golden Bears have been perfect in the new year,
winning seven straight. Defense has been strong again, while plenty of new faces have stepped up offensively. Already postseason
bound and in control of their own destiny to win a third straight division title. Marian (6-7,
3-4) Team rankings: Offense (43.4, 15th), defense (47.5, 10th) Leading
scorers: Mike Vercusky (8.8), Nick Wesner (8.8) Review/outlook: Colts put themselves back in the
running for a spot in the District 11 Class AA playoffs by winning three of their last four games. Have been competitive in
most division contests and have plenty of opportunities to make the postseason. Nativity (9-6,
4-3) Team rankings: Offense (54.3, 6th), defense (53.3, 16th) Leading
scorers: Jeff Yordy (23.5), Dominic Piccioni (9.7) Review/outlook: Hilltoppers have hit a bit
of a rough patch, losing 2-of-5 after a 7-3 start. Other scorers have stepped up to complement Yordy, but the defense needs
to improve. All but certain to make the District 11 Class A playoffs. Shenandoah Valley (7-8,
5-2) Team rankings: Offense (50.3, 10th), defense (49.2, 11th) Leading
scorers: Joel Santana (18.8), Ian McCole (10.7) Review/outlook: Blue Devils are coming around,
winning five straight after a 2-8 start. Hot streak has got them back in the division race and put them in position to qualify
for the District 11 Class A playoffs. Will be a team to reckon with down the stretch. Weatherly
(3-9, 1-6) Team rankings: Offense (39.9, 17th), defense (46.8, 9th) Leading
scorers: Luke Reiner (13.3), Luke Figas (9.3) Review/outlook: The Wreckers’ defense has
been decent, however offense has really struggled. Been competitive and in their share of games, but have been unable to finish
them off with wins. BERKS LEAGUE Hamburg (0-17, 0-6) Team rankings: Offense (32.2, 20th), defense (59.3, 20th) Leading scorers: Logan Adams
(8.4), Corey Evangelista (5.1) Review/outlook: The Hawks have been a little bit more respectable
offensively the past four games, but the defense gives up way too many points to be competitive. Program has a long way to
go and a win or two would be a step in the right direction. TRI-VALLEY LEAGUE Upper Dauphin (12-3, 7-1) Team rankings: Offense (65.7, 1st), defense (51.5, 14th) Leading scorers: Matthew Miller (24.5), Alex Uhler (10.2) Review/outlook: Trojans have
won four straight and are tied for first place in the Tri-Valley League East Division with Halifax. Are in position to qualify
for the District 3 Class AA playoffs and are in the hunt to make the TVL’s four-team league playoffs. INDEPENDENT Gillingham Charter (0-11) Team rankings: Offense
(17.1, 21st), defense (61.9, 21st) Leading scorers: Isaiah Thompson (5.8), Nate Woodling (4.5) Review/outlook: The 40 points scored during a loss to Berks Christian last Thursday were a program high for the Wolf
Pack. Still searching for program’s first victory. (Carnahan is the boys’ basketball
beat writer for The-Republican-Herald. Follow him on Twitter @mdcarnahan71 and read his blog at http://blogs.republicanherald.com/ac/) Power poll Through Jan. 17 W-L Pvs 1. Pottsville 15-0 1 2. Tamaqua 13-2 2 3. Mahanoy Area 12-2 7 4. Minersville 10-3 4 5. North
Schuylkill 10-3 6 6. Blue Mountain 8-6 5 7. Lehighton 10-5 3 8. Upper Dauphin 12-3 10 9. Williams Valley 9-5 9 10.
Nativity 9-6 8 — Complied by Mike Carnahan
Travis 25 - Muhlenberg 23!
Pottsville 74 Muhlenberg 23 Travis Blankenhorn scored all of his game-high 25 points in the first half as the Crimson Tide blasted the Muhls
in a non-league game at Martz Hall. Eli Nabholz added 13 points for the Crimson Tide,
while Jordan Abdo had 12, all on 3-pointers. MUHLENBERG
(23) — Brown 1 2-3 4, Kipp 1 0-0 2, Aubourg 0 0-0 0, Prieto 0 0-1 0, Stinson 2 1-2 5, Fidler 1 1-1 3, Seibert 1 0-0
2, Heere 0 0-2 0, Richard 1 1-2 3, Jenkins 0 0-0 0, Nazario 0 0-0 0, Kauffman 1 0-0 2, Okonski 0 0-0 0, Sheipe 1 0-1 2. Totals
9 5-12 23. POTTSVILLE (74) — Hinchliffe 1 0-0 2, Gerchak 0
0-0 0, Painter 0 0-0 0, Blankenhorn 10 1-1 25, Thomas 2 0-0 5, Dunkel 1 0-3 2, Melochick 3 1-1 7, Shuman 0 0-0 0, Witman 0
1-2 1, Abdo 4 0-0 12, Nabholz 5 3-3 13, Coyle 1 0-0 3, Renninger 2 0-0 4, Schenk 0 0-0 0, O’Pake 0 0-0 0. Totals
29 6-10 74. Muhl (2-13) 3 6 6 8 — 23
Pot (15-0) 23 24 18 9 — 74 3-point FGs: Blankenhorn
4, Thomas, Adbo 4, Coyle JV score: Pottsville 54-27
What Can I Say!!!! Tide Rolls ! The Crimson Tide rolls over Pine Grove with a impressive victory
73-18. The Tide rolled to a 26-6, first quarter, with everybody scoring. The Tide built it's led to 56-6 at half time.
The starting five were finished for the night. The Tide coasted in the second half to close out the victory.Travis "Money"
Blankenhorn and Jordan Abdo finished the game with 12 points apiece, followed by Jordan "Melo" Melochick adding
10 points. Pottsville (14-0): 25 31
8 9 (73) Pine Grove: 6 0 4
8 (18) Pottsville: Hinchliffe 5 0-2
10, Gerchak 0 0-0 0, Painter 1 0-0 3, Blankenhorn 5 1-1 12, Dunkel 3 0-0 6, Melochick 2 1-1 6,, Shuman 0 0-0 0, Witman 1 0-0
3, Abdo 3 5-6 12, Nabholz 1 4-4 6, Coyle 3 0-0 9, Renninger 0 1-2 1, Schenk 2 1-2 5, O'Pake 0 0-0 0, Totals: 26 13-18 (73) Pine Grove: Rossi 0 0-0 0, 0 0-0 0, 1 0-0 2, 0 0-0 0, 1 0-0 2, 2 8-8 12, 1 0-0 2, 0 0-0 0, Totals:
5 8-9 (18) 3 Point FG's: Painter, Blankenhorn, Melochick, Witman, Abdo, Coyle (3)
Pottsville 73 Pine Grove 18 PINE GROVE —
Travis Blankenhorn and Jordan Abdo each scored 12 points as the Crimson Tide routed the Cardinals in a Division I game. POTTSVILLE (73) — Hinchliffe 5 0-2 10, Gerchak 0 0-0 0, Painter 1 0-0 3, Blankenhorn 5 1-1 12, Dunkel 3 0-0
6, Melochick 2 1-1 6, Shuman 0 0-0 0, Witman 1 0-0 3, Abdo 3 5-6 12, Nabholz 1 4-4 6, Coyle 3 0-0 9, Renninger 0 1-2 1, Schenk
2 1-2 5. Totals 26 13-18 73. PINE GROVE (18) — Rossi 0 0-1 0, Snedden
0 0-0 0, Soper 1 0-0 2, Kreiser 0 0-0 0, Leininger 1 0-0 2, D’Agostino 2 8-8 12, Weinus 1 0-0 2, Griffiths 0 0-0 0,
Fick 0 0-0 0. Totals 5 8-9 18. Pot (14-0, 8-0) 25 31 8 9 — 73
PG (2-12, 0-7) 6 0 4 8 — 18 3-point FGs: Painter, Blankenhorn,
Melochick, Witman, Abdo, Coyle 3 JV score: Pottsville 53-14
JIM THORPE — Travis Blankenhorn tallied a game-high 21 points as the Crimson Tide remained unbeaten
with a rout of the Olympians in a Division I game. Eli Nabholz added 15 points for Pottsville. Brian Carroll’s five points paced Jim Thorpe. POTTSVILLE
(62) — Hinchliffe 1 0-0 2, Gerchak 0 0-0 0, Painter 1 0-0 3, Blankenhorn 8 5-8 21, Thomas 0 0-0 0, Dunkel 2 1-2 5, Melochick
2 0-2 5, Shuman 0 0-0 0, Witman 2 0-0 5, Abdo 1 2-2 4, Nabholz 7 1-3 15, Coyle 0 0-0 0, Renninger 0 0-0 0, Schenk 0 0-0 0,
O’Pake 1 0-0 2. Totals 25 9-17 62. JIM THORPE (21) — Carroll
2 0-0 5, Veney 1 0-0 2, Elmore 1 0-0 2, Micciche 0 1-2 1, Green 1 1-2 3, O. Snisky 0 0-0 0, Lauer 0 0-0 0, Twardzick 0 0-0
0, Luciana 0 0-0 0, McElmoyle 1 0-0 2, Jefferson 1 0-0 2, S. Snisky 1 2-3 4, Everitt 0 0-0 0. Totals 8 4-7 21.
Pot (13-0, 7-0) 14 13 15 20 — 62 JT (5-8, 2-4) 1 8 5 7 — 21
3-point FGs: Painter, Melochick, Witman, Carroll
Crimson Tide rolls over Jim Thorpe The Crimson Tide rolled to it's 13 straight victory, with
a 62-21 win over Jim Thorpe. Travis "Money" Blankenhorn led the charge with 21 points, followed by Eli "Big
Easy" Nabholz's 15 points. The Tide took a 14-1 led after the first quarter and rolled to 27-9 half time led. The Tide
increased it's led to 42-14 after three. The Tide closed out the game at 62-21. Pottsville (13-0): 14 13 15 15 (62) Jim Thorpe: (5-8) 1 8 5
7 (21) Pottsville:
Hinchliffe 1 0-0 2, Gerchak 0 0-0 0, Painter 1 0-0 3, Blankenhorn 8 5-8 21, Thomas 0 0-0 0, Dunkel 2 1-2 5, Melochick 2 0-2
5, Shuman 0 0-0 0, Witman 2 0-0 5, Abdo 1 2-2 4, Nabholtz 7 1-3 15, Coyle 0 0-0 0, Renninger 0 0-0 0, Schenck 0 0-0 0, O'Pake
1 0-0 2, Totals: 5 9 -17 (62) Jim Thorpe:Carroll 2 1-1 5, Veney 1
0-0 2, Elmore 1 0-0 2, Miccicine 0 1-2 1, Green 1 1-2 3, Snisky 0 0-0 0, Laver 0 0-0 0, Twardzik 0 0-0 0, Luciana 0 0-0
0, McElmoyle 1 0-0 2, Jefferson 1 0-0 2, Snisky 1 2-3 4, Everitt 0 0-0 0, Totals: 8 4-8 (21) 3 Point FG's: Carroll,Painter, Melochick, Witman
Tonight's Game has been moved to Jim Thorpe Olympians
Court due to weather!
Pottsville 58 Lehighton 38 LEHIGHTON —
Jordan Melochick led the Crimson Tide with 19 points, while Travis Blankenhorn added 12 as Pottsville used a 39-24 second
half to finish off the Indians in a Division I contest. Tyler Crum paced Lehighton with 17 points,
and Nick Chambers had 11. POTTSVILLE (58) — Hinchliffe 3 2-2
8, Painter 1 0-0 3, Blankenhorn 5 2-3 12, Dunkel 1 0-0 2, Melochick 7 4-4 19, Witman 1 0-0 2, Abdo 3 1-2 8, Nabholz 2 0-0
4. Totals 23 9-11 58. LEHIGHTON (38) — Crum 5 7-9 17, Zwetolitz
0 0-0 0, Williams 1 0-0 2, Chambers 5 0-3 11, Knappenberger 3 0-0 8, Greene 0 0-0 0. Totals 14 7-12 38.
Pot. (12-0, 6-0) 6 13 23 16 — 58 Leh. (9-4, 2-4) 6 8 15 9 — 38
3-point FGs: Painter, Melochick, Abdo, Chambers, Knappenberger 2
Crimson Tide Improves to 12 - 0 The Pottsville Crimson Tide ran it's win streak to 12 in a row
with a victory over Lehighton Indians on thier home court by a score of 58-38. The first quarter was a 6-6 tie, in which Eli"Big
Easy" Nabholz got two questionable fouls called on him, which limited his playing time in the first half and the
game. The Tide outscored the Indians 13-8, to go into the locker room with a 19-14 led at the half.
The Tide came out and outscored the Indians 23 - 15 in the third quarter taking a 42-29 led into the fourth quater.
The Tide closed it out in the fourth quarter and sealed a 58-38 victory, to improve to 12-0. The Tide was led by Jordan
"Melo" Melochick, best game of the seaon with a season high 19 points, Travis "Money" Blankenhorn followed with
12 points. Connor "Hitman" Hinchliffe and Jordan Abdo each added 8 points. When the Tide got into some foul
trouble the whole team responded with tough defense. The Highlight of the night, was "Coach"
Jake Guzick dance routine celebrating a Tide victory. The Tide play their next game Monday night at Martz Hall against
Jim Thorpe.
POTTSVILLE (58) — Hinchliffe 3 2-2 8, Painter 1 0-0 3, Blankenhorn 5 2-3 12, Dunkel 1 0-0 2,
Melochick 7 4-4 19, Witman 1 0-0 2, Abdo 3 1-2 8, Nabholz 2 0-0 4. Totals 23 9-11 58. LEHIGHTON (38) — Crum 5 7-9 17, Zwetolitz 0 0-0 0, Williams 1 0-0 2, Chambers 5 0-3 11, Knappenberger 3 0-0
8, Greene 0 0-0 0. Totals 14 7-12 38. Pot. (12-0, 6-0) 6 13 23 16 — 58
Leh. (9-4, 2-4) 6 8 15 9 — 38 3-point FGs: Painter, Melochick,
Abdo, Chambers, Knappenberger 2
H.S. Boys' BB Roundup: Pottsville boys crush ShamokinPublished:
January 8, 2015  Travis Blankenhorn of Pottsville Area High School. Jacqueline
Dormer/Republican-Herald 12/13/13 Travis Blankenhorn has had quite a week. The Pottsville
senior tallied 20 or more points for the third time in five days Wednesday, scoring a game-high 23 as the Crimson Tide decked
Shamokin 65-43 in a non-league boys’ basketball game at Martz Hall. The Kentucky baseball
recruit showcased his basketball skills in front of a live TV audience, scoring eight of his points in a 19-3, second-quarter
run that gave Pottsville (10-0) a 37-14 halftime lead. Blankenhorn scored 24 points in a rout
of Williamsport on Saturday, then tallied 30 in Monday’s Schuylkill League win over Tamaqua. Eli
Nabholz added 16 points and Jordan Melochick netted 14 points for the Crimson Tide, who weren’t threatened the rest
of the way. Jakob Weaver paced Shamokin (9-3) with 13 points. SHAMOKIN (43) — Sebasovich 1 2-4 4, Dirienzo 2 4-4 8, Reiprich 2 2-2 6, Weaver 4 3-4 13, Moyer 0 0-0 0, Campbell
1 0-0 3, Fegley 0 0-0 0, Taylor 2 5-7 9. Totals 12 16-21 43. POTTSVILLE (65)
— Hinchliffe 3 0-0 7, Painter 0 1-2 1, Blankenhorn 8 6-10 23, Dunkel 1 0-0 2, Melochick 5 3-4 14, Shuman 0 0-0 0, Witman
0 0-0 0, Abdo 0 2-2 2, Nabholz 7 2-4 16. Totals 24 14-22 65. Sham (9-3)
11 3 14 15 — 43 Potts (10-0) 18 19 14 14 — 65 3-point FGs:
Weaver 2, Campbell, Hinchliffe, Blankenhorn, Melochick JV score: Pottsville 64-17
Crimson Tide Improves to 10 - 0 The Crimson Tide improves it's record to 10-0,
with a 65-43 victory over the Shamokin Indians at Martz Hall. The "Big Three" is back with Travis "Money"
Blankenhorn showing the way with 23 points, followed by the "Big Easy", Eli Nabholz 16 points and
Jordan "Melo" Melochock's season high 14 points. The Tide
open the first quarter with a 18-11 led and pushed the led to 37-14 at the half, outscoring Shamokin 19-3 for the quarter.
The Tide made it 51-28 after third periods. The Tide closed out the game in the fourth quarter for a 65-43 victory. The Tide
will play Panther Valley in it's next game tommorow. Pottsville: (10-0) 18 19
14 14 (65) Shamokin: (9-3) 11 3 14
15 (43) Pottsville: Hinchliffe 3 0-0 7, Painter 0 1-2
1, Blankenhorn 8 6-10 23, Dunkel 1 0-0 2, Melochick 4 3-4 14, Shuman 0 0-0 0, Witman 0 0-0 0, Abdo 0 2-2 2, Nabholz 7
2-4 16, Totals: 24 14-22 (65) Shamokin:Sebasovich 1 2-4 4, Dirienzo 2 4-4 8,Reiprich 2 2-2 6,
Weaver 4 3-4 13, Moyer 0 0-0 0,Campbell 1 0-0 3, Fegley 0 0-0 0, Taylor 2 5-7 9, Totals: 12 16-21 (43) 3 pointers:Weaver (2), Campbell, Hinchliffe, Blankenhorn, Melochick
Pottsville Leads WNEP Rankings - 1/5/2015
BOYS RANKINGS: | RANK | TEAM | RECORD | PREVIOUS RANK | | 1 | Pottsville | 9-0 | - | | 2 | Lewisburg | 8-0 | - | | 3 | Loyalsock | 8-1 | - | | 4 | Scranton
Prep | 7-2 | - | | 5 | St. John Neumann | 9-0 | - | | 6 | Shamokin | 8-2 | - | | 7 | Mid Valley | 9-0 | - | | 8 | Lehighton
| 8-1 | - |
9-0, The Tide Rolls The Pottsville Crimson Tide rolled to 9 and 0, with a 57-40, hard earned victory over Tamaqua
Blue Raiders on their home court, The Tide give the Blue Raiders their second defeat of the season and the first
one in league play. The Crimson Tide was led by Travis "Money" Blankenhorn's season high 30 points, he had 22 points
in the first half. Ty Painter added 10 points for the Tide with his season high point total. The Tide led 18-11 after the
first period, With Blankenhorn adding 12 of that total. The Tide then push their led to 31-19 at half, with Blankenhorn another
10, to finish the first half with 22 points. The Third quarter was tight with Tamaqua out scoring the Tide 8-7, to end the
third period with a score of 38-27 Tide. The Tide plulled away with 19-13 quarter to end the game at 57-40 victory. Pottsville (9-0) 18 13 7 19 (57) Tamaqua (10-2) 11 8 8 13 (40) Pottsville:
Hinchliffe 0 1-2 1, Painter 3 1-3 10, Blankenhorn 10 7-10 30, Dunkel 0 0-0 0, Melochick 1 7-9 9, Witman 0 0-0 0, Abdo 1 0-0
2, Nabholz 2 0-2 5, Totals 17 16-26 (57) Tamaqua: Shilko 0 0-0 0, Blaker3 0-0 9,
Miller 0 0-0 0, Rottet 4 2-2 11, Zuber 0 0-0 0, McDonald 1 0-0 2, Skripko 2 0-1 4,Kosciolek5 3-4 14, Totals: 15 5-7 40 3 Point FG's:Blaker (3), Rottet, Kosciolek, Painter (3), Blankenhorn (3), Nabholz
Tide remain unbeaten
with rout of Williamsport Published: January 4, 2015
 JACQUELINE DORMER/STAFF
PHOTO Pottsville’s Jordan Melochick drives to the basket as Williamsport’s Micah Peterson defends during Saturday’s
non-league game at Martz Hall. The Crimson Tide’s remained undefeated on the season with a 62-32 victory.  JACQUELINE DORMER/STAFF
PHOTO Pottsville’s Travis Blankenhorn converts an alley-oop pass into a lay-up during Saturday’s non-league game
against Williamsport at Martz Hall. Blankenhorn scored a season-high 24 points as the Crimson Tide remained unbeaten with
a 62-32 rout of the Millionaires. There must be something about
facing Williamsport that brings out the best in Pottsville’s Travis Blankenhorn. The senior guard was almost perfect against the Millionaires on Saturday
afternoon. So were the rest of the Crimson Tide for that matter. Blankenhorn scored 24 points and Eli Nabholz added 18, while the defense turned in another shutdown
performance to lead Pottsville to a 62-32 rout of Williamsport in a non-league contest at Martz Hall. Blankenhorn tallied a career-high 33 points during the Crimson
Tide’s 53-37 win at Williamsport last season. Blankenhorn’s output Saturday was a season high, beating the 22
he scored against Salisbury on Dec. 20. Blankenhorn finished the game 10-of-12 from the field, including a 3-for-5 performance from beyond the arc. He scored
19 of his points in the first half, with 13 coming in the second quarter, as Pottsville (8-0) raced out to a 31-14 halftime
advantage. “I guess my teammates
got me open a lot today and I was able to knock my shots down,” Blankenhorn said. Nabholz, who missed the Crimson Tide’s 77-30 victory over Nativity
on Tuesday with a concussion, returned to the starting lineup Saturday and was a perfect 9-of-9 from the field. He did most
of his damage in the second half where he scored 12 points. Eight came in the third quarter as Pottsville held a 19-5 scoring
advantage to take a 50-19 lead and put the game away. “Just going out and trying to do the same offensive principles: Post up, one pass, back seal and try to get a lob,” Nabholz said.
“There just wasn’t a lot of backside help today, so we got a couple of lay-ups from the passes.” Jordan Melochick added seven rebounds and four
assists for the Crimson Tide, while Blankenhorn had six boards and Connor Hinchliffe collected five assists. Sophomore Isaiah Hankins led the Millionaires
(4-5) with 12 points. Saturday’s
victory was eighth time this season Pottsville won by 15 or more points, and the seventh consecutive game decided by 20 or
more points. It was the perfect tune up for what will be a big three-game stretch for the Crimson Tide, which starts Monday
at Tamaqua (9-1, 3-0 D-I) in a showdown of the two remaining Schuylkill League Division I teams undefeated in the division. Pottsville then hosts Shamokin (7-2) in a non-game
Wednesday and travels to Lehighton (8-1, 2-1) next Saturday. “We haven’t always been happy after some wins, but we are happy after today,” Pottsville
coach Dave Mullaney said. “Williamsport is a great program and that was a great win for us.” There was plenty to be happy with. Offensively, the Tide were efficient and patient against Williamsport’s
pressure defense, whether the Millionaires were playing man-to-man or a 1-3-1 zone. Pottsville had tons of looks inside and
finished the game 26-for-40 (65 percent) from the field. “We thought if we handled their pressure and ran our half-court offense that there were going
to be openings for us,” Mullaney said. “For the most part we were able to work inside out.” Pottsville was just as solid on the defensive
end. Williamsport came into Saturday’s
game averaging 67.6 points per contest, but struggled against the Crimson Tide in half court. The Millionaires shot 10-of-41
(24 percent) from the field and turned the ball over 16 times. “They are definitely (athletic) and they could take us off the dribble,” Blankenhorn said.
“One of our keys was to just kept them in front and if they went backdoor, just have another person to help. We had
a lot of help defense.” Pottsville
led 10-7 late in the first quarter before going on a 21-7 run to close the first half. Blankenhorn had all five of the Crimson
Tide’s field goals during the second quarter, including all three of his 3s. His last came with 2 seconds left in the
half when he knocked down a trey from the top of the circle off a pick. Blankenhorn’s first-half shooting opened up the inside game even more in the third quarter.
All of Nabholz’s points in the third came inside the paint, topped off with a putback with 1 minute to go. Melochick
finished off the quarter, scoring on a lay-up with 4 seconds remaining to make it 50-19. “They pressed a little bit,” Nabholz said. “We weren’t
able to get a lot of shots but all of us got lay-ups in the second half.” Game Summary WILLIAMSPORT (32) — Gosly 1 3-5 5, Scott 3 0-0 6, Thomas 0 0-0 0, Chestnut 0 0-0 0, Peterson
0 1-2 1, Hankins 4 3-3 12, Williams 0 0-0 0, Johnson 0 0-0 0, Carson 0 2-2 2, 1 1-2 4, Ali 0 2-2 2. Totals 9
12-16 32. POTTSVILLE
(62) — Hinchliffe 0 2-2 2, Gerchak 0 0-0 0, Painter 1 0-2 2, Blankenhorn 10 1-2 24, Thomas 2 0-1 4, Dunkel 0 0-1 0,
Melochick 2 0-0 4, Witman 1 0-0 2, Abdo 1 4-4 6, Nabholz 9 0-0 18, Coyle 0 0-0 0, Renninger 0 0-2 0, O’Pake 0 0-0 0. Totals 26 7-14 62. Wil (4-5) 7 7 5 13 — 32 Pot
(8-0) 14 17 19 12 — 62 3-point FGs: Hankins, Benjamin, Blankenhorn 3 JV score: Pottsville 53-52
BOYS' BB: Tide remain unbeaten
with rout of Williamsport
BY MIKE CARNAHAN Published: January 4, 2015
ARTICLE TOOLS
JACQUELINE DORMER/STAFF
PHOTO Pottsville’s Jordan Melochick drives to the basket as Williamsport’s Micah Peterson defends during Saturday’s
non-league game at Martz Hall. The Crimson Tide’s remained undefeated on the season with a 62-32 victory. JACQUELINE DORMER/STAFF
PHOTO Pottsville’s Travis Blankenhorn converts an alley-oop pass into a lay-up during Saturday’s non-league game
against Williamsport at Martz Hall. Blankenhorn scored a season-high 24 points as the Crimson Tide remained unbeaten with
a 62-32 rout of the Millionaires. There must be something about facing Williamsport that brings
out the best in Pottsville’s Travis Blankenhorn. The senior guard was almost perfect against the Millionaires on Saturday afternoon. So were the rest
of the Crimson Tide for that matter. Blankenhorn scored 24 points and Eli Nabholz added 18, while the defense turned in another shutdown performance to lead
Pottsville to a 62-32 rout of Williamsport in a non-league contest at Martz Hall. Blankenhorn tallied a career-high 33 points during the Crimson Tide’s
53-37 win at Williamsport last season. Blankenhorn’s output Saturday was a season high, beating the 22 he scored against
Salisbury on Dec. 20. Blankenhorn
finished the game 10-of-12 from the field, including a 3-for-5 performance from beyond the arc. He scored 19 of his points
in the first half, with 13 coming in the second quarter, as Pottsville (8-0) raced out to a 31-14 halftime advantage. “I guess my teammates got me open a lot
today and I was able to knock my shots down,” Blankenhorn said. Nabholz, who missed the Crimson Tide’s 77-30 victory over Nativity on Tuesday with a concussion,
returned to the starting lineup Saturday and was a perfect 9-of-9 from the field. He did most of his damage in the second
half where he scored 12 points. Eight came in the third quarter as Pottsville held a 19-5 scoring advantage to take a 50-19
lead and put the game away. “Just
going out and trying to do the same offensive principles: Post up, one pass, back seal and try to get a lob,” Nabholz said. “There just wasn’t
a lot of backside help today, so we got a couple of lay-ups from the passes.” Jordan Melochick added seven rebounds and four assists for the Crimson Tide,
while Blankenhorn had six boards and Connor Hinchliffe collected five assists. Sophomore Isaiah Hankins led the Millionaires (4-5) with 12 points. Saturday’s victory was eighth time this
season Pottsville won by 15 or more points, and the seventh consecutive game decided by 20 or more points. It was the perfect
tune up for what will be a big three-game stretch for the Crimson Tide, which starts Monday at Tamaqua (9-1, 3-0 D-I) in a
showdown of the two remaining Schuylkill League Division I teams undefeated in the division. Pottsville then hosts Shamokin (7-2) in a non-game Wednesday and
travels to Lehighton (8-1, 2-1) next Saturday. “We haven’t always been happy after some wins, but we are happy after today,” Pottsville coach
Dave Mullaney said. “Williamsport is a great program and that was a great win for us.” There was plenty to be happy with. Offensively, the Tide were efficient and patient against Williamsport’s
pressure defense, whether the Millionaires were playing man-to-man or a 1-3-1 zone. Pottsville had tons of looks inside and
finished the game 26-for-40 (65 percent) from the field. “We thought if we handled their pressure and ran our half-court offense that there were going
to be openings for us,” Mullaney said. “For the most part we were able to work inside out.” Pottsville was just as solid on the defensive
end. Williamsport came into Saturday’s
game averaging 67.6 points per contest, but struggled against the Crimson Tide in half court. The Millionaires shot 10-of-41
(24 percent) from the field and turned the ball over 16 times. “They are definitely (athletic) and they could take us off the dribble,” Blankenhorn said.
“One of our keys was to just kept them in front and if they went backdoor, just have another person to help. We had
a lot of help defense.” Pottsville
led 10-7 late in the first quarter before going on a 21-7 run to close the first half. Blankenhorn had all five of the Crimson
Tide’s field goals during the second quarter, including all three of his 3s. His last came with 2 seconds left in the
half when he knocked down a trey from the top of the circle off a pick. Blankenhorn’s first-half shooting opened up the inside game even more in the third quarter.
All of Nabholz’s points in the third came inside the paint, topped off with a putback with 1 minute to go. Melochick
finished off the quarter, scoring on a lay-up with 4 seconds remaining to make it 50-19. “They pressed a little bit,” Nabholz said. “We weren’t
able to get a lot of shots but all of us got lay-ups in the second half.” Game Summary WILLIAMSPORT (32) — Gosly 1 3-5 5, Scott 3 0-0 6, Thomas 0 0-0 0, Chestnut 0 0-0 0, Peterson
0 1-2 1, Hankins 4 3-3 12, Williams 0 0-0 0, Johnson 0 0-0 0, Carson 0 2-2 2, 1 1-2 4, Ali 0 2-2 2. Totals 9
12-16 32. POTTSVILLE
(62) — Hinchliffe 0 2-2 2, Gerchak 0 0-0 0, Painter 1 0-2 2, Blankenhorn 10 1-2 24, Thomas 2 0-1 4, Dunkel 0 0-1 0,
Melochick 2 0-0 4, Witman 1 0-0 2, Abdo 1 4-4 6, Nabholz 9 0-0 18, Coyle 0 0-0 0, Renninger 0 0-2 0, O’Pake 0 0-0 0. Totals 26 7-14 62. Wil (4-5) 7 7 5 13 — 32 Pot
(8-0) 14 17 19 12 — 62 3-point FGs: Hankins, Benjamin, Blankenhorn 3 JV score: Pottsville 53-52
H.S. BOYS' BASKETBALL: Tests coming up for PottsvilleBy Mike Carnahan Published: January 2, 2015  DAVID MCKEOWN/STAFF PHOTO Pottsville’s Travis Blankenhorn (3)
takes the ball to the basket while Nativity’s Cullen Hoppel (14) defends during Tuesday’s Battle of the Hills
game at Martz Hall. This is supposed
to be Pottsville’s year in boys’ basketball. So far, it has been. The Crimson Tide have overpowered
their opponents during a 7-0 start, winning by an average margin of 28.2 points per game. Along the way, Pottsville,
ranked No. 8 all season in Pennsylvania in the Pennlive.com/Patriot-News Class AAA rankings, rolled past Blue Mountain 65-29
on Dec. 18 and held North Schuylkill to six first-half points in a 55-21 victory Dec. 22. Crimson Tide coach Dave Mullaney
was concerned about facing Salisbury in an afternoon, non-league game Dec. 20, but Pottsville won that one easily too, 58-32. In
their annual Battle of Hills matchup against Nativity on Tuesday, the Crimson Tide overcame a slow first half and a very game
Hilltoppers team by outscoring them 50-12 in the second half in a 77-30 victory. Are Blue Mountain, North Schuylkill
and Nativity that bad? Not at all. The three are likely to qualify for the District 11 playoffs, and all three will be in
the running for a spot in the Schuylkill League playoffs in their respective divisions. Pottsville has been that good. “We
played Pottsville,” Blue Mountain coach Dustin Werdt said after the Eagles’ loss Dec. 18. “I don’t
think you are going to see too many teams come out of here having a good offensive night.” All of the early-season
blowouts mean the Crimson Tide haven’t had to play any tight games during the fourth quarter. That won’t be the
case come postseason, and learning how to win close games now will be critical down the road. “I am concerned,
but at the same time most of the guys playing have played in those games in the past and we do have some experienced guys,”
Mullaney said. “We are going to have close ones coming up this week.” Challenges will indeed be forthcoming,
starting Saturday when Williamsport (4-4) comes to Martz Hall for a 3 p.m. tip. The two teams have split their two meetings
the past two years. On Dec. 18, 2012, at Martz Hall, the Crimson Tide gave the then-Class AAAA No. 7 state-ranked Millionaires
a tussle before losing 45-37. Williamsport went on to lose to eventual PIAA runner-up Chester in the second round of the state
playoffs at Martz Hall in March. Last season, Pottsville won 53-37 at Williamsport. The Millionaires are coming
off a 54-48 loss to Carlisle on Tuesday that snapped a three-game winning streak. Williamsport is averaging 69 points per
game offensively. It is the test that Mullaney and the rest of the Crimson Tide need and are looking forward to. “I
think Williamsport is a great program and they are going to test us before you get into the Tamaquas, Lehightons and Shamokins,”
Mullaney said. “You want to have another good game under your belt. We need to be tested, and I think that is the only
way for some of these guys to get their attention. We didn’t have their attention before tonight’s game.” More
challenges are coming down the road, too. Pottsville’s schedule over the next 10 days includes games at Tamaqua
(9-1, 3-0 D-I) on Monday and at Lehighton (8-1, 2-1) on Jan. 10 as the first cycle of Division I games finishes up. The Crimson
Tide will also host Shamokin (6-2) in a non-league game Jan. 7. There is also the second time through the division schedule. And
as a tune-up for the postseason, the Crimson Tide will travel to Berks League, District 3 and perennial state power Berks
Catholic on Jan 28. Hurricanes making great strides early If there is one team in the Schuylkill League that has
to be the most improved to this point in the season, it has to be Schuylkill Haven. At 5-3, the Hurricanes have won
as many games this past December as they have in the past two years, when they went a combined 5-39, including an 0-22 mark
last season. A big focus of coach Fran Murphy was for Schuylkill Haven to be competitive in every game. Outside of a
69-55 loss at Millersburg on Dec. 22, that’s what the Hurricanes have been so far. Schuylkill Haven owns non-league
wins over three Division I teams — Pine Grove, Jim Thorpe and Panther Valley — and, despite losing both games,
the Hurricanes had held Upper Dauphin (47) and Tamaqua (41) to their season low in points. Defense and controlling the
tempo have led the way. The Hurricanes haven’t put up big offensive numbers (44 points per game), but they are allowing
40.9 defensively per game. That type of defense will keep them in every game. I think Schuylkill Haven (1-1 Division
II) will be a factor in the division race. A big test will be at division-leading Minersville (6-2, 2-0) on Monday. Annual
Rhoades Classic set for Saturday The 6th annual Rhoades Foundation Classic is scheduled Saturday at Lebanon Valley
College with three games on tap. It starts with Mahanoy Area vs. Mount Carmel at 5:30 p.m. Conestoga Valley faces Lower
Dauphin at 7 and it’s Annville-Cleona vs. Palmyra at 8:30. Admission is $5 for adults and $3 for students, and all of
the proceeds benefit the Rhoades Foundation. Let’s talk districts It is only the beginning of January, but
it is never too early to look at the district rankings. The playoffs will have a different look to them this season with the
new PIAA classifications that are in place for the next two years. In Class AAA, Pottsville and Tamaqua are ranked
No. 1 and 2, respectively, with Allentown Central Catholic (6-3) third and Salisbury (8-1) fourth. The Raiders need just two
more wins to qualify for the tournament. Lehighton is sixth, North Schuylkill (5-2) eighth and Blue Mountain (4-4) ninth. In
Class AA, the top five teams are from the Schuylkill League. In order, they are Minersvile, Mahanoy Area (5-2), Williams Valley
(5-3), Schuylkill Haven and Marian (3-5). Nativity (5-3) is second in Class A behind Notre Dame-East Stroudsburg (8-2).
The only other team right now in Class A with a winning record is No. 3 Lincoln Leadership Academy (6-5). Stats are
on the way The first area statistical leaders will be published in Tuesday’s edition of The Republican-Herald.
As always they will include individual scoring and 3-point leaders, along with team offense, defense, 3-point shooting and
foul shooting. (Carnahan is the boys’ basketball beat writer for The Republican-Herald. Follow him on Twitter
@mdcarnahan71 and read his blog at http://blogs.republicanherald.com/ac/) Boys’ Basketball Power Poll Though
Jan. 1 W-L Pvs 1. Pottsville 7-0 1 2. Tamaqua 9-1 2 3. Lehighton 8-1 5 4. Minersville
6-2 6 5. Blue Mountain 4-4 6 6. North Schuylkill 5-2 4 7. Mahanoy Area 5-2 3 8. Nativity 5-3
8 9. Williams Valley 5-3 10 10. Upper Dauphin 8-2 NR — Compiled by Mike Carnahan
Crimson Tide Dunks The Hilltoppers
H.S. BOYS' BASKETBALL: Big 2nd half keys Crimson Tide rout of NativityBy
Mike Carnahan Published: December 31, 2014  Pottsville’s Christian Witman takes a shot over Nativity’s
Jeff Yordy during the Battle of the Hills.  DAVID MCKEOWN/STAFF PHOTOS Nativity’s Dominic Piccioni, right,
looks for room to operate as Pottsville’s Ty Painter applies defensive pressure during Tuesday night’s Battle
of the Hills at Martz Hall. Looking on is Nativity’s Eric Nelson (35). It
is not uncommon for Pottsville’s man-to-man defense to take over a game. It took until early into the second half
for it to happen Tuesday. Once the Crimson Tide got rolling, though, what was a close game quickly turned into a rout. Travis
Blankenhorn had a game-high 19 points, while Jordan Melochick scored 10 of his 13 points in the second half as Pottsville
used a big third-quarter run to roll past Nativity 77-30 in the Battle of the Hills at Martz Hall. The Hilltoppers hung
tough with the Crimson Tide for the first half and pulled to within 27-21 when Jeff Yordy hit a deep 3-pointer from the wing
early in the third quarter. Nativity never got that close again. Pottsville (7-0) followed by scoring 18 answered
points and went on a 26-3 run during the quarter to go up 53-24 and put the game away for good. “I just felt like
we all knew we had to step our defense up and come out and play a lot harder than we did,” Blankenhorn said. “Coach
(Dave Mullaney) got us motivated to do that and we did. “In the second half, we just came out and played the defense
that we know.” How good was the Crimson Tide’s defense in the second half? Pottsville held the Hilltopers
to 2-of-15 (13 percent) from the floor over the final 16 minutes, with both field goals 3s by Yordy in the third quarter,
and 12 total points. The Crimson Tide also forced Nativity into 13 second-half turnovers. Melochick added 10 rebounds
on the night to finish with a double-double, to go along with three assists, three steals and two blocks. Ty Painter and Jordan
Abdo had nine points apiece for the Crimson Tide, who were without Eli Nabholz and Pat Schenck. Nabholz, Pottsville’s
starting center, suffered a concussion early during the Crimson Tide’s 55-21 win at North Schuylkill on Dec. 22 and
is expected to be cleared to play Saturday night against Williamsport. Yordy led Nativity (5-3) with 16 points and nine
rebounds. The Hilltoppers, who had their five-game winning streak snapped, hit six 3s in the game as their outside shooting
helped keep them in the game in the first half. Yordy’s 3s early in second half made it even closer, but then
the night unraveled for the Hilltoppers as they started to get worn down. “When he hit that 3, I thought that
was going to be a pick-me-up,” Nativity coach Kevin Kennedy said. “But you talk about a tough Pottsville team
that plays tough defense and they are well-coached. The thing is, Pottsville is 10 deep and they just kept bringing in subs.
Our kids were tired. They just wore them down. They really did.” Not only did the Crimson Tide pick up on the
defensive end, they were more aggressive offensively, too. Pottsville seemed to settle for 3-pointers in the first half
and didn’t do all that well, finishing 2-for-15 (13 percent) from beyond the arc in the half and 10-of-30 (33 percent)
overall from the floor. In the second half, the Crimson Tide turned Nativity’s misses and turnovers into transition
points at the other end and were much aggressive in the half court against Nativity’s 2-3 zone. Pottsville ended up
18-for-31 (58 percent) from the floor in the second half, including a 5-of-10 showing from 3-point land. “In the
second half, our guys were attacking the basket on the offensive end,” Mullaney said. “I think once we decided
we were going to attack gaps and make plays, it made the zone a little easier to attack.” Blankenhorn, who fouled
out early in the fourth quarter, did most of his damage in the first half when he scored 15 of his points. A highlight of
his night was a two-handed jam off a fast break that started on a Melochick steal. “Melo gave me a pass ahead
and I didn’t see anyone in front of me, so I just went up for the dunk,” the 6-foot-2 Blankenhorn said. Game
Summary Battle of the Hills At Martz Hall NATIVITY (30) — Piccioni 2 2-2 8, Greco 0 0-0 0, Petzel
0 0-0 0, Hoppel 1 0-0 3, Yordy 4 5-6 16, Hunyara 0 1-2 1, Adams 1 0-4 2, Belding 0 0-0 0, Nelson 0 0-0 0, White 0 0-0 0, Shatalsky
0 0-0 0. Totals 8 8-14 30. POTTSVILLE (77) — Hinchliffe 3 2-2 8, Gerchak 0 0-0 0, Painter
3 0-0 9, Blankenhorn 7 4-7 19, Thomas 3 0-1 8, Dunkel 0 2-4 2, Melochick 5 2-4 13, Shuman 0 2-2 2, Witman 2 0-0 4, Abdo 4
1-3 9, Coyle 0 0-0 0, Renninger 0 1-2 1, O’Pake 1 0-0 2. Totals 28 14-25 77. Nat
(5-3) 5 13 6 6 — 30 Pot (7-0) 14 13 26 24 — 77 3-point FGs: Piccioni
2, Hoppel, Yordy 3, Painter 3, Blankenhorn, Thomas 2, Melochick, JV score: Pottsville 62-17
Crimson Tide Rolls To 7 - 0 The Crimson Tide defeated Nativity Green Wave by the score of 77-30. The Tide was led by Travis "Money"
Blankenhorn's 19 points and Jordan "Melo" Melochick dumped in 13 points. The Tide led by the score of 14 - 5 after
the first quarter and led at half time by the scoce 27-18. The Tide then turned up the heat on Nativity in the third quater
when Pottsville ran up a 26-6 score with all around defense being played by everyone. The Tide closed out the game with a
24-6 forth quarter to end the game at 77-30 victorty. The Tide moves on to play Williamsport at home this saturday. Pottsville 14 13 26 24 (77) Nativity
5 13 6 6 (30) Pottsville: Hinchcliffe
3 2-2 8, Gerchak 0 0-0 0, Painter 3 0-0 9, Blankenhorn 7 4-7 19, Thomas 2 0-1 8, Dunkel 0 2-4 2, Melochick 5 2-4 13, Shuman
0 2-2 2, Witman 2 0-0 4, Abdo 4 1-3 9, Coyle 0 0-0 0, Renninger 0 1-2 1, O'Pake 1 0-0 2, Totals: 28 14-25 (77) Nativity: Piccioni 2 2-2 8, Greco 0 0-0 0, Petzel 0 0-0 0, Hoffel 1 0-0 3, Yordy 4 5-6 16, Hunyara 0 1-2 1, Adams
1 0-4 2, Belding 0 0-0 0, Nelson 0 0-0 0, White 0 0-0 0, Shatalsky 0 0-0 0 Totals: 8 8-14 (30) 3-pointers:
Painter (3), Blankenhorn,Thomas (2), Melochick,Piccioni (2), Hoffel, Yordy (3),
Crimson Tide ranked 23rd
In The State - All Classes
Crimson Tide Stick it to the Spartans! The Crimson Tide continued on it's winning ways with a 55 to 21,
victory over the North Schuylkill Spartans on their home Floor. Travis "Money" Blankenhorn led the Tide with 13
points, followed by Jordan "Melo" Melochick 11 points and a Break out game by Muldeen Thomas 10 points, the best
of his career. The Tide jumped out to a 9 to 4 score in the first quarter and led 26-6 at half time. Durning the game Eli
"Big Easy" Nabholz suffered a mild concussion, which limited his play. The Tide came out in the second half
to extend the lead to 38-13 at the end of the third quarter. The Tide closed out the game at a 55-21 score. The Tide's record
in the division is now 3-0. The Tide will take a couple of days off before playing Nativity Green. Wave on December 30 at
home in the Lions Club Classic. Pottsville: 9. 17. 11. 17. (55) North Schuylkill 4.
2. 7. 8 (21) Pottsville: Hinchliffe 0 0-2 0, Gerchak 0 0-0 0, Painter 2 0-0 5, Blankenhorn 5
3-4 13. Thomas 4 0-2 10, Dunkel 2 0-0 4, Melochick 3 5-6 11, Shuman 0 0-0 0. Witman 1 1-1 3, Abdo 3 1-2 7. Nabholz 1 0-0 2,
Coyle 0 0-0 0, Renninger 0 0-0 0, Schenck 0 0-0 0, O'Pake 0 0-0 0'. Totals: 21 10-17 (55) North Schuylkill:Carney 0
0-0 0, Marlowe 0 0-0 0, Hillbish 0 0-0 0, Murray 5 4-5 14, Wood 0 0-0 0, Mazur 0 0-0 0, Mercado 1 2-3 4, Smith 0 1-3 1, Mazeika
1 0-0 2, Bottof0 0-0 0, Karlonis0 0-0 0, Shewmaker 0 0-0 0, Beaton 0 0-0 0, Jordan 0 0-2 o, Totals: 7 7-13 (21) 3
Pointers: Painter, Thomas 2
Crimson Tide Pounces on the Panthers The Crimson Tide rolled to it's highest point total this season with
a 80-28 victory over Panther Valley. A well round scoring effort by the Tide, with Travis "Money" Blankenhorn leading
the charge with 15 points, followed by Eli "Big Easy" Nabholz's 13 points. Connor "Hitman" Hinchcliffe
added his season high with 10 points, as did Jed Dunkels with his season high of 8 points, Jordan "Melo"
Melochick added 9 points. Every member of the team got extended playing time.The
Tide led 20-11 after the first quarter and streched it's led to 45-22 at half. The Tide's deffense shut out the Panthers in
the third period 19-0, The Tide closed out the game with a 80-28 final. The Tide will play lehighton on Saturday. Pottsville (11-0) 20 25 19 16 (80) Panther Valley 11 11 0
6 (28) Pottsville: Hinchliffe
4 0-0 10, Gerchak 0 2-2 2, Painter 1 0-0 2, Blankenhorn 7 0-0 15, Thomas 2 0-0 5, Dunkel 4 0-3 8, Melochick 4 0-0
9, Shuman 0 0-0 0, Witman 1 0-0 2, Abdo 2 1-2 5, Nabholz 5 2-3 v13, Coyle 1 0-0 3, Renninger 1 2-4 4, Schenck 1 0-0 2, O'Pake
0 0-0 0 Totals: 33 7-14 (80) Panther Valley: Kea 0 0-0 0, Dubosky 1 5-6 7, Vermillon
2 0-0 6, Stanko 0 0-0 0, Micholik 1 2-2 5, Nase 1 2-2 4, Miller 0 0-0 0, Hudicka 2 1-4 6, Eickoff 0 0-0 0, Weng 0 0-0 0, Fisher
0 0-0 0, Blasko 0- 0-0 0, Emmert 0 0-0 0, Morgans 0 0-0 0, Mehmeri 0 0-0 0, Totals: 7 10-14 (28) 3-Point FG's: Hinchliffe (2),Blankenhorn, Thomas,Nabholz,Coyle,Vermillon (2),Micholik,Hudicka
Pottsville 80 Panther Valley 28 Travis Blankenhorn
led a trio of double-digit scorers with 15 points as the Crimson Tide rolled past the Panthers in a Division I rout to clinch
a spot in the District 11 Class AAA playoffs. Eli Nabholz tallied 13 points and Connor Hinchliffe
had 10 for Pottsville, which had a 45-22 lead at halftime. PANTHER
VALLEY (28) — Keo 0 0-0 0, Dubosky 1 5-6 7, Vermillion 2 0-0 6, Stanko 0 0-0 0, Miholick 1 2-2 5, Nase 1 2-2 4, Miller
0 0-0 0, Hudicka 2 1-4 6, Eickoff 0 0-0 0, Wang 0 0-0 0, Fisher 0 0-0 0, Blasko 0 0-0 0, Emmert 0 0-0 0, Mehmeti 0 0-0 0.
Totals 7 10-14 28. POTTSVILLE (80) — Hinchliffe 4 0-0 10, Gerchak
0 2-2 2, Painter 1 0-0 2, Blankenhorn 7 0-0 15, Thomas 2 0-0 5, Dunkel 4 0-3 8, Melochick 4 0-0 9, Shuman 0 0-0 0, Witman
1 0-0 2, Abdo 2 1-2 5, Nabholz 5 2-3 13, Coyle 1 0-0 3, Renninger 1 2-4 4, Schenk 1 0-0 2, O’Pake 0 0-0 0. Totals
33 7-14 80. PV (2-10, 0-5) 11 11 0 6 — 28 Pot
(11-0, 5-0) 20 25 19 16 — 80 3-point FGs: Vermillion 2, Miholick, Hudicka,
Hinchliffe 2, Blankenhorn, Thomas, Melochick, Nabholz, Coyle JV score: Pottsville 50-15
H.S. Boys' BB Roundup: Pottsville boys crush ShamokinPublished:
January 8, 2015 Travis Blankenhorn of Pottsville Area High School. Jacqueline
Dormer/Republican-Herald 12/13/13 Travis Blankenhorn has had quite a week. The Pottsville
senior tallied 20 or more points for the third time in five days Wednesday, scoring a game-high 23 as the Crimson Tide decked
Shamokin 65-43 in a non-league boys’ basketball game at Martz Hall. The Kentucky baseball
recruit showcased his basketball skills in front of a live TV audience, scoring eight of his points in a 19-3, second-quarter
run that gave Pottsville (10-0) a 37-14 halftime lead. Blankenhorn scored 24 points in a rout
of Williamsport on Saturday, then tallied 30 in Monday’s Schuylkill League win over Tamaqua. Eli
Nabholz added 16 points and Jordan Melochick netted 14 points for the Crimson Tide, who weren’t threatened the rest
of the way. Jakob Weaver paced Shamokin (9-3) with 13 points. SHAMOKIN (43) — Sebasovich 1 2-4 4, Dirienzo 2 4-4 8, Reiprich 2 2-2 6, Weaver 4 3-4 13, Moyer 0 0-0 0, Campbell
1 0-0 3, Fegley 0 0-0 0, Taylor 2 5-7 9. Totals 12 16-21 43. POTTSVILLE (65)
— Hinchliffe 3 0-0 7, Painter 0 1-2 1, Blankenhorn 8 6-10 23, Dunkel 1 0-0 2, Melochick 5 3-4 14, Shuman 0 0-0 0, Witman
0 0-0 0, Abdo 0 2-2 2, Nabholz 7 2-4 16. Totals 24 14-22 65. Sham (9-3)
11 3 14 15 — 43 Potts (10-0) 18 19 14 14 — 65 3-point FGs:
Weaver 2, Campbell, Hinchliffe, Blankenhorn, Melochick JV score: Pottsville 64-17
Crimson Tide Improves to 10 - 0 The Crimson Tide improves it's record to 10-0,
with a 65-43 victory over the Shamokin Indians at Martz Hall. The "Big Three" is back with Travis "Money"
Blankenhorn showing the way with 23 points, followed by the "Big Easy", Eli Nabholz 16 points and
Jordan "Melo" Melochock's season high 14 points. The Tide
open the first quarter with a 18-11 led and pushed the led to 37-14 at the half, outscoring Shamokin 19-3 for the quarter.
The Tide made it 51-28 after third periods. The Tide closed out the game in the fourth quarter for a 65-43 victory. The Tide
will play Panther Valley in it's next game tommorow. Pottsville: (10-0) 18 19
14 14 (65) Shamokin: (9-3) 11 3 14
15 (43) Pottsville: Hinchliffe 3 0-0 7, Painter 0 1-2
1, Blankenhorn 8 6-10 23, Dunkel 1 0-0 2, Melochick 4 3-4 14, Shuman 0 0-0 0, Witman 0 0-0 0, Abdo 0 2-2 2, Nabholz 7
2-4 16, Totals: 24 14-22 (65) Shamokin:Sebasovich 1 2-4 4, Dirienzo 2 4-4 8,Reiprich 2 2-2 6,
Weaver 4 3-4 13, Moyer 0 0-0 0,Campbell 1 0-0 3, Fegley 0 0-0 0, Taylor 2 5-7 9, Totals: 12 16-21 (43) 3 pointers:Weaver (2), Campbell, Hinchliffe, Blankenhorn, Melochick
Crimson Tide Improves to 10 - 0 The Crimson Tide improves it's record to 10-0,
with a 65-43 victory over the Shamokin Indians at Martz Hall. The "Big Three" is back with Travis "Money"
Blankenhorn showing the way with 23 points, followed by the "Big Easy", Eli Nabholz 16 points and
Jordan "Melo" Melochock's season high 14 points. The Tide
open the first quarter with a 18-11 led and pushed the led to 37-14 at the half, outscoring Shamokin 19-3 for the quarter.
The Tide made it 51-28 after third periods. The Tide closed out the game in the fourth quarter for a 65-43 victory. The Tide
will play Panther Valley in it's next game tommorow. Pottsville: (10-0) 18 19
14 14 (65) Shamokin: (9-3) 11 3 14
15 (43) Pottsville: Hinchliffe 3 0-0 7, Painter 0 1-2
1, Blankenhorn 8 6-10 23, Dunkel 1 0-0 2, Melochick 4 3-4 14, Shuman 0 0-0 0, Witman 0 0-0 0, Abdo 0 2-2 2, Nabholz 7
2-4 16, Totals: 24 14-22 (65) Shamokin:Sebasovich 1 2-4 4, Dirienzo 2 4-4 8,Reiprich 2 2-2 6,
Weaver 4 3-4 13, Moyer 0 0-0 0,Campbell 1 0-0 3, Fegley 0 0-0 0, Taylor 2 5-7 9, Totals: 12 16-21 (43) 3 pointers:Weaver (2), Campbell, Hinchliffe, Blankenhorn, Melochick
Blankenhorn, 4th-qarter run lift Tide past TamaquaBy
Mike Carnahan Published: January 6, 2015
 JACQUELINE DORMER/STAFF PHOTOPottsville’s Ty Painter dishes off
a pass during their game against Tamaqua in the Schuylkill League Division I boys’ high school basketball game at Tamaqua
Area High School in Tamaqua Monday evening, January 5, 2015.  JACQUELINE DORMER/STAFF PHOTOPottsville’s Travis Blankenhorn
drives to the basket as Tamaqua’s Tyler Skripko defends in the Schuylkill League Division I boys’ high school
basketball game at Tamaqua Area High School in Tamaqua Monday evening, January 5, 2015. TAMAQUA — Pottsville faced a fourth-quarter challenge for one of the few times this season Monday. The Crimson Tide answered the challenge and turned it into another double-digit victory. Travis
Blankenhorn had a season-high 30 points, but it was a big fourth quarter that allowed Pottsville to finally pull away for
a 57-40 victory over Tamaqua in a Schuylkill League Division I contest at the Tamaqua Athletic Center. The Crimson Tide (9-0, 4-0 D-I) led 31-19 at half, but the Blue Raiders (9-2, 3-1) slowly chipped away and cut the
deficit to 39-31 with 5:31 left in the game. That was as close as Tamaqua got. Pottsville, ranked eighth in the state in Class AAA in the most recent Pennlive.com Pennsylvania high school boys’
basketball rankings, finished the game on an 18-9 run. The Crimson Tide shot 4-for-6 from the
field in the fourth quarter and hit 9-of-14 from the foul line to remain undefeated on the season and take a one-game lead
over Tamaqua and Blue Mountain in the division. “I haven’t had to sweat like that
all year,” Crimson Tide coach Dave Mullaney said. “I needed that.” Ty Painter scored 10 points, knocking down three 3-pointers, for Pottsville, while Eli Nabholz grabbed 10 rebounds
and had two blocks. Jordan Melochick added nine points, five steals, three assists and two blocks
for the Crimson Tide, hitting 5-of-6 from the foul line in the fourth quarter to help Pottsville seal the victory. “I think we just stuck to our defensive principles,” Melochick said. “It was a hard game, playing
here in Tamaqua with all the crowd and everybody screaming.” Brett Kosciolek, who led the
Raiders with 14 points and 10 rebounds, pulled Tamaqua to 39-31 when he hit 1-of-2 from the free-throw line after he was fouled
on a lob pass inside. Pottsville proceeded to score on its next four possessions as everybody
contributed to the run. Painter hit a 3 from the corner to start the spurt, while Kosciolek scored
to make it 42-33. Nahbolz hit a 3 from the top of circle on Pottsville’s next trip down
the floor. After a Tamaqua miss, Blankenhorn scored on a move inside. Melochick followed with a steal, and Blankenhorn scored
on a dump-down inside from Nabholz. He was fouled on the bucket, but missed his foul shot, making it 49-33 with 3:41 remaining
in the game. “They made a couple of runs tonight and I think we responded,” Mullaney
said. Bo Rottet scored on the baseline to cut the deficit to 49-35, but the Crimson Tide hit 8-of-11
from the free-throw line to finish the game. Rottet added 11 points and five assists for Blue
Raiders, while Nate MacDonald grabbed 11 rebounds. Melochick was responsible for guarding Rottet,
who came in averaging 19.3 points per game, most of the night and held him to one off his season low of 10. Painter and Blankenhorn
also helped out on Rottet. “I just wanted to keep him off the 3-point line and make sure
he doesn’t get any 3s off,” Melochick said. “I know I have my teammates behind me if he drives.” Despite the loss, the Raiders became just the second team this season to crack 40 points against Pottsville. The
Crimson Tide had came in allowing 30.4 points per contest. Tamaqua played well, but was done in
by a bad shooting night, hitting 16-for-48 (33 percent) from the field. “Believe or not,
we were happy with our performance today,” Raiders coach Caszy Kosciolek said. “We were right there in the second
half. But what we failed to do was to execute on offense. We didn’t get multiple passes on possessions to get a high-percentage
shot. That was one thing where we sputtered a little bit.” Blankenhorn scored 22 of his
points in the first half as Tamaqua came out in a 3-2 zone. His performance Monday followed a 24-point game Saturday against
Williamsport. “I am happy that I have teammates who don’t get mad when I shoot,”
Blankenhorn said. Game Summary POTTSVILLE (57) — Hinchliffe
0 1-2 1, Painter 3 1-3 10, Blankenhorn 10 7-10 30, Dunkel 0 0-0 0, Melochick 1 7-9 9, Witman 0 0-0 0, Abdo 1 0-0 2, Nabholz
2 0-2 5. Totals 17 16-26 57. TAMAMQUA (40) — Shilko 0 0-0 0, Blaker
3 0-0 9, Miller 0 0-0 0, Rottet 4 2-2 11, Zuber 0 0-0 0, MacDonald 1 0-0 2, Skripko 2 0-1 4, Kosciolek 5 3-4 14. Totals
15 5-7 40. Pot (9-0, 4-0) 18 13 7 19 — 57 Tam
(9-2, 3-1) 0 0 0 0 — 00 3-point FGs: Painter 3, Blankenhorn 3, Nabholz,
Blaker 3, Rottet, Kosciolek JV score: Pottsville 56-27
Crimson Tide hold off
TamaquaBy Mike Carnahan, Republican-Herald Sports
Writer
TAMAQUA — Pottsville faced a fourth-quarter challenge for one of the few times this season Monday.
The
Crimson Tide answered the challenge and turned it into another double-digit victory.
Travis Blankenhorn had a season-high
30 points, but it was a big fourth quarter that allowed Pottsville to finally pull away for a 57-40 victory over Tamaqua in
a Schuylkill League Division I contest at the Tamaqua Athletic Center.
The Crimson Tide (9-0, 4-0 D-I) led 31-19 at half,
but the Blue Raiders (9-2, 3-1) slowly chipped away and cut the deficit to 39-31 with 5:31 left in the game.
That was
as close as Tamaqua got.
Pottsville, ranked eighth in the state in Class AAA in the most recent Pennlive.com Pennsylvania
high school boys’ basketball rankings, finished the game on an 18-9 run.
The Crimson Tide shot 4-for-6 from the
field in the fourth quarter and hit 9-of-14 from the foul line to remain undefeated on the season and take a one-game lead
over Tamaqua and Blue Mountain in the division.
For the rest of the story, pick up a copy of Tuesday’s Republican-Herald.
Pottsville Leads WNEP Rankings - 1/5/2015
BOYS RANKINGS: | RANK | TEAM | RECORD | PREVIOUS RANK | | 1 | Pottsville | 9-0 | - | | 2 | Lewisburg | 8-0 | - | | 3 | Loyalsock | 8-1 | - | | 4 | Scranton
Prep | 7-2 | - | | 5 | St. John Neumann | 9-0 | - | | 6 | Shamokin | 8-2 | - | | 7 | Mid Valley | 9-0 | - | | 8 | Lehighton
| 8-1 | - |
9-0, The Tide Rolls The Pottsville Crimson Tide rolled to 9 and 0, with a 57-40, hard earned victory over Tamaqua
Blue Raiders on their home court, The Tide give the Blue Raiders their second defeat of the season and the first
one in league play. The Crimson Tide was led by Travis "Money" Blankenhorn's season high 30 points, he had 22 points
in the first half. Ty Painter added 10 points for the Tide with his season high point total. The Tide led 18-11 after the
first period, With Blankenhorn adding 12 of that total. The Tide then push their led to 31-19 at half, with Blankenhorn another
10, to finish the first half with 22 points. The Third quarter was tight with Tamaqua out scoring the Tide 8-7, to end the
third period with a score of 38-27 Tide. The Tide plulled away with 19-13 quarter to end the game at 57-40 victory. Pottsville (9-0) 18 13 7 19 (57) Tamaqua (10-2) 11 8 8 13 (40) Pottsville:
Hinchliffe 0 1-2 1, Painter 3 1-3 10, Blankenhorn 10 7-10 30, Dunkel 0 0-0 0, Melochick 1 7-9 9, Witman 0 0-0 0, Abdo 1 0-0
2, Nabholz 2 0-2 5, Totals 17 16-26 (57) Tamaqua: Shilko 0 0-0 0, Blaker3 0-0 9,
Miller 0 0-0 0, Rottet 4 2-2 11, Zuber 0 0-0 0, McDonald 1 0-0 2, Skripko 2 0-1 4,Kosciolek5 3-4 14, Totals: 15 5-7 40 3 Point FG's:Blaker (3), Rottet, Kosciolek, Painter (3), Blankenhorn (3), Nabholz
Tide remain unbeaten
with rout of Williamsport Published: January 4, 2015
JACQUELINE DORMER/STAFF
PHOTO Pottsville’s Jordan Melochick drives to the basket as Williamsport’s Micah Peterson defends during Saturday’s
non-league game at Martz Hall. The Crimson Tide’s remained undefeated on the season with a 62-32 victory. JACQUELINE DORMER/STAFF
PHOTO Pottsville’s Travis Blankenhorn converts an alley-oop pass into a lay-up during Saturday’s non-league game
against Williamsport at Martz Hall. Blankenhorn scored a season-high 24 points as the Crimson Tide remained unbeaten with
a 62-32 rout of the Millionaires. There must be something about
facing Williamsport that brings out the best in Pottsville’s Travis Blankenhorn. The senior guard was almost perfect against the Millionaires on Saturday
afternoon. So were the rest of the Crimson Tide for that matter. Blankenhorn scored 24 points and Eli Nabholz added 18, while the defense turned in another shutdown
performance to lead Pottsville to a 62-32 rout of Williamsport in a non-league contest at Martz Hall. Blankenhorn tallied a career-high 33 points during the Crimson
Tide’s 53-37 win at Williamsport last season. Blankenhorn’s output Saturday was a season high, beating the 22
he scored against Salisbury on Dec. 20. Blankenhorn finished the game 10-of-12 from the field, including a 3-for-5 performance from beyond the arc. He scored
19 of his points in the first half, with 13 coming in the second quarter, as Pottsville (8-0) raced out to a 31-14 halftime
advantage. “I guess my teammates
got me open a lot today and I was able to knock my shots down,” Blankenhorn said. Nabholz, who missed the Crimson Tide’s 77-30 victory over Nativity
on Tuesday with a concussion, returned to the starting lineup Saturday and was a perfect 9-of-9 from the field. He did most
of his damage in the second half where he scored 12 points. Eight came in the third quarter as Pottsville held a 19-5 scoring
advantage to take a 50-19 lead and put the game away. “Just going out and trying to do the same offensive principles: Post up, one pass, back seal and try to get a lob,” Nabholz said.
“There just wasn’t a lot of backside help today, so we got a couple of lay-ups from the passes.” Jordan Melochick added seven rebounds and four
assists for the Crimson Tide, while Blankenhorn had six boards and Connor Hinchliffe collected five assists. Sophomore Isaiah Hankins led the Millionaires
(4-5) with 12 points. Saturday’s
victory was eighth time this season Pottsville won by 15 or more points, and the seventh consecutive game decided by 20 or
more points. It was the perfect tune up for what will be a big three-game stretch for the Crimson Tide, which starts Monday
at Tamaqua (9-1, 3-0 D-I) in a showdown of the two remaining Schuylkill League Division I teams undefeated in the division. Pottsville then hosts Shamokin (7-2) in a non-game
Wednesday and travels to Lehighton (8-1, 2-1) next Saturday. “We haven’t always been happy after some wins, but we are happy after today,” Pottsville
coach Dave Mullaney said. “Williamsport is a great program and that was a great win for us.” There was plenty to be happy with. Offensively, the Tide were efficient and patient against Williamsport’s
pressure defense, whether the Millionaires were playing man-to-man or a 1-3-1 zone. Pottsville had tons of looks inside and
finished the game 26-for-40 (65 percent) from the field. “We thought if we handled their pressure and ran our half-court offense that there were going
to be openings for us,” Mullaney said. “For the most part we were able to work inside out.” Pottsville was just as solid on the defensive
end. Williamsport came into Saturday’s
game averaging 67.6 points per contest, but struggled against the Crimson Tide in half court. The Millionaires shot 10-of-41
(24 percent) from the field and turned the ball over 16 times. “They are definitely (athletic) and they could take us off the dribble,” Blankenhorn said.
“One of our keys was to just kept them in front and if they went backdoor, just have another person to help. We had
a lot of help defense.” Pottsville
led 10-7 late in the first quarter before going on a 21-7 run to close the first half. Blankenhorn had all five of the Crimson
Tide’s field goals during the second quarter, including all three of his 3s. His last came with 2 seconds left in the
half when he knocked down a trey from the top of the circle off a pick. Blankenhorn’s first-half shooting opened up the inside game even more in the third quarter.
All of Nabholz’s points in the third came inside the paint, topped off with a putback with 1 minute to go. Melochick
finished off the quarter, scoring on a lay-up with 4 seconds remaining to make it 50-19. “They pressed a little bit,” Nabholz said. “We weren’t
able to get a lot of shots but all of us got lay-ups in the second half.” Game Summary WILLIAMSPORT (32) — Gosly 1 3-5 5, Scott 3 0-0 6, Thomas 0 0-0 0, Chestnut 0 0-0 0, Peterson
0 1-2 1, Hankins 4 3-3 12, Williams 0 0-0 0, Johnson 0 0-0 0, Carson 0 2-2 2, 1 1-2 4, Ali 0 2-2 2. Totals 9
12-16 32. POTTSVILLE
(62) — Hinchliffe 0 2-2 2, Gerchak 0 0-0 0, Painter 1 0-2 2, Blankenhorn 10 1-2 24, Thomas 2 0-1 4, Dunkel 0 0-1 0,
Melochick 2 0-0 4, Witman 1 0-0 2, Abdo 1 4-4 6, Nabholz 9 0-0 18, Coyle 0 0-0 0, Renninger 0 0-2 0, O’Pake 0 0-0 0. Totals 26 7-14 62. Wil (4-5) 7 7 5 13 — 32 Pot
(8-0) 14 17 19 12 — 62 3-point FGs: Hankins, Benjamin, Blankenhorn 3 JV score: Pottsville 53-52
POTTSVILLE-WILLIAMSPORT
GAME TIME MOVED Pottsville freshmen will play at 12:00, The JV'S
will play at 1:30 and Varsity will play at 3:00 pm.
H.S. BOYS' BASKETBALL: Tests coming up for PottsvilleBy Mike Carnahan Published: January 2, 2015 DAVID MCKEOWN/STAFF PHOTO Pottsville’s Travis Blankenhorn (3)
takes the ball to the basket while Nativity’s Cullen Hoppel (14) defends during Tuesday’s Battle of the Hills
game at Martz Hall. This is supposed
to be Pottsville’s year in boys’ basketball. So far, it has been. The Crimson Tide have overpowered
their opponents during a 7-0 start, winning by an average margin of 28.2 points per game. Along the way, Pottsville,
ranked No. 8 all season in Pennsylvania in the Pennlive.com/Patriot-News Class AAA rankings, rolled past Blue Mountain 65-29
on Dec. 18 and held North Schuylkill to six first-half points in a 55-21 victory Dec. 22. Crimson Tide coach Dave Mullaney
was concerned about facing Salisbury in an afternoon, non-league game Dec. 20, but Pottsville won that one easily too, 58-32. In
their annual Battle of Hills matchup against Nativity on Tuesday, the Crimson Tide overcame a slow first half and a very game
Hilltoppers team by outscoring them 50-12 in the second half in a 77-30 victory. Are Blue Mountain, North Schuylkill
and Nativity that bad? Not at all. The three are likely to qualify for the District 11 playoffs, and all three will be in
the running for a spot in the Schuylkill League playoffs in their respective divisions. Pottsville has been that good. “We
played Pottsville,” Blue Mountain coach Dustin Werdt said after the Eagles’ loss Dec. 18. “I don’t
think you are going to see too many teams come out of here having a good offensive night.” All of the early-season
blowouts mean the Crimson Tide haven’t had to play any tight games during the fourth quarter. That won’t be the
case come postseason, and learning how to win close games now will be critical down the road. “I am concerned,
but at the same time most of the guys playing have played in those games in the past and we do have some experienced guys,”
Mullaney said. “We are going to have close ones coming up this week.” Challenges will indeed be forthcoming,
starting Saturday when Williamsport (4-4) comes to Martz Hall for a 3 p.m. tip. The two teams have split their two meetings
the past two years. On Dec. 18, 2012, at Martz Hall, the Crimson Tide gave the then-Class AAAA No. 7 state-ranked Millionaires
a tussle before losing 45-37. Williamsport went on to lose to eventual PIAA runner-up Chester in the second round of the state
playoffs at Martz Hall in March. Last season, Pottsville won 53-37 at Williamsport. The Millionaires are coming
off a 54-48 loss to Carlisle on Tuesday that snapped a three-game winning streak. Williamsport is averaging 69 points per
game offensively. It is the test that Mullaney and the rest of the Crimson Tide need and are looking forward to. “I
think Williamsport is a great program and they are going to test us before you get into the Tamaquas, Lehightons and Shamokins,”
Mullaney said. “You want to have another good game under your belt. We need to be tested, and I think that is the only
way for some of these guys to get their attention. We didn’t have their attention before tonight’s game.” More
challenges are coming down the road, too. Pottsville’s schedule over the next 10 days includes games at Tamaqua
(9-1, 3-0 D-I) on Monday and at Lehighton (8-1, 2-1) on Jan. 10 as the first cycle of Division I games finishes up. The Crimson
Tide will also host Shamokin (6-2) in a non-league game Jan. 7. There is also the second time through the division schedule. And
as a tune-up for the postseason, the Crimson Tide will travel to Berks League, District 3 and perennial state power Berks
Catholic on Jan 28. Hurricanes making great strides early If there is one team in the Schuylkill League that has
to be the most improved to this point in the season, it has to be Schuylkill Haven. At 5-3, the Hurricanes have won
as many games this past December as they have in the past two years, when they went a combined 5-39, including an 0-22 mark
last season. A big focus of coach Fran Murphy was for Schuylkill Haven to be competitive in every game. Outside of a
69-55 loss at Millersburg on Dec. 22, that’s what the Hurricanes have been so far. Schuylkill Haven owns non-league
wins over three Division I teams — Pine Grove, Jim Thorpe and Panther Valley — and, despite losing both games,
the Hurricanes had held Upper Dauphin (47) and Tamaqua (41) to their season low in points. Defense and controlling the
tempo have led the way. The Hurricanes haven’t put up big offensive numbers (44 points per game), but they are allowing
40.9 defensively per game. That type of defense will keep them in every game. I think Schuylkill Haven (1-1 Division
II) will be a factor in the division race. A big test will be at division-leading Minersville (6-2, 2-0) on Monday. Annual
Rhoades Classic set for Saturday The 6th annual Rhoades Foundation Classic is scheduled Saturday at Lebanon Valley
College with three games on tap. It starts with Mahanoy Area vs. Mount Carmel at 5:30 p.m. Conestoga Valley faces Lower
Dauphin at 7 and it’s Annville-Cleona vs. Palmyra at 8:30. Admission is $5 for adults and $3 for students, and all of
the proceeds benefit the Rhoades Foundation. Let’s talk districts It is only the beginning of January, but
it is never too early to look at the district rankings. The playoffs will have a different look to them this season with the
new PIAA classifications that are in place for the next two years. In Class AAA, Pottsville and Tamaqua are ranked
No. 1 and 2, respectively, with Allentown Central Catholic (6-3) third and Salisbury (8-1) fourth. The Raiders need just two
more wins to qualify for the tournament. Lehighton is sixth, North Schuylkill (5-2) eighth and Blue Mountain (4-4) ninth. In
Class AA, the top five teams are from the Schuylkill League. In order, they are Minersvile, Mahanoy Area (5-2), Williams Valley
(5-3), Schuylkill Haven and Marian (3-5). Nativity (5-3) is second in Class A behind Notre Dame-East Stroudsburg (8-2).
The only other team right now in Class A with a winning record is No. 3 Lincoln Leadership Academy (6-5). Stats are
on the way The first area statistical leaders will be published in Tuesday’s edition of The Republican-Herald.
As always they will include individual scoring and 3-point leaders, along with team offense, defense, 3-point shooting and
foul shooting. (Carnahan is the boys’ basketball beat writer for The Republican-Herald. Follow him on Twitter
@mdcarnahan71 and read his blog at http://blogs.republicanherald.com/ac/) Boys’ Basketball Power Poll Though
Jan. 1 W-L Pvs 1. Pottsville 7-0 1 2. Tamaqua 9-1 2 3. Lehighton 8-1 5 4. Minersville
6-2 6 5. Blue Mountain 4-4 6 6. North Schuylkill 5-2 4 7. Mahanoy Area 5-2 3 8. Nativity 5-3
8 9. Williams Valley 5-3 10 10. Upper Dauphin 8-2 NR — Compiled by Mike Carnahan
Crimson Tide Dunks The Hilltoppers
H.S. BOYS' BASKETBALL: Big 2nd half keys Crimson Tide rout of NativityBy
Mike Carnahan Published: December 31, 2014 Pottsville’s Christian Witman takes a shot over Nativity’s
Jeff Yordy during the Battle of the Hills. DAVID MCKEOWN/STAFF PHOTOS Nativity’s Dominic Piccioni, right,
looks for room to operate as Pottsville’s Ty Painter applies defensive pressure during Tuesday night’s Battle
of the Hills at Martz Hall. Looking on is Nativity’s Eric Nelson (35). It is not uncommon for Pottsville’s man-to-man
defense to take over a game. It took until early into the second half for it to happen Tuesday. Once the Crimson Tide
got rolling, though, what was a close game quickly turned into a rout. Travis Blankenhorn had a game-high 19 points,
while Jordan Melochick scored 10 of his 13 points in the second half as Pottsville used a big third-quarter run to roll past
Nativity 77-30 in the Battle of the Hills at Martz Hall. The Hilltoppers hung tough with the Crimson Tide for the first
half and pulled to within 27-21 when Jeff Yordy hit a deep 3-pointer from the wing early in the third quarter. Nativity
never got that close again. Pottsville (7-0) followed by scoring 18 answered points and went on a 26-3 run during the
quarter to go up 53-24 and put the game away for good. “I just felt like we all knew we had to step our defense
up and come out and play a lot harder than we did,” Blankenhorn said. “Coach (Dave Mullaney) got us motivated
to do that and we did. “In the second half, we just came out and played the defense that we know.” How
good was the Crimson Tide’s defense in the second half? Pottsville held the Hilltopers to 2-of-15 (13 percent)
from the floor over the final 16 minutes, with both field goals 3s by Yordy in the third quarter, and 12 total points. The
Crimson Tide also forced Nativity into 13 second-half turnovers. Melochick added 10 rebounds on the night to finish
with a double-double, to go along with three assists, three steals and two blocks. Ty Painter and Jordan Abdo had nine points
apiece for the Crimson Tide, who were without Eli Nabholz and Pat Schenck. Nabholz, Pottsville’s starting
center, suffered a concussion early during the Crimson Tide’s 55-21 win at North Schuylkill on Dec. 22 and is expected
to be cleared to play Saturday night against Williamsport. Yordy led Nativity (5-3) with 16 points and nine rebounds.
The Hilltoppers, who had their five-game winning streak snapped, hit six 3s in the game as their outside shooting helped keep
them in the game in the first half. Yordy’s 3s early in second half made it even closer, but then the night unraveled
for the Hilltoppers as they started to get worn down. “When he hit that 3, I thought that was going to be a pick-me-up,”
Nativity coach Kevin Kennedy said. “But you talk about a tough Pottsville team that plays tough defense and they are
well-coached. The thing is, Pottsville is 10 deep and they just kept bringing in subs. Our kids were tired. They just wore
them down. They really did.” Not only did the Crimson Tide pick up on the defensive end, they were more aggressive
offensively, too. Pottsville seemed to settle for 3-pointers in the first half and didn’t do all that well, finishing
2-for-15 (13 percent) from beyond the arc in the half and 10-of-30 (33 percent) overall from the floor. In the second
half, the Crimson Tide turned Nativity’s misses and turnovers into transition points at the other end and were much
aggressive in the half court against Nativity’s 2-3 zone. Pottsville ended up 18-for-31 (58 percent) from the floor
in the second half, including a 5-of-10 showing from 3-point land. “In the second half, our guys were attacking
the basket on the offensive end,” Mullaney said. “I think once we decided we were going to attack gaps and make
plays, it made the zone a little easier to attack.” Blankenhorn, who fouled out early in the fourth quarter, did
most of his damage in the first half when he scored 15 of his points. A highlight of his night was a two-handed jam off a
fast break that started on a Melochick steal. “Melo gave me a pass ahead and I didn’t see anyone in front
of me, so I just went up for the dunk,” the 6-foot-2 Blankenhorn said. Game Summary Battle of the Hills At
Martz Hall NATIVITY (30) — Piccioni 2 2-2 8, Greco 0 0-0 0, Petzel 0 0-0 0, Hoppel 1 0-0 3, Yordy 4 5-6 16, Hunyara
0 1-2 1, Adams 1 0-4 2, Belding 0 0-0 0, Nelson 0 0-0 0, White 0 0-0 0, Shatalsky 0 0-0 0. Totals 8 8-14 30.
POTTSVILLE (77) — Hinchliffe 3 2-2 8, Gerchak 0 0-0 0, Painter 3 0-0 9, Blankenhorn 7 4-7 19, Thomas 3
0-1 8, Dunkel 0 2-4 2, Melochick 5 2-4 13, Shuman 0 2-2 2, Witman 2 0-0 4, Abdo 4 1-3 9, Coyle 0 0-0 0, Renninger 0 1-2 1,
O’Pake 1 0-0 2. Totals 28 14-25 77. Nat (5-3) 5 13 6 6 — 30
Pot (7-0) 14 13 26 24 — 77 3-point FGs: Piccioni 2, Hoppel, Yordy 3, Painter 3,
Blankenhorn, Thomas 2, Melochick, JV score: Pottsville 62-17
Crimson Tide Rolls To 7 - 0 The Crimson Tide defeated Nativity Green Wave by the score of 77-30. The Tide was led by Travis "Money"
Blankenhorn's 19 points and Jordan "Melo" Melochick dumped in 13 points. The Tide led by the score of 14 - 5 after
the first quarter and led at half time by the scoce 27-18. The Tide then turned up the heat on Nativity in the third quater
when Pottsville ran up a 26-6 score with all around defense being played by everyone. The Tide closed out the game with a
24-6 forth quarter to end the game at 77-30 victorty. The Tide moves on to play Williamsport at home this saturday. Pottsville 14 13 26 24 (77) Nativity
5 13 6 6 (30) Pottsville: Hinchcliffe
3 2-2 8, Gerchak 0 0-0 0, Painter 3 0-0 9, Blankenhorn 7 4-7 19, Thomas 2 0-1 8, Dunkel 0 2-4 2, Melochick 5 2-4 13, Shuman
0 2-2 2, Witman 2 0-0 4, Abdo 4 1-3 9, Coyle 0 0-0 0, Renninger 0 1-2 1, O'Pake 1 0-0 2, Totals: 28 14-25 (77) Nativity: Piccioni 2 2-2 8, Greco 0 0-0 0, Petzel 0 0-0 0, Hoffel 1 0-0 3, Yordy 4 5-6 16, Hunyara 0 1-2 1, Adams
1 0-4 2, Belding 0 0-0 0, Nelson 0 0-0 0, White 0 0-0 0, Shatalsky 0 0-0 0 Totals: 8 8-14 (30) 3-pointers:
Painter (3), Blankenhorn,Thomas (2), Melochick,Piccioni (2), Hoffel, Yordy (3),
Crimson Tide Stick it to the Spartans! The Crimson Tide continued on it's winning ways with a 55 to 21,
victory over the North Schuylkill Spartans on their home Floor. Travis "Money" Blankenhorn led the Tide with 13
points, followed by Jordan "Melo" Melochick 11 points and a Break out game by Muldeen Thomas 10 points, the best
of his career. The Tide jumped out to a 9 to 4 score in the first quarter and led 26-6 at half time. Durning the game Eli
"Big Easy" Nabholz suffered a mild concussion, which limited his play. The Tide came out in the second half
to extend the lead to 38-13 at the end of the third quarter. The Tide closed out the game at a 55-21 score. The Tide's record
in the division is now 3-0. The Tide will take a couple of days off before playing Nativity Green. Wave on December 30 at
home in the Lions Club Classic. Pottsville: 9. 17. 11. 17. (55) North Schuylkill 4.
2. 7. 8 (21) Pottsville: Hinchliffe 0 0-2 0, Gerchak 0 0-0 0, Painter 2 0-0 5, Blankenhorn 5
3-4 13. Thomas 4 0-2 10, Dunkel 2 0-0 4, Melochick 3 5-6 11, Shuman 0 0-0 0. Witman 1 1-1 3, Abdo 3 1-2 7. Nabholz 1 0-0 2,
Coyle 0 0-0 0, Renninger 0 0-0 0, Schenck 0 0-0 0, O'Pake 0 0-0 0'. Totals: 21 10-17 (55) North Schuylkill:Carney 0
0-0 0, Marlowe 0 0-0 0, Hillbish 0 0-0 0, Murray 5 4-5 14, Wood 0 0-0 0, Mazur 0 0-0 0, Mercado 1 2-3 4, Smith 0 1-3 1, Mazeika
1 0-0 2, Bottof0 0-0 0, Karlonis0 0-0 0, Shewmaker 0 0-0 0, Beaton 0 0-0 0, Jordan 0 0-2 o, Totals: 7 7-13 (21) 3
Pointers: Painter, Thomas 2
Martz Hall Mystery Solved!! After extensive research was done by NASA, MIT and the CIA. THe Martz Hall Mystery
has been solved. Applying the rules of Physics, You must apply a certain amount of pressure to the floor in order to reach
maxium lift off to achieve the perfect dunk! After spending
weeks, reviewing all the reports that were submitted by NASA, MIT and the CIA to determine the necessary repairs to the
"Black Hole" on Martz Hall Basketball court. The area has been fixed, and is ready for lift off at the next
home game.
Crimson Tide drives a stake Into Salisbury! The Crimson Tide continued it's winning ways by defeating previously unbeaten Salisbury 58 to
32. The Crimson Tide were led by Travis "Money" Blankenhorn's 22 points, followed by Jordan "Melo" Melochick,
with his best game, of the year adding 13 points and The "Big Easy" Eli Nabholz's 10 points. The Crimson Tide jumped
out to a 13 to 5 first quater lead and pushed it to a 33 to 11 half time lead. The Tide continued to pour it on Salisbury,
taking a 45 to 26 lead at the end of 3 quarters. The Tide finished the game off in the fourth quater for a final victory of
58 to 32. The Tide travels to North Schuylkill, Monday night for a league game. Pottsville:
13 20 12 13 (58) Salisbury: 5
6 15 6 (32) Pottsville: Hinchliffe 1 2-2 4, Painter 1 0-0
3, Blankenhorn 7 5-6 22, Dunkel 0 0-0 0, Melochick 4 4-5 13, Shuman 0 0-0 0, Witman 0 -0-0 0, Abdo 3 0-1 6, Nabholz
4 1-2 10, Coyle 0 0-0 0, Totals 20 12-16 (58) Salisbury: Jones 0 0-0 0, Webber
1 0-1 2, Cooperman 0 0-0 0, Brown 0 0-0 0, Reinenbach 0 1-2 1, Castello 1 0-0 2, Carson 0 0-0 0, Slutsky 0 2-2 2, Belletiere
6 2-4 14, Reid 2 5-6 9, Fairclough 1 0-0 2, Tiao 0 0-0 0, Rosers 0 0-0 0, Totals: 11 10-15 (32) 3-Point Fg's: Painter, Blankenhorn (3), Melochick, Nabholz
Crimson Tide drives a stake Into Salisbury! The Crimson Tide continued it's winning ways by defeating previously unbeaten Salisbury 58 to
32. The Crimson Tide were led by Travis "Money" Blankenhorn's 22 points, followed by Jordan "Melo" Melochick,
with his best game, of the year adding 13 points and The "Big Easy" Eli Nabholz's 10 points. The Crimson Tide jumped
out to a 13 to 5 first quater lead and pushed it to a 33 to 11 half time lead. The Tide continued to pour it on Salisbury,
taking a 45 to 26 lead at the end of 3 quarters. The Tide finished the game off in the fourth quater for a final victory of
58 to 32. The Tide travels to North Schuylkill, Monday night for a league game. Pottsville:
13 20 12 13 (58) Salisbury: 5
6 15 6 (32) Pottsville: Hinchliffe 1 2-2 4, Painter 1 0-0
3, Blankenhorn 7 5-6 22, Dunkel 0 0-0 0, Melochick 4 4-5 13, Shuman 0 0-0 0, Witman 0 -0-0 0, Abdo 3 0-1 6, Nabholz
4 1-2 10, Coyle 0 0-0 0, Totals 20 12-16 (58) Salisbury: Jones 0 0-0 0, Webber
1 0-1 2, Cooperman 0 0-0 0, Brown 0 0-0 0, Reinenbach 0 1-2 1, Castello 1 0-0 2, Carson 0 0-0 0, Slutsky 0 2-2 2, Belletiere
6 2-4 14, Reid 2 5-6 9, Fairclough 1 0-0 2, Tiao 0 0-0 0, Rosers 0 0-0 0, Totals: 11 10-15 (32) 3-Point Fg's: Painter, Blankenhorn (3), Melochick, Nabholz
Tide roll past Blue MountainBy
Mike Carnahan Published: December 19, 2014
It is early, but four games into the regular season,
Pottsville has been as good as advertised. One the Crimson Tide’s biggest rivals couldn’t
slow them down Thursday. Eli Nabholz had a game-high 17 points and Travis Blankenhorn added 12,
while the defense helped start a late first-half run that lifted Pottsville to 65-29 victory over Blue Mountain in a Schuylkill
League Division I contest at Martz Hall. Thursday’s win was the fourth double-digit victory
in four games for Pottsville (4-0, 2-0 D-I) this season. The 36-point margin of victory over the Eagles was the largest for
the Crimson Tide, surpassing Monday’s 61-26 win over Pine Grove. “We played well,”
Nabholz said. “We played well against Governor Mifflin (a 64-40 victory last Friday). Last game against Pine Grove we
might have taken a little step back, there was not as much intensity. We put a lot of it together today and we definitely
got better today.” Blankenhorn and Connor Hinchliffe had eight rebounds apiece for Pottsville,
while Nabholz added six boards and three blocks. Ty Painter and Jordan Melochick each had three assists. Mark Chelius, the only returning starter this season for Blue Mountain (2-4, 1-1), had 12 points. The Eagles were
coming off a 72-55 win over North Schuylkill on Monday. A Pottsville-Blue Mountain matchup has
provided plenty of drama through the years. This wasn’t one of those nights. The Crimson Tide are deep and experienced
with five seniors in their starting lineup. The Eagles are young, starting one senior, two juniors and two sophomores. It turned out to be a rough night offensively for Blue Mountain. The Eagles shot 10-for-34 (29 percent) from the
floor and turned the ball over 17 times. “We played Pottsville,” Blue Mountain coach
Dustin Werdt said. “I don’t think you are going to see too many teams come out of here having a good offensive
night. I think we helped them a little bit with some turnovers and we gave them some easy buckets. They defend well. They
are strong and quick and get out into the passing lanes.” The game was close early as Pottsville
led 10-7 after the first quarter. The Crimson Tide threatened to pull away early in the second quarter, opening with an 8-0
run to go up 18-7 with 3:35 left in the first half. Nabholz finished off the run, scoring on a putback. Blue Mountain stuck around, cutting cut the deficit to 18-13 with 1:57 remaining on a 3-pointer by Dean Stramara
and three-point play by Chelius off a baseline drive. Then the Crimson Tide took over for good,
putting together a 22-4 run that lasted into the second half. The defense helped spark it. Blankenhorn started the run with a pull-up jumper. Hinchliffe then had back-to-back steals, converting both for layups,
making it 24-13 with 24 seconds left in the first half. Hinchliffe got into the passing lane on
both steals, the type of defense Pottsville coach Dave Mullaney felt was lacking at times last season. “He got out into the passing lanes and that changed the game,” he said. “It is coming. This group,
the problem is we do have the capability of scoring some points, but we want to make sure we are doing it on both ends. Slowly
but surely we are coming along.” Blankenhorn finished off the half by hitting a 3-pointer
off a screen from the top of the circle with 2 seconds left to make it 27-13. Nabholz scored eight
of his points during the third quarter as Pottsville build a 42-17 advantage with 3:32 to go after Jordan Abdo knocked down
a 3 from the corner. The Crimson Tide led 50-25 after three quarters. Pottsville
finished the night 25-for-51 (49 percent) from the floor, including a 7-of-22 (31 percent) showing from 3-point land. Everybody
seemed to get involved Thursday. “We know where everybody is going to be and the offense
started to flow tonight,” Nabholz said. “It was just working together as a team, running the motion offense. We
got so many guys open tonight. I just happened to open a couple of times.” Game Summary BLUE MOUNTAIN (29) — Puzzi 0 0-0 0, Stramara 2 1-2 6, Kerstetter 0 0-0 0, Barton 0 0-0 0, Welsh 0 1-2 1, Lewis
2 0-0 4, Donovan 0 0-0 0, Chelius 4 2-2 12, Albertini 2 0-0 6, Granito 0 0-0 0, Zerbe 0 0-0 0, Biever 0 0-0 0. Totals
10 4-6 29. POTTSVILLE (65) — Hinchliffe 3 0-0 6, Gerchak 0 0-0 0, Painter
2 0-0 5, Blankenhorn 5 1-2 12, Thomas 1 0-0 2, Dunkel 0 0-0 0, Melochick 2 3-3 7, Shuman 2 0-0 5, Witman 1 1-1 3, Abdo 1 2-2
5, Nabholz 7 1-1 17, Coyle 0 0-0 0, Renninger 0 0-0 0, Schenk 1 0-0 3. Totals 25 8-9 65. BM (2-4, 1-1) 7 6 12 4 — 29 Pot (4-0, 2-0) 10 17 23 15 — 65
3-point FGs: Stramara, Chelius 2, Albertini 2, Painter, Blankenhorn, Shuman, Abdo, Nabholz
2, Schenk JV score: Pottsville 50-28
Crimson Tide Soars Past The Eagles The "Big Easy", Eli Nabholz led the Tide with 17 points, Travis "Money"
Blankehorn added 12 points and Jordan "Melo" Melochick chipped in 7 points, as the Tide with a well balanace attack
soared pass Blue Mountain 65-29 at Martz Hall. The Crimson Tide improved their record to 4 and 0. The Tide will take their
show on the road, Saturday against the Salisbury Falcons, Pottsville:
10 17 23 12 (65) Blue Mountain:
7 6 12 4 (29) Pottsville Hinchliffe 3 0-0 6, Gerchak 0 0-0 0, Painter 2 0-0 5, Blankenhorn 5 1-2 12, Thomas 1 0-0 2,
Dunkel 0 0-0 0, Melochick 2 3-3 7, Shuman 1 0-0 3, Witman 2 1-1 5, Abdo 1 3-3 5, Nabholz 7 1-1 17, Coyle 0 0-0 0, Renninger
0 0-0 0, Schenck 1 0-0 3, Totals: 25 8-9 (65) Blue Mountain Puzzi 0 0-0 0, Strammara 2 1-2 6, Kerstetter 0 0-0 0, Barton 0 0-2 0, Welsh 0 1-2 1, Lewis
2 0-0 4, Donovan 0 0-0 0, Chelius 4 2-2 12, Albertini 2 0-0 6, Granto 0 0-0 0, Zerbe 0 0-0 0, Biever 0 0-0 0 Totals:
10 4-8 (29)
Tide on WNEP
Tide hope to roll to a Schuylkill League Championship The pieces are in place for Pottsville to
make a big run this season. All five starters are back including Travis Blankenhorn-the Tide leading scorer from a year ago
averaging 18.5ppg. “I think we did a lot of stuff in the off-season. We worked really hard
on improving our offense and defense and so far it’s been paying off,” said Travis Blankenhorn. In his 8th season now here at Pottsville-Coach Dave Mullaney has high expectations for this group certainly re-claim
that Schuylkill League championship, win every game here at home, and play defense-and with that good things will come. “That’s an area we’re going to be a little bit better this year, as opposed to year’s past.
We do have some depth. We have guys pushing for minutes and in the first couple games it’s really helped us out,”
said Dave Mullaney. “Defense is definitely our #1 thing that’s what we’re known
for. I think this year more year’s in the past we’re worked about playing a little but harder on defense because
of how many subs we have so that allows us to play a little but harder,” said Eli Nabholtz. Last
year Pottsville lost in the district final, but picked up their first state playoff win in nearly 40 years when they beat
Lower Moreland. “I love playing basketball. Personally I love competing especially with
these guys that I play with. They are my brothers, and I would love to come out with this season accomplish some of those
team goals and again just compete and have fun. Obviously Schuylkill league you want to get that back? Yes. Absolutely we
want to get that Schuylkill League back,” added Eli. “We knew we had to step up and
a lot of us just started playing well. Once the playoffs came once the whole season yes we could have won the Schuylkill League
Championships wish we could have done better in Districts, but hopefully well make some of those goals happen this year,”
added Travis. With the rise in personal foul calls-a PIAA priority this season into hand checking
the Tide bench might prove to be a key difference down the stretch.
Crimson Tide Soars Past The Eagles The "Big Easy", Eli Nabholz led the Tide with 17 points, Travis "Money"
Blankehorn added 12 points and Jordfan "Melo" Melochick chipped in 7 points, as the Tide with a well balanace attack
soared pass Blue Mountain 65-29 at Martz Hall. The Crimson Tide improved their record to 4 and 0. The Tide will take their
show on the road, Saturday against the Salisbury Falcons, Pottsville:
10 17 23 12 (65) Blue Mountain:
7 6 12 4 (29) Pottsville Hinchliffe 3 0-0 6, Gerchak 0 0-0 0, Painter 2 0-0 5, Blankenhorn 5 1-2 12, Thomas 1 0-0 2,
Dunkel 0 0-0 0, Melochick 2 3-3 7, Shuman 1 0-0 3, Witman 2 1-1 5, Abdo 1 3-3 5, Nabholz 7 1-1 17, Coyle 0 0-0 0, Renninger
0 0-0 0, Schenck 1 0-0 3, Totals: 25 8-9 (65) Blue Mountain Puzzi 0 0-0 0, Strammara 2 1-2 6, Kerstetter 0 0-0 0, Barton 0 0-2 0, Welsh 0 1-2 1, Lewis
2 0-0 4, Donovan 0 0-0 0, Chelius 4 2-2 12, Albertini 2 0-0 6, Granto 0 0-0 0, Zerbe 0 0-0 0, Biever 0 0-0 0 Totals:
10 4-8 (29)
"Tide Rolls to 3 - 0" Crimson Tide Clips The Cardinals Wings
Pottsville 61 Pine Grove 26 Travis Blankenhorn
and Jordan Abdo each scored 13 points as Pottsville dumped Pine Grove in a Division I game. Nine
of Blankenhorn’s 13 points came in a 21-5 third period for the Tide. Pine Grove’s
Kobe D’Agostino led all scorers with 18 points, going 10-for-10 from the foul line. PINE GROVE (26) — Rossi 0 0-0 0, Snedden 1 0-1 3, Soper 0 0-0 0, Kaufman 0 0-0 0, Kreiser 0 0-0 0, Leininger
0 1-2 1, D’Agostino 3 10-10 18, Weinus 0 0-2 0, Griffiths 0 0-0 0, Fick 0 2-4 2, Omlor 0 0-2 0, Mars 0 2-2 2. Totals
4 15-23 26. POTTSVILLE (61) — Hinchliffe 2 0-0 4, Gerchak 0 0-0 0, Painter
0 0-0 0, Blankenhorn 6 0-3 13, Thomas 0 3-3 3, Dunkel 2 1-1 5, Melochick 2 0-0 4, Shuman 0 0-0 0, Witman 1 1-3 3, Abdo 4 4-4
13, Nabholz 2 3-4 8, Coyle 2 0-0 4, Renninger 1 0-0 2, Schenk 0 0-0 0, O’Pake 1 0-0 2. Totals 23 12-19 61.
PG (1-3, 0-1) 5 4 5 12 — 26 Pott. (3-0, 1-0) 13 7 21 20 — 61
3-point FGs: Snedden, D’Agostino 2, Blankenhorn, Abdo, Nabholz JV score: Pottsville 65-9
"Big Easy" leads Tide over Governor Mifflin Pottsville 63 Governor Mifflin 40 Eli Nabholz scored 19 points,
knocking down five 3-pointers on the night, as the Crimson Tide rolled past the Mustangs in a non-league game at Martz Hall.
Nabholz had eight of his points in the first quarter as Pottsville raced out to an 18-3 lead.
Travis Blankenhorn scored 12 of his 16 points in the first half for the Crimson Tide. GOVERNOR MIFFLIN (40) — Obid 5 1-2 12, Tisdale 0 0-0 0, Sczepkowski 0 0-0 0, Buchanan 1 0-0 3, Peters 2 5-6
11, Hoff 2 0-1 4, Rodriguez 2 0-2 4, Willet 1 0-2 2, Bortz 0 0-0 0, Smith 1 0-0 2, Strausser 0 0-0 0, Klahr 1 0-0 2. Totals
15 6-13 40. POTTSVILLE (63) — Hinchliffe 0 0-0 0, Gerchak 0 0-0 0, Painter
2 2-2 7, Blankenhorn 6 4-7 16, Thomas 1 2-2 4, Dunkel 0 0-0 0, Melochick 2 3-6 8, Shuman 1 0-0 3, Witman 0 0-0 0, Abdo 2 0-0
6, Nabholz 6 2-2 19, Coyle 0 0-1 0, Renninger 0 0-0 0, Schenk 0 0-0 0, O’Pake 0 0-0 0. Totals 20 13-20 63.
GM (1-3) 3 8 15 14 — 40 Potts. (2-0) 18 14 15 16 — 63
3-point FGs: Obid, Buchanan, Peters 2, Painter, Melochick, Shuman, Abdo 2, Nabholz 5 JV score: Pottsville 55-22
Tide roll past Blue MountainBy
Mike Carnahan Published: December 19, 2014
It is early, but four games into the regular season,
Pottsville has been as good as advertised. One the Crimson Tide’s biggest rivals couldn’t
slow them down Thursday. Eli Nabholz had a game-high 17 points and Travis Blankenhorn added 12,
while the defense helped start a late first-half run that lifted Pottsville to 65-29 victory over Blue Mountain in a Schuylkill
League Division I contest at Martz Hall. Thursday’s win was the fourth double-digit victory
in four games for Pottsville (4-0, 2-0 D-I) this season. The 36-point margin of victory over the Eagles was the largest for
the Crimson Tide, surpassing Monday’s 61-26 win over Pine Grove. “We played well,”
Nabholz said. “We played well against Governor Mifflin (a 64-40 victory last Friday). Last game against Pine Grove we
might have taken a little step back, there was not as much intensity. We put a lot of it together today and we definitely
got better today.” Blankenhorn and Connor Hinchliffe had eight rebounds apiece for Pottsville,
while Nabholz added six boards and three blocks. Ty Painter and Jordan Melochick each had three assists. Mark Chelius, the only returning starter this season for Blue Mountain (2-4, 1-1), had 12 points. The Eagles were
coming off a 72-55 win over North Schuylkill on Monday. A Pottsville-Blue Mountain matchup has
provided plenty of drama through the years. This wasn’t one of those nights. The Crimson Tide are deep and experienced
with five seniors in their starting lineup. The Eagles are young, starting one senior, two juniors and two sophomores. It turned out to be a rough night offensively for Blue Mountain. The Eagles shot 10-for-34 (29 percent) from the
floor and turned the ball over 17 times. “We played Pottsville,” Blue Mountain coach
Dustin Werdt said. “I don’t think you are going to see too many teams come out of here having a good offensive
night. I think we helped them a little bit with some turnovers and we gave them some easy buckets. They defend well. They
are strong and quick and get out into the passing lanes.” The game was close early as Pottsville
led 10-7 after the first quarter. The Crimson Tide threatened to pull away early in the second quarter, opening with an 8-0
run to go up 18-7 with 3:35 left in the first half. Nabholz finished off the run, scoring on a putback. Blue Mountain stuck around, cutting cut the deficit to 18-13 with 1:57 remaining on a 3-pointer by Dean Stramara
and three-point play by Chelius off a baseline drive. Then the Crimson Tide took over for good,
putting together a 22-4 run that lasted into the second half. The defense helped spark it. Blankenhorn started the run with a pull-up jumper. Hinchliffe then had back-to-back steals, converting both for layups,
making it 24-13 with 24 seconds left in the first half. Hinchliffe got into the passing lane on
both steals, the type of defense Pottsville coach Dave Mullaney felt was lacking at times last season. “He got out into the passing lanes and that changed the game,” he said. “It is coming. This group,
the problem is we do have the capability of scoring some points, but we want to make sure we are doing it on both ends. Slowly
but surely we are coming along.” Blankenhorn finished off the half by hitting a 3-pointer
off a screen from the top of the circle with 2 seconds left to make it 27-13. Nabholz scored eight
of his points during the third quarter as Pottsville build a 42-17 advantage with 3:32 to go after Jordan Abdo knocked down
a 3 from the corner. The Crimson Tide led 50-25 after three quarters. Pottsville
finished the night 25-for-51 (49 percent) from the floor, including a 7-of-22 (31 percent) showing from 3-point land. Everybody
seemed to get involved Thursday. “We know where everybody is going to be and the offense
started to flow tonight,” Nabholz said. “It was just working together as a team, running the motion offense. We
got so many guys open tonight. I just happened to open a couple of times.” Game Summary BLUE MOUNTAIN (29) — Puzzi 0 0-0 0, Stramara 2 1-2 6, Kerstetter 0 0-0 0, Barton 0 0-0 0, Welsh 0 1-2 1, Lewis
2 0-0 4, Donovan 0 0-0 0, Chelius 4 2-2 12, Albertini 2 0-0 6, Granito 0 0-0 0, Zerbe 0 0-0 0, Biever 0 0-0 0. Totals
10 4-6 29. POTTSVILLE (65) — Hinchliffe 3 0-0 6, Gerchak 0 0-0 0, Painter
2 0-0 5, Blankenhorn 5 1-2 12, Thomas 1 0-0 2, Dunkel 0 0-0 0, Melochick 2 3-3 7, Shuman 2 0-0 5, Witman 1 1-1 3, Abdo 1 2-2
5, Nabholz 7 1-1 17, Coyle 0 0-0 0, Renninger 0 0-0 0, Schenk 1 0-0 3. Totals 25 8-9 65. BM (2-4, 1-1) 7 6 12 4 — 29 Pot (4-0, 2-0) 10 17 23 15 — 65
3-point FGs: Stramara, Chelius 2, Albertini 2, Painter, Blankenhorn, Shuman, Abdo, Nabholz
2, Schenk JV score: Pottsville 50-28
Crimson Tide Soars Past The Eagles The "Big Easy", Eli Nabholz led the Tide with 17 points, Travis "Money"
Blankehorn added 12 points and Jordan "Melo" Melochick chipped in 7 points, as the Tide with a well balanace attack
soared pass Blue Mountain 65-29 at Martz Hall. The Crimson Tide improved their record to 4 and 0. The Tide will take their
show on the road, Saturday against the Salisbury Falcons, Pottsville:
10 17 23 12 (65) Blue Mountain:
7 6 12 4 (29) Pottsville Hinchliffe 3 0-0 6, Gerchak 0 0-0 0, Painter 2 0-0 5, Blankenhorn 5 1-2 12, Thomas 1 0-0 2,
Dunkel 0 0-0 0, Melochick 2 3-3 7, Shuman 1 0-0 3, Witman 2 1-1 5, Abdo 1 3-3 5, Nabholz 7 1-1 17, Coyle 0 0-0 0, Renninger
0 0-0 0, Schenck 1 0-0 3, Totals: 25 8-9 (65) Blue Mountain Puzzi 0 0-0 0, Strammara 2 1-2 6, Kerstetter 0 0-0 0, Barton 0 0-2 0, Welsh 0 1-2 1, Lewis
2 0-0 4, Donovan 0 0-0 0, Chelius 4 2-2 12, Albertini 2 0-0 6, Granto 0 0-0 0, Zerbe 0 0-0 0, Biever 0 0-0 0 Totals:
10 4-8 (29)
Pottsville clips The Cardinals
Wings Pottsville 61 Pine Grove 26 Travis Blankenhorn and Jordan Abdo each scored 13 points as Pottsville dumped Pine Grove in a Division I game. Nine of Blankenhorn’s 13 points came in a 21-5 third period for the Tide. Pine
Grove’s Kobe D’Agostino led all scorers with 18 points, going 10-for-10 from the foul line. PINE GROVE (26) — Rossi 0 0-0 0, Snedden 1 0-1 3, Soper 0 0-0 0, Kaufman 0 0-0
0, Kreiser 0 0-0 0, Leininger 0 1-2 1, D’Agostino 3 10-10 18, Weinus 0 0-2 0, Griffiths 0 0-0 0, Fick 0 2-4 2, Omlor
0 0-2 0, Mars 0 2-2 2. Totals 4 15-23 26. POTTSVILLE (61) — Hinchliffe
2 0-0 4, Gerchak 0 0-0 0, Painter 0 0-0 0, Blankenhorn 6 0-3 13, Thomas 0 3-3 3, Dunkel 2 1-1 5, Melochick 2 0-0 4, Shuman
0 0-0 0, Witman 1 1-3 3, Abdo 4 4-4 13, Nabholz 2 3-4 8, Corral 2 0-0 4, Renninger 1 0-0 2, Schenk 0 0-0 0, O’Pake 1
0-0 2. Totals 23 12-19 61. PG (1-3, 0-1) 5 4 5 12 — 26
Pott. (3-0, 1-0) 13 7 21 20 — 61 3-point FGs: Snedden,
D’Agostino 2, Blankenhorn, Abdo, Nabholz JV score: Pottsville 65-9
Tide look to roll again BY MIKE CARNAHAN Published:
December 11, 2014 The best way to describe
the 2014-15 Schuylkill League boys’ basketball season is uncertainty and plenty of change. Such
is the case at Mahanoy Area. For the first time since 1981, Mickey Holland will not lead the Golden Bears
as head coach. The job now belongs to Scott Hudson, who was a sophomore at Mahanoy Area during Holland’s
first season 33 years ago and has been involved with the program in some capacity ever since. Then
there is the new addition to the league in Lehighton and how much of an impact the Indians will make in the Division I race. There is also the question of who will emerge as the front runners for the Division II and III titles. Both races
are wide open this season and will bring plenty of intrigue as the year moves on. There are, however,
no such uncertainties and changes at Pottsville. The Crimson Tide’s expectations are always high, and this season is
no different. The Tide are loaded again, and the expectations may be turned up a little bit more. Not only is Pottsville coming off a 24-6 campaign, but all five starters — seniors Travis Blankenhorn,
Eli Nabholz, Ty Painter and Connor Hinchliffe, along with junior Jordan
Melochick — are back. Last season, the Crimson Tide’s drive for a fifth consecutive
overall league title ended with a 45-44 loss to Mahanoy Area in the championship game. But 2013-14 could hardly be considered
a failure. Pottsville won its fifth straight division title by beating Blue Mountain 51-42 in
a tiebreaker contest Feb. 8. The Crimson Tide also reached their first District 11 Class AAA title game since 2010 and then
won their first PIAA playoff game since 1974 with a 58-38 victory over Lower Moreland on March 7. Pottsville proceeded to
give eventual state runner-up Susquehanna Township a fight in the second round before losing 52-45 on March 11. Blankenhorn, a 6-foot-2 guard, stepped into more of a leadership role and responded with the best season of his career,
averaging 18.2 points per game, including 61 3-pointers. He was The Republican-Herald Co-Player of the Year with Mahanoy Area’s
Dylan Mahmod. Blankenhorn also hit 1,000 points for his career during a 56-30 victory over Williams Valley
in the league semifinals Feb. 11. Nabholz (12.0 ppg), a 6-5 forward, had the best season of his
high school career, too, becoming a threat both in and out of the paint. Melochick (9.8 ppg) nearly averaged double figures
in scoring, while Connor Hinchliffe (6.1 ppg., 24 3s) was second on the team in 3-pointers and Ty Painter (2.8) became more
confident offensively as the season went along. What could make the Crimson Tide even scarier
is that there is depth this season, so much so that last year’s starting five could be different this season. To that end, coach Dave Mullaney wants Pottsville to be more aggressive on both ends of the floor.
He wants the Tide’s man-to-man defense to be even tighter, and his motion offense to run crisper sets. He knows there is a lot of work to do. “We are nowhere where we want to be,”
he said. “I really want to see us offensive rebound better than we have in the past. I want to see us play defense like
we have in the past as well. Last year I don’t think we were a great defensive team. And just continue to build confidence.
The talent is there, it is just the job of the coaching staff to kind of put it all together and reach our potential.” Blankenhorn knows this season could be special, too. Now the Crimson Tide have to go out and get it done. “We still have to go out and play the game,” he said. “Nothing is guaranteed. We have to keep focused,
keep getting better and take nothing for granted.” Pottsville and the rest of Division I
have to deal with Lehighton as it enters from the now defunct Mountain Valley Conference. The
Indians (14-11, 7-7 MVC) might be new to the league, but are familiar with a few of the teams they will play. Lehighton lost
to Pottsville in the District 11 Class AAA quarterfinals the past two years, and also have played Tamaqua, Jim Thorpe, Panther
Valley and Marian in non-league games in the recent years. Two of the Indians’ leading scorers
return in senior guard Jordan Knappenberger (13.7) and junior forward Tyler Crum (13.0).
The rest of Lehighton’s starters will be new. “It is different basketball in the Schuylkill
League compared to where we came from,” Indians coach Rich Oertner said. “The Mountain Valley,
the kids were more athletic, but their basketball IQ wasn’t there. I think the basketball IQ in the Schuylkill League
is pretty high. The kids and the coaches are fundamentally sound. We were usually the smarter team, but now some of the better
teams are smarter than we are. That will be a change.” Lehighton’s first league game
is Monday at home against Panther Valley. Here are some other items to look for this winter: • In addition to Blankenhorn, Nativity’s Jeff Yordy (1,191) and Tamaqua’s Brett
Kosciolek (1,034) are returning as 1,000-point scorers in the league this season. •
In addition to Hudson, Jim Thorpe’s Jason McElmoyle and Gillingham Charter’s Pete Sanfilippo
are also new head coaches. • The postseason classifications have changed for some
schools for the new PIAA two-year cycle. Class AAA includes Blue Mountain, Jim Thorpe, Lehighton,
North Schuylkill, Pottsville and Tamaqua; Mahanoy Area, Marian, Minersville, Panther Valley, Pine Grove, Schuylkill Haven
and Williams Valley are Class AA; and Nativity, Shenandoah Valley, Tri-Valley, Weatherly and Gillingham Charter are Class
A. Upper Dauphin is still Class AA and Hamburg stays Class AAA in District 3, while Lourdes remains in Class A in District
4. Here’s a breakdown of the division races: Division I Lehighton should be in contention for the division title. So, who else might challenge Pottsville? A good place to start is Tamaqua. In addition to Kosciolek, senior Bo Rottet
(15.0 ppg, team-leading 346 points, 50 3-pointers) has developed into one of the best point guards in the league. Also returning
is junior guard Russell Blaker (5.3 ppg, 24 3s), who averaged 10.7 points per game over Tamaqua’s final
six contests. The Raiders have gone 27-20 the past two seasons, qualifying for the District 11
Class AAA playoffs twice. They have plenty of offensive firepower, but the keys to taking the next step and competing for
a league title will be defense and rebounding. If those areas improve, this could be the year
the Raiders qualify for the league playoffs for the first time since 1995. Blue Mountain and North
Schuylkill are always in the mix and this winter will be no different. Both have starters to replace, but if recent history
is any guide, they should be just fine. That is especially true for the Eagles, who have just
one starter back in junior guard Mark Chelius (6.9 ppg). Three other letterwinners return in senior Dean
Stramara, junior Ian Donovan and sophomore Connor Kerstetter. The three combined
to score 86 points last season. Blue Mountain was in the same position at the start of 2012-13
and ended up going a combined 39-13 over the following two seasons, qualifying for the league playoffs twice. Two starters are back for the Spartans, including 6-5 forward Tevin Murray (12.5 ppg), The Republican-Herald
Rookie of the Year. Also returning is sophomore guard Major Jordan (6.6 ppg). The
Spartans needed to replace four starters at the beginning of last year and finished 16-7. North Schuylkill nearly played for
the District 11 Class AA title, but were done in by a bad fourth quarter during a 52-46 loss to Catasauqua in the semifinals. Blue Mountain Head coach: Dustin Werdt (12th season) Last year: 21-7 overall, 11-1 D-I. Division wild-card, District 11 Class AAA third-place finisher, PIAA qualifier Returnees: Dean Stramara (sr., G), Nico Granito (sr., F), Mark Chelius (jr., G), Ian Donovan (jr., G), Christian
Puzzi (jr., F), Connor Kerstetter (soph., F-C), Aaron Albertini (soph., G), Brayden Lewis (soph., F), Newcomers:
Jack Barton (sr., F), Spencer Welsh (soph., G), Mason Zerbe (soph., G-F), Jakob Biever (fr., C) Outlook:
The Eagles took a major graduation hit, losing four starters. The guards are versatile, with some who can hit from the perimeter,
while others are slashers. The youth is a concern and Werdt is looking for the Eagles to commit to playing defense on every
possession. Division playoff contender. Jim Thorpe Head coach: Jason McElmoyle (1st season) Last year: 2-20, 1-11 D-I Returnees: David Everitt (sr., F), Shane Snisky (sr., F), Brett Luicina (sr., G), Jordan McElmoyle (jr., G), Rayan
Green (jr., F), Christopher Micciche (soph., G), Brendan Carroll (soph., G) Newcomers: Jalil Veney
(sr., G), Abraham Johnson (sr., F), Alec Lauer (jr., F), Rocco Twardzick (jr., F), Owen Snisky (soph., G), Matthew Elmore
(soph., F) Outlook: The Olympians will be one of the more experienced teams in the division with
four starters back. They have some size, too. McElmoyle likes the chemistry they are developing. How much of an impact the
Olympians could make in the division remains to be seen. Lehighton Head coach: Rich Oertner (4th at Lehighton, 14th overall) Last year: 14-11, 7-7 Mountain
Valley Conference. MVC semifinalist, District 11 Class AAA quarterfinalist Returnees: Jordan Knappenberger
(sr., G), Tyler Crum (jr., F), Newcomers: Tom Ruzicka (sr., G), Tyler Williams (sr., F), Nick
Chambers (jr., C), Tanner Zwetoliz (jr., G-F-C), Ben Cordova (jr., C), Hunter Green (jr., F), Nick Skrincosky (soph., F) Outlook: The Indians have their two leading scorers back with team speed a strength. The goal is to qualify for districts.
Oertner believes doing that depends on how well the football players adapt to basketball. Division playoff contender. North Schuylkill Head coach: Curt Ziegmont (12th season) Last year: 16-7, 8-4 D-I. District 11 Class AA semifinalist Returnees: Ryan Hillbish
(sr., G), Jordan Marlow (jr., G), Tevin Murray (jr., F), Major Jordan (soph., G-F), Newcomers:
Justin Heaton (sr., F), John Mercado (sr., G), Chris Karlonis (sr., F), Conor Carney (sr., G), Ryan Mazeika (sr., F), Alex
Mazur (jr., G), Outlook: The Spartans have two of the better younger players in the league in
Murray and Jordan and the task is to find three new starters to built around them. Ziegmont likes the athleticism and depth
as the Spartans seek to find their identity. They should be in the division mix, too. Panther Valley Head coach: Patrick Crampsie (13th season) Last
year: 10-12, 4-7 D-I Returnees: Chad Dubosky (sr., F), Cee Keo (sr., G), Ethan Vermillion (sr.,
F), Charles Nase (jr., F), Anthony Miholick (soph., G), Matt Hudicka (jr.) Newcomers: Nate Miller
(jr.), Sam Stanko (jr.), Tristian Blasko (fr., F) Outlook: The Panther lost two of their leading
scorers to graduation and the new faces must take over the offensive load. There is more athleticism and length than in previous
years and that should help improve the defense. Pine Grove Head coach: Frank D’Agostino (2nd season) Last year: 4-18, 1-11 D-I Returnees: Kobe D’Agostino (sr., G), Mark Weinus (sr., F), Luke Rossi (sr., F), Newcomers:
Austin Fick (sr., F-C), Brett Mars (sr., F), Kyle Fidler (jr., F), David Snedden (soph., G), Jake Leininger (fr., G-F), Collin
Griffiths (soph., G-F), Outlook: D’Agostino has progressed into one of the best guards in
the league as the Cardinals look to develop players to build around him. They have a good mix of strength and athleticism
as well as some shooters to hit from the perimeter. The program is still rebuilding. Goals are to make districts and have
a signature win against a quality opponent. Pottsville Head coach: Dave Mullaney (8th season) Last year: 24-6, 11-1 D-I. Division I champion,
Schuylkill League runner-up, District 11 Class AAA runner-up, PIAA Class AAA second round Returnees:
Travis Blankenhorn (sr., G), Eli Nabholz (sr., F), Ty Painter (sr., G), Connor Hinchliffe (sr., G), Derek Shuman (sr., G),
Jed Dunkel (jr., F), Jordan Melochick (jr., G), Christian Witman (jr., G) Newcomers: Pat Coyle
(sr., G), Muldeen Thomas (jr., G), Pat Schenk (jr., G), Tanner Gerchak (jr., G), Jordan Abdo (soph., G), Ian Renninger (fr.,
F) Outlook: The expectations are always high for the Crimson Tide and this season is no different.
All five starters return and the newcomers are pushing them for playing time, so there is plenty of depth to back the talent
already in place. Division I and overall league favorite. Tamaqua Head coach: Caszy Kosciolek (4th season) Last year: 13-10, 6-6 D-I. District 11 Class
AAA qualifier Returnees: Brett Kosciolek (sr., G-F), Bo Rottet (sr., G), Tyler Skripko (sr., F),
Russell Blaker (jr., G), Ben Miller (sr., G), Nate MacDonald (sr., F) Newcomer: Thaddaeus Zuber
(fr., G) Outlook: The Raiders have plenty of offensive punch. In order to take the next step and
compete for a division title, the defense has to improve. If that happens, the Raiders could find themselves in the running
for a spot in the league playoffs. Division II This is a wide-open
division, with at least four teams having a shot depending how things shake out. Senior guard
Cody Miller (9.0) and junior forward Nick Rodichok (10.3) are back for Williams Valley,
the two-time defending division champs. The Vikings don’t have much experience after that, and how quickly the newcomers
come around could be the key to the Vikings winning another division title. Lourdes has the most
starters returning with four. However, the Red Raiders are still young with just three seniors and only one, Luke
Holleran (4.8 ppg), expected to see any significant playing time. Lourdes returns its
leading scorer in 6-5 sophomore center Larry Czeponis (10.7 ppg), junior forward Jordan Fobia
(9.2 ppg) and sophomore guard Kenny Pawelizyk (6.6 ppg). The guards are quick and Red Raiders may press more
to take advantage of that. The two starters returning for Minersville are point guard Collin
Hashin (6.8 ppg) and forward Spencer Tobin (7.8 ppg), both seniors. Two of the new starters, juniors
Jon McBreen (5.7 ppg) and Chris Leshko (5.0 ppg), saw plenty of playing time last year. Tri-Valley came up a win short of qualifying for districts last season and return its leading scorer in junior forward
Jaden Buchanan (9.5 ppg). Juniors Bryce Yearsley (4.0 ppg) and Bryce McNally
(1.7 ppg) both started on and off last year. The Bulldogs likely won’t be a high-scoring
team, so their success could come down to how well they play defense. Lourdes Head coach: Pete Long (13th season) Last year: 12-12,
3-10 D-II. District 4 Class AA qualifier Returnees: Luke Holleran (sr., F), Jordan Fobia (jr.,
G), Michael Padula (soph., G), Larry Czeponis (soph., C), Kenny Pawelizyk (soph., G), Coby Feese (soph., F) Newcomers: Billy Allen (sr., F), Vinnie Bucanelli (jr., G) Outlook: The Red Raiders are
young and will be led by a strong sophomore class. Quick guards could lead to more pressure defense. Should be improved and
will be in the division-title hunt. Minersville Head coach: Cliff Woodford (8th season) Last year: 16-8, 10-3. District 11 Class AA semifinalist Returnees: Spencer Tobin (sr., F), Collin Hashin (sr., G), Jon McBreen (jr., G), Chris Leshko (jr., G), Dylan Stephen
(jr., G) Newcomers: Storm Fekette (sr., G), Zach Brown (sr., G), Tom Moran (sr., C), Dave Graham
(jr., F), Brian Brennan (jr., F), Adam Stoppie (jr., F), Justin Fedornak (jr., C), Israel Martinez (jr., F), Outlook: The Miners lost their two leading scorers to graduation, but have experience returning. The outside shooting
should improve, while a quicker lineup should mean more of the man-to-man defense that Woodford wants to play. Without much
height, the key to a successful season could come down to rebounding. A division title contender. Schuylkill Haven Head coach: Fran Murphy (3rd season) Last
year: 0-22, 0-13 D-II Returnees: Zavier Webb (sr., F), Danny Blugis (sr., G), Mike Ulsh (sr.,
F), Brad Fryer (sr., C), J.T. Hughes (jr., G), Austin Charles (jr., F-C), Ethan Conage (jr., G) Newcomers:
None Outlook: The Hurricanes have only one place to go that is up. They’re working hard
to improve and have another year of experience, with Blugis and Webb three-year starters. There isn’t much size, so
rebounding will be important. The goals are be competitive in every game and grab a more few wins. Tri-Valley Head coach: Mike Masser (4th season) Last year:
10-12, 6-7 D-II Returnees: Jericho Zemencik (sr., C), Jaden Buchanan (jr., G-F), Bryce McNally
(jr., G), Bryce Yearsley (jr., G), Dan Opozda (jr., F) Newcomers: Justin Ziegmont (soph., G),
Ashton Buchanan (fr., G), Logan Yoder (fr., F) Outlook: The Bulldogs lost three starters to graduation
and have only one senior starting. The guards are more experienced and that should help cut down on the turnovers that have
hurt in recent years. The key to the season could be how well the Bulldogs play defense. Should be in the division title mix. Williams Valley Head coach: Denny Kasper (20th season) Last year: 19-5, 11-2 D-II. Division II champ, District 11 Class AA qualifier Returnees:
Cody Miller (sr., G), Nick Rodichok (jr., F) Newcomers: Peppe Mini (jr., G), Siul Sepulveda (jr.,
G), Garrett Zimmerman (jr., F), Landon Bordner (jr., C) Outlook: Two solid scorers return for
the Vikings, who lost four key players to graduation, including three starters. Kasper likes the work ethic and attitude.
The concerns are the lack of experience and playing consistently as a team. Some new faces will have to step up for the recent
success to continue. If that happens, the Vikings will be in the division race, too. Division
III Mahanoy Area went out in style last season during Holland’s final year. The Golden Bears won their first overall league title since 2006. They also won their second consecutive District
11 Class A title and reached the second round of the PIAA playoffs. Not only is Hudson new, so
is the entire starting lineup. The only starter expected to return was senior point guard Jason
Richmond (5.8 ppg), but he tore his ACL early during football season and likely won’t play at all this winter. Two of the new starters are senior forward Brian Miller (5.9 ppg) and junior guard-forward Matt
Yedsena (4.0 ppg). Miller has had some spot starts in the past, while Yedsena’s playing time increased as last
season went along. Hudson is stressing fundamentals, and like Holland, defense and patience on
offense. Marian is the deepest team in the division and will use it to its full advantage. Among
the key people returning are senior forwards Mike Vercusky (8.0 ppg), Nick Wesner (3.0)
and Chris Weber along with senior guard Matt Karnish (2.8) and sophomore guard Ethan
Kuczynski (5.5). Nativity is coming off its best season since 2007. Other than Yordy,
however, the only other returning starters are senior Dominic Piccioni (3.2 ppg) and senior guard-forward
Cullen Hoppel (4.7 ppg). Piccioni took over for Hoppel when he went down with serious concussion suffered
against Tri-Valley on Jan. 10. Hoppel has fully recovered and will be back in the lineup. The
Hilltoppers want to run an up-tempo offense. They aren’t very deep, however, and their starters will see a ton of minutes. Mahanoy Area Head coach: Scott Hudson (1st season) Last year: 25-3, 13-0 D-III. Division III champion, Schuylkill League champion, District 11 Class A champion, PIAA
Class A second round Returnees: Brian Miller (sr., F-C), Jason Richmond (sr., G, injured) Matt
Yedsena (jr., G-F) Newcomers: Peter Luddy (sr., F), Cody Price (sr., F), Mike Wronski (jr., G),
Marcus Styka (jr., F), Mike Joseph (soph., G), Randy Derr (soph., F) Outlook: Not only is Hudson
replacing a legend, he also has to replace all five starters. This group of players has had success at the junior varsity
level and if that translates to the varsity level, the Golden Bears will be in the division-title hunt again. Marian Head coach: John Patton (5th season) Last year: 9-14, 7-6 D-III. District 11 Class A quarterfinalist Returnees: Mike Vercusky
(sr., F), Matt Karnish (sr., G), Chris Weber (sr., F), Nick Wesner (sr., F), Ethan Kuczynski (soph., G) Newcomers: Chris Carmona (sr., F), Adam Cortes (jr., G), Aaron DeAngelo (jr., F), Hunter Puza (jr., G), John Woitko
(jr., G), Ryan Karchner (soph., G-F), Brandon Mohammed (soph., F), Ian Myers (soph., F), Kyle Plesh (soph., F) Outlook: The Colts have a ton of depth with 16 players on the varsity roster. All 16 could play. They don’t
have a go-to scorer yet and plan on mixing and matching lineups each game. The record should improve. Division title contender. Nativity Head coach: Kevin Kennedy (3rd season) Last year: 17-7, 10-3 D-III. District 11 Class A semifinalist Returnees: Jeff Yordy (sr.,
G), Dominic Piccioni (sr., G), Cullen Hoppel (sr., G-F), Sean Greco (sr., F), Travis Hunyara (jr., F-C) Newcomers: Ayden Adams (jr., G-F), Eric Nelson (jr., C), Simon Petzel (jr., G), Andrew Belding (jr., F) Outlook: Yordy will lead the Hilltoppers, and the challenge will finding new faces to step into the starting lineup
and contribute. Defense and rebounding will be a key, while the lack of depth might be a concern. Should be in the division
running, too. Shenandoah Valley Head
coach: Robbie Miller (5th season) Last year: 5-17, 4-9 D-III Returnees:
Ian McCole (jr., G-F), Noah Allegretta (soph., G) Newcomers: Josh White (jr., F), Julio Cabrera
(jr., F), Ricardo Chagolla-Rojas (jr.), Joel Santana (soph., G), Isaiah Alvarez (soph., F), Bobby Ryan (soph.), Matt Creasy
(soph.), Jermaine McNeil (soph.), Noah Raisner (soph.) Outlook: The Blue Devils are deep and athletic
at the guard position. They put a ton of work in during the offseason and Miller believes it is starting to show. Should be
improved, but how many more wins it leads to remains to be seen. Weatherly Head coach: Ron Cann (8th season) Last year: 5-17, 1-12 D-III Returnees:
Luke Reiner (sr., G), Brett Kelly (sr., G), Nick Miller (sr., G), Luke Figas (jr., G), Dillon Bizarre (jr., C) Newcomers: Gary Buck (jr., F), Zach Moon (fr., G), Zach Peiser (soph., C) Outlook: The
Wreckers return two double-digit scorers in Reiner (11.0 ppg, 30 3-pointers) and Figas (10.3). There is experience among the
starters, but there isn’t off the bench. The first five will see plenty of minutes. Could make some noise in the division. Tri-Valley League Upper Dauphin The Trojans finished third
in the league last season and reached the District 3 Class A quarterfinals for the second consecutive year. Upper Dauphin didn’t have much trouble scoring points (56.8 ppg last year) and will be led this season by junior
guard Matthew Miller, the Trojans’ second-leading scorer at 13.4 points per game, including a team-leading
41 3-pointers. Also back are seniors Joseph Trently (5.3 ppg, 33 3-pointers),
Dakotah Wiest and Ted Calnon, along with junior Alex Uhler (5.9 ppg). Upper Dauphin Head coach: Anthony Weaver (5th season) Last year: 13-11, 9-7 TVL. District 3 Class AA quarterfinalist Returnees: Joseph Trently
(sr., G), Dakotah Wiest (sr., C), Ted Calnon (sr., G), Matthew Miller (jr., G), Alex Uhler (jr., F), Jordan Gessner (jr.,
G) Newcomers: Maxwell Snyder (jr., G), Kolby Bond (jr., G), Drake Lenker (jr., G), Travis Deitrich
(jr., G), Calen Reigner (jr., F), Andrew Norris (jr., F) Outlook: The Trojans should be able to
put the ball in the hoop, with experienced offensive threats back. There is plenty of depth, too. Size is lacking, so rebounding
will be a key. A return trip to the district playoffs is a strong possibility. Berks League Hamburg The Hawks lost two of their most productive offensive players to graduation and
will look to three returnees — seniors Dan Fink (1.8 ppg) and Nick Schlottman (6.7)
and junior Logan Adams (22 points) — to pick up the slack. Hamburg has
some size inside in 6-6 Jared Lesher (22 points) and 6-7 Quinn Nabozny, and their development
could lead to an improvement for an offense that averaged 38.4 points per game last season. The
defense (61.1 points allowed per game), must improve, too. Berks Catholic, which lost in the league
championship game last season to Wilson 43-41, is one of the Section II favorites again. Conrad Weiser and Fleetwood should
be in the mix, too. Hamburg Head
coach: Ryan McGinley (2nd season) Last year: 3-19, 0-10 Berks II Returnees:
Dan Fink (sr., G), Nick Schlottman (sr., G-F), Logan Adams (jr., G) Newcomers: Jared Lesher (jr.,
F), Lucas Hauck (jr., F), Quinn Nabozny (soph., F) Outlook: McGinley continues his quest to rebuild
the Hawks’ program. New scorers need to step up, while the team needs to continue to improve in all facets of the game.
If that happens, the Hawks could be more competitive and earn a few more victories. Independent Gillingham Charter The Wolf Pack, who will once again play their home games at the Simon
Kramer Institute in New Philadelphia, are in their third season as a program and still searching for their first victory. Not only does Gillingham Charter have a new head coach, the Wolf Pack are also playing a 21-game regular-season schedule.
They have also doubled the number of players from seven last year to 14 this winter. Since the
program is still fairly new and a good many of the players are still gaining experience, it was rough most nights last season.
Guard-forward Storm Hutchinson is the only senior, while juniors Isaiah Thompson, Nate
Woodling, Blake Broadhurst and Lake Miller each bring two years of varsity experience.
Gillingham Charter Head coach:
Pete Sanfilippo (1st season) Last year: 0-11 Returnees: Storm Hutchinson
(sr., G-F), Isaiah Thompson (jr., G), Nate Woodling (jr., F), Blake Broadhurst (jr., G), Lake Miller (jr., F) Newcomers: Damy Cintron (jr., G), Enoch Holbert (fr., F), Jetsiel Rivera (fr., F), Jadiel Rivera (fr., G) Outlook: The Wolf Pack are a young team with only one senior, but do have experience returning. The program has more
players than its ever had and will play a full schedule of games. The hope is to continue to become more competitive, see
the program continue to grow and finally get a win. Schuylkill League Boys’
Basketball 2013-14 Standings DIVISION I Leag.
Over. *Pottsville 11-1 24-6 #Blue Mountain 11-1 21-7 North Schuylkill 8-4 16-7 Tamaqua 6-6 13-10 Panther Valley
4-8 10-12 Jim Thorpe 1-11 2-20 Pine Grove 1-11 4-18 DIVISION II *Williams Valley 11-2 19-5 Minersville 10-3
16-8 Tri-Valley 6-7 10-12 Lourdes 3-10 12-12 Schuylkill Haven 0-13 0-22 DIVISION III *Mahanoy Area 13-0
25-3 Nativity 10-3 17-7 Marian 7-6 9-14 Shenandoah
Valley 4-9 5-17 Weatherly 1-12 5-17 Division I tiebreaker Pottsville 51, Blue Mountain 42 League
semifinals Mahanoy Area 49, Blue Mountain 35 Pottsville 56, Williams
Valley 30 Championship Mahanoy Area 45, Pottsville 44 District champions Mahanoy Area (District 11 Class A) State
qualifiers Class AAA — Blue Mountain, Pottsville (reached second round); Class A —
Mahanoy Area (reached second round) All games start at 7:30 p.m.
Pottsville 63 Governor Mifflin 40 Eli Nabholz
scored 19 points, knocking down five 3-pointers on the night, as the Crimson Tide rolled past the Mustangs in a non-league
game at Martz Hall. Nabholz had eight of his points in the first quarter as Pottsville raced
out to an 18-3 lead. Travis Blankenhorn scored 12 of his 16 points in the first half for the Crimson Tide. GOVERNOR MIFFLIN (40) — Obid 5 1-2 12, Tisdale 0 0-0 0, Sczepkowski 0 0-0 0, Buchanan
1 0-0 3, Peters 2 5-6 11, Hoff 2 0-1 4, Rodriguez 2 0-2 4, Willet 1 0-2 2, Bortz 0 0-0 0, Smith 1 0-0 2, Strausser 0 0-0 0,
Klahr 1 0-0 2. Totals 15 6-13 40. POTTSVILLE (63) — Hinchliffe 0
0-0 0, Gerchak 0 0-0 0, Painter 2 2-2 7, Blankenhorn 6 4-7 16, Thomas 1 2-2 4, Dunkel 0 0-0 0, Melochick 2 3-6 8, Shuman 1
0-0 3, Witman 0 0-0 0, Abdo 2 0-0 6, Nabholz 6 2-2 19, Coyle 0 0-1 0, Renninger 0 0-0 0, Schenk 0 0-0 0, O’Pake 0 0-0
0. Totals 20 13-20 63. GM (1-3) 3 8 15 14 — 40
Potts. (2-0) 18 14 15 16 — 63 3-point FGs: Obid, Buchanan,
Peters 2, Painter, Melochick, Shuman, Abdo 2, Nabholz 5 JV score: Pottsville 55-22
Scorbitz -Martz Hall App
Maxpreps
Crimson Tide Opens up with Victory
over Wilson The Crimson
Tide opened up the season with a 48-33 victory over the Wilson Bulldogs. Travis Blankenhorn led the Tide with 12 points,
followed by Eli Nabholz 11 points. The Tide played a tough defense holding Wilson to 33 points. The Tide will be playing Governor
Mifflin this Friday at home. Pottsville
Crimson Tide Hinchliffe 2 0-0 4, Gerchak 0 0-0 0, Painter 1 2-2 4, Blankenhorn
4 2-3 12, Dunkel 1 0-2 2, Melochick 0 1-2 1, Shuman 1 0-0 3, Witman 1 1-5 3, Abdo 2 0-0 6, Nabholz 4 3-4 11, Coyle 0
0-0 0, Renninger 1 0-0 2, Schenk 0 0-0 0, Totals 17 9-18 (48) Wilson Bulldogs McElroy 4 1-3 11, Deboath 2 0-0 4, Jackson 0 4-6 4,
Rapplleye 0 0-0 0, Sload 1 4-7 6, Jollah 0 0-2 0, Lubas 1 5-6 7, Hollenbach 0 0-2 0, Awurumibe 0 0-0 0, Marlon 0 1-2 1, Totals
8 15-28 (33) Pottsville (1-0) 9 15
13 11 (48) Wilson (0-1) 5 8 6
14 (33) 3-Pointers: McElroy (2),
Blankenhorn (2), Abdo (2), Shuman (1)
"Here We Go" Tide opens up against Wilson Bulldogs
Crimson Tide Opens up with Victory
over Wilson The Crimson
Tide opened up the season with a 48-33 victory over the Wilson Bulldogs. Travis Blankenhorn led the Tide with 12 points,
followed by Eli Nabholz 11 points. The Tide played a tough defense holding Wilson to 33 points. The Tide will be playing Governor
Mifflin this Friday at home. Pottsville
Crimson Tide Hinchliffe 2 0-0 4, Gerchak 0 0-0 0, Painter 1 2-2 4, Blankenhorn
4 2-3 12, Dunkel 1 0-2 2, Melochick 0 1-2 1, Shuman 1 0-0 3, Witman 1 1-5 3, Abdo 2 0-0 6, Nabholz 4 3-4 11, Coyle 0
0-0 0, Renninger 1 0-0 2, Schenk 0 0-0 0, Totals 17 9-18 (48) Wilson Bulldogs McElroy 4 1-3 11, Deboath 2 0-0 4, Jackson 0 4-6 4,
Rapplleye 0 0-0 0, Sload 1 4-7 6, Jollah 0 0-2 0, Lubas 1 5-6 7, Hollenbach 0 0-2 0, Awurumibe 0 0-0 0, Marlon 0 1-2 1, Totals
8 15-28 (33) Pottsville (1-0) 9 15
13 11 (48) Wilson (0-1) 5 8 6
14 (33) 3-Pointers: McElroy (2),
Blankenhorn (2), Abdo (2), Shuman (1)
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DIVISION 1
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DIVISION 2
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DIVISION 3
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Pottsville
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Minersville
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Marian
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Pine Grove
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Tri-Valley
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Mahanoy Area
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Blue Mountain
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Sch. Haven
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Shenandoah
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North Schuylkill
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Williams Valley
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Nativity
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Panther Valley
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Lourdes
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Weatherly
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Jim Thorpe
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Tamaqua
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Team Defense
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Pottsville
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Mahanoy Area
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Blue Mountain
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North Schuykill
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Marian
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Minersville
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Williams Valley
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Nativity
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Panther Valley
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Lourdes
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Weatherly
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Tri-Valley
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Jim Thrope
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Tamaqua
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Schuylkill Haven
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Minersville
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Williams Valley
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Mahanoy Area
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North Schuylkill
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Pottsville
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Lourdes
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Blue Mountain
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Tamaqua
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Tri-Valley
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Jim Thrope
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Panther Valley
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Hamburg
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Marian
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Nativity
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Weatherly
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Schuylkill Haven
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Senior Night
2014 - 2015 Season
2014 - 2015 Crimson Tide Team
Crimson Tide ranks 8th in the state
AAA Bracket 1. Archbishop Carroll(12, 23-5) — previous
ranking: 5 — Packing D-I recruits Derrick Jones and Ernest Aflakpui into the same frontcourt for the third year in a
row, Paul Romanczuk’s Patriots won’t have another chance to reel in a state title with that tandem in Carroll
uniforms — unless they get it done this season. Just a sophomore, David Beatty’s emergence could be the key to
developing more space for Jones and Aflakpui to operate in the paint. 2. Neumann-Goretti(12,
27-4) — previous ranking: 1 — Although Carl Arrigale’s 14-man Neumann-Goretti roster features 11
guards, fortunately he’s got three really, really good ones returning from a Saints squad that last March claimed its
fourth state title in five seasons by topping Susquehanna Twp. in overtime. All-stater Lamarr “Fresh” Kimble (St.
Joseph’s) should get plenty of looks with Ja’Quan Newton off to Miami (Fla.), but Quade Green and Vaughn Covington
are mighty good, too. 3. Susquehanna Twp.(3, 23-8) — previous ranking: 2 —
With four starters returning from last season’s state finalists — including all-state guard Nehemiah “Bud”
Mack — Vince Rogers’ Indians already were looking forward to tipping off the 2014-15 season. Once Dejour Williams
returned following two seasons at Harrisburg to rejoin Mack, Joe Marshall, Quintin Ward and Roman Letterlough in the Susquehanna
lineup, expectations quickly grew even bigger. Yet another rugged schedule of games will test the Indians on a nightly basis. 4.
Indiana(7, 20-3) — previous ranking: NR — Packing plenty of size — the Stapletons,
Riley and Dylan, Blake Shields, Kevin Jack and Jacob Zilinskas are 6-3 or taller — the Indians are heavy favorites to
capture the WPIAL’s Section 3 crown. And with Chris McConnell manning the backcourt — he’s the nephew of
former Penn State All-American Suzie McConnell and the cousin of former Class AAA player of the year T.J. McConnell —
Indiana can get opponents in a number of ways. 5. Uniontown (7, 22-3) — previous ranking: HM
— While the Red Raiders had a sparkling 2013-14 campaign derailed in the second round of states by Farrell, Rob Kezmarsky’s
club has more than enough firepower to make another lengthy run. Start with versatile 6-7 forward Joe Campbell, an inside-outside
threat who can finish from all over the floor. Jeremy Perkins, Deandre Winfrey and Lyric Ellis will provide balance for a
really athletic Uniontown club. 6. Imhotep Charter(12, 20-7) — previous ranking:
HM — Andre Noble’s Panthers may have bowed out of last year’s Class AAA state playoffs prematurely —
Imhotep was eliminated by Susquehanna Twp. in the opening round — but the chances of that happening again are mighty,
mighty slim. Especially since Devin Liggeons (Wagner) and lightning-quick guards Jaekwon Carlyle and Daron Russell likely
will take turns having the ball in their hands. 7. Mars(7, 15-10) — previous
ranking: HM — Although flush with sophomores last season, Rob Carmody still found a way to guide his youthful group
of Planets into the state playoffs. While Carmody’s club was eliminated by Central Valley in the opening round, just
having that experience should be a plus going forward. Especially for 6-5 hammer John Castello, who last season averaged a
double-double (16.8 ppg, 15.6 rpg). Freshman Robby Carmody may be ready to pitch in, too. 8.
Pottsville(11, 24-6) — previous ranking: HM — Since Dave Mullaney’s Crimson Tide returns all five starters
from a hard-working club that gave Susquehanna Twp. all sorts of problems in a state second-rounder, opposing coaches may
be checking into Martz Hall to check out Pottsville. Forwards Travis Blankenhorn, Eli Nabholz and Jordan Melochick averaged
in double figures a season ago. 9. Scranton Prep(2, 21-3) — previous
ranking: HM — While the Cavaliers didn’t qualify for the state playoffs, enthusiasm is running high since Andrew
Kettel’s club returned the backcourt tandem of Tim Rose (Binghamton) and Bobby Casey. Both averaged 14-plus points per
outing. They’ll get tested often, too, since Prep has juiced up its schedule by adding Parkland, Georgetown Prep and
Roman Catholic. 10. Beaver Falls (7, 20-8) — previous ranking: 8 (AA) — Just two seasons
removed from winning a PIAA Class AA title, Doug Biega’s Tigers now find themselves chasing Class AAA gold. Can it happen?
Sure. Particularly since Beaver Falls returns speedy guard Javon Turner and sophomore bigs Donovan Jeter (6-5) and Josh Creach
(6-6). Another youngster, freshman Torian Leak, also is expected to start. OTHERS TO WATCH: Allentown
Central Catholic (11) 29-1, Ambridge (7) 17-7, Berks Catholic (3) 24-6, Bishop McDevitt (3) 27-3, Cathedral Prep (10) 15-8,
Del-Val Charter (12) 19-8, GAR Memorial (2) 21-7, Greater Johnstown (6) 12-11, Hampton (7) 24-5, Holy Ghost Prep (1) 23-7,
Huntingdon (6) 15-9, Lewisburg (4) 23-4, Manheim Central (3) 24-5, New Castle (7) 31-0, Philly Electrical (12) 19-12, Somerset
(5) 16-9, Steel Valley (7) 15-5, Strong Vincent (10) 17-9.
BOYS' BB: High-scoring trioBy Mike Carnahan Published:
December 5, 014
Nativity’s Jeff Yordy was mentored by his father
Mike, a star at Saint Clair in the late 1980s. Tamaqua’s Brett Kosciolek has fond memories of playing HORSE with
his aunt Anne Marie Kosciolek, one of the best female players in Pennsylvania at Marian in the 1970s. When he was in
junior high, Pottsville’s Travis Blankenhorn used to watch former Pottsville standout Nick Schlitzer display his skills
for the Crimson Tide. Yordy, Kosciolek and Blankenhorn were introduced to basketball at an early age and the game has
remained a part of each for their entire lives. It likely always will. The Schuylkill League is known for its defense,
but the three have excelled offensively as Yordy (25.0 points per game), Kosciolek (18.8 ppg) and Blankenhorn (16.5 ppg) finished
1-2-3 in the league in scoring average last season. The three are back for their senior seasons, bringing with them
a special feat in a defensive-oriented league: All three are returning 1,000-point scorers. Yordy has 1,191 career points,
Blankenhorn 1,106 and Kosciolek 1,034. The three hit the century mark last season. Yordy was first, reaching his
milestone Jan. 27, 2014, with a 37-point performance on Lawton’s Hill against Weatherly, a 79-48 Hilltoppers’
victory. Kosciolek was next, hitting the mark Feb. 6, 2014, scoring 22 points in a 59-40 victory at Panther Valley. Blankenhorn
followed, scoring 10 on Feb. 12, 2014, a 56-30 victory over Williams Valley in the Schuylkill League semifinals at Martz Hall. All
three are multi-sport athletes, and what makes them even more unique is that baseball, not basketball, is their main sport.
Both Blankenhorn (University of Kentucky) and Kosciolek (Rider) have signed NCAA Division I letters of intent to play baseball
when they graduate. Yordy is still deciding between Elizabethtown College and Lebanon Valley. Still, they have fit basketball
into their busy athletic careers, and their offensive skills have evolved since they were freshmen. Most important- ly,
the three have also been committed to helping their programs win. Here’s a look at the high school careers of
Yordy, Kosciolek and Blankenhorn and their paths to 1,000 career points and beyond. Yordy follows in his father’s
footsteps One could say Jeff Yordy was destined to play basketball. Mike Yordy finished with 1,154 career points at
Saint Clair from 1985-89, and was also a part of the Saints’ last high school boys’ team after the school closed
following his senior year. “I’ve had a hoop in my living room since I was able to walk,” Jeff Yordy
said. “There are pictures of me shooting and stuff. “My dad loved it and he wanted me to get into it as
young as I could.” Reaching 1,000 career points wasn’t on Yordy’s mind when he was a freshman and
he never kept track of his career numbers. It wasn’t until his junior year that he realized the milestone could be reached. Yordy
was also the league’s leading scorer as a sophomore, averaging 17.8 pointer per game. He poured in 596 points last year. When
Yordy first started out, he was mostly a perimeter player. But during his sophomore and junior years, he’s worked on
scoring off the dribble and driving to the basket more. “My sophomore year I knew I was going to play a lot more
than my freshman year, so that is what I wanted to work on,” Yordy said. “So I worked on that and got pretty good
at it. And last year I kept getting better.” The Hilltoppers have also become a winning program during Yordy’s
time at Nativity, going 29-19 the past two seasons. Last year the Hilltoppers had their best season in seven years, going
16-7 overall and reaching the District 11 Class A semifinals for the first time since 2007. Of the three, Yordy is the
only one that takes part in any extensive organized basketball over the summer in a league in Tamaqua, while playing American
Legion baseball for Schuylkill Valley. Yordy played golf for Nativity his sophomore and junior years. This past fall,
went out for football for the first time in high school and was a standout receiver for the Hilltoppers, leading the area
with 51 catches for 1,045 yards and 17 touchdowns. One area Yordy feels he needs to improve upon is his 67 percent career
foul-shooting average. He is the only experienced scorer returning for Nativity and is working on being able to distribute
the basketball more to his teammates. Kosciolek key part of Tamaqua’s revival Basketball was in Brett Kosciolek’s
family, too. His father Caszy, who is in his fourth season as the Blue Raiders’ head coach, also played the sport.
Brett figures he picked up a ball when he was 2 years old, shooting baskets at a Little Tykes hoop. He also remembers playing
HORSE with his aunt Ann Marie (Kosciolek) Clausius, who scored 2,164 career points at Marian from 1972-76. She was also Pennsylvania’s
first female to score 2,000 career points in 1976. The game has stuck with him. “It is a competitive sport,”
he said on why he has stuck with it. “It is fun. I like to challenge myself.” Kosciolek has been a starter
since he was a freshman and had an immediate impact for the Raiders. Getting to 1,000 career points was always a goal of his. “It
was in the back of my mind,” he said. “I knew it was possible. I knew it was going to be challenging, but I did
it somehow.” Kosciolek’s best season was his sophomore year when he scored 390 points, a 16.3 average per
game. He scored 320 last season (18.8 per game) and would have had more but missed six games with a concussion. Kosciolek
used to play on travel basketball teams when he was young, but due to baseball he doesn’t play much organized basketball
in the offseason and over the summer anymore. He is also used to playing sports year-round and was a member of the Tamaqua
football team his freshman and sophomore years. “I just fit it in,” Kosciolek said of basketball. “We’ve
gone from season to season my whole life, pretty much.” Kosciolek also helped turned the Raiders into a winning
program as Tamaqua has gone 27-20 the past two seasons. At 6-foot-7, Kosciolek has the ability to hit 3-pointers but
also score in the paint. He was more of a perimeter player as a freshman and has developed more of an inside game as he’s
developed. That has been a big focus of his work offensively this preseason. Kosciolek is working on his defense, too.
He, and rest of the Raiders, know defense is something that has to improve if Tamaqua wants to contend for a Division I title
this season and make a run in the District 11 Class AAA playoffs. “Right now we have the talent to score but if
we hold our opponents, we know we can go decently far,” he said. Blankenhorn helps Tide continue winning ways Like
Yordy and Kosciolek, Blankenhorn doesn’t remember when he first picked up a basketball and has been playing the sport
competitively since the Biddy leagues. He grew up watching Schlitzer play for the Crimson Tide and just missed playing along
side of him by one year. “I didn’t get a chance to play with him, but it would have been pretty cool if
I did,” Blankenhorn said. Reaching 1,000 points for his career was always a goal in Blankenhorn’s mind when
was a freshman. “It is kind of like a milestone in your varsity career, making 1,000 points,” he said. “That
is what a lot of people talk about. Winning was most important, but making 1,000 points while doing that and helping the team,
that is always good.” Blankenhorn played a complimentary role alongside Brandon Bridy his first two seasons, averaging
11 points per game as a freshman and 13.7 as a sophomore. When Bridy graduated following the 2012-13 season, Blankenhorn stepped
up and put up the best offensive numbers of his career last year, scoring 545 points. He was The Republican-Herald Co-Player
of the Year with Mahanoy Area’s Dylan Mahmod. Pottsville went 24-6 in 2013-14, winning its fifth consecutive Division
I title and reaching the league championship game for the fifth consecutive year. The Crimson Tide also made it to their first
District 11 Class AAA title game since 2010 and won their first PIAA playoff game since 1974. Blankenhorn was mostly
a 3-point shooter as a freshman, but added more dimension to his offensive game by learning to score in the post and drive
to basket. “When I was a freshman I didn’t get a lot of post touches or anything, so I definitely worked
on a lot of those moves,” Blankenhorn said. “I felt like my dribbling got better so I could drive more. I felt
my game got better as time went on because when I was a freshman, I was primary just a shooter.” Blankenhorn’s
focus this preseason is working on his ball-handling skills. “I could be a lot better,” he said. For
most of his high-school career, Blankenhorn was a standout in football, too, playing wide receiver, defensive back, punter
and kick returner for the Crimson Tide. However, he didn’t go out for football this past fall. Blankenhorn competed
in numerous showcase baseball tournaments this past summer in the hopes of getting drafted in the Major League Baseball Amateur
Draft next June. He isn’t home much over the summer, so Blankenhorn doesn’t have much of an opportunity
to pick up a basketball. Still, the game will always be a part of him even as he turns his attention to baseball for good
when he graduates. “I just love to do it,” Blankenhorn said. “Even when I get older playing baseball,
if I am playing baseball when I get older, I am still going to want to play around, shoot around with a basketball with my
friends.” Milestone numbers Jeff Yordy, Nativity Date reached 1,000 career points: Jan. 27, 2014,
vs. Weatherly Career point total: 1,191 Career point average: 17.8 in 67 games Brett Kosciolek,
Tamaqua Date reached 1,000 career points: Feb. 6, 2014, vs. Panther Valley Career point total: 1,034 Career
point average: 16.4 in 63 games Travis Blankenhorn Pottsville Date reached 1,000 career points:
Feb. 12, 2014, vs. Williams Valley Career point total: 1,106 Career point average: 14.5 in 76 games
Philadelphia University - Kutztown University
Game
COLLEGE BASKETBALL: Kutztown downs Philadelphia U. at Martz HallBy Mike Carnahan Published: November 26, 2014
If the Crimson Tide Invitational becomes
an annual event at Martz Hall, it couldn’t have gotten off to a better, or more exciting, start. Pocono Mountain West graduate Tynell Fortune scored a game-high 19 points, while Kutztown hit 9-of-12 from the foul
line in the second overtime during the Golden Bears’ thrilling 75-72 non-conference victory over Philadelphia University
in front of 1,124 fans Tuesday. The contest was the final of three college basketball games at
Martz Hall this past week, starting with a Penn State Hazleton-Penn State Schuylkill men’s and women’s doubleheader
last Thursday. Tuesday’s contest was supposed to be headlined by a head-to-head meeting between Pottsville graduates
Nick Schlitzer (Philadelphia) and Brandon Bridy (Kutztown). However, it never happened. Schlitzer, a senior who graduated from Pottsville in 2011 as the Crimson Tide’s all-time leading scorer with
1,884 points, had a double-double for Philadelphia (2-3) with game-high 22 points and 12 rebounds. Bridy, a sophomore and
2013 Pottsville grad, spent Tuesday as he has the entire season — watching from the bench with a torn labrum in his
right shoulder. Tuesday was the first time Schlitzer played at Martz Hall since the Crimson Tide
beat Pine Grove 51-49 for the Schuylkill League championship Feb. 18, 2011. He got the loudest ovation of the night during
pre-game introductions. A few fans even stood up. “It was amazing,” Schlitzer said.
“To see so many familiar faces in the crowd, I just appreciate people coming back and seeing me play. It means a lot
to me. I wish we could have gotten the win.” Despite not playing, Bridy was also introduced
to his hometown crowd before the game. “It was great,” he said. “The fans, I
love this building. I played here for four years. It is great to come back and see how much support you get when you go away
and still come back and people following you.” Bridy injured his shoulder about four weeks
ago in practice while going for a rebound. He had surgery last Friday and is looking to be 100 percent in six months. He will be red-shirted this season. The injury itself is unusual since Bridy, whose last
high school game at Martz Hall was a 35-21 Pottsville win over Mahanoy Area in the Schuylkill League
title game Feb. 15, 2013, never missed a game throughout his high school career with an injury. “This
is going to be a tough challenge to overcome,” Bridy said. “Every day I just have to keep working at it and think
positive. It was strange being back in my home court and not playing against one of my best friends.” Still, Bridy and the rest of the Golden Bears got enjoy a much-needed win. Kutztown (2-3)
came in off a 63-60 loss to West Chester on Saturday. The Golden Bears’ only win prior to Tuesday was a 71-62 victory
Manfield last Wednesday. “It is a huge win for us,” Bridy said. “It hopefully
gets us on a good winning streak.” Derek Johnson added 19 points for the Rams, while Peter
Alexis had 15. Howard Sellars finished with 17 points for Kutztown, while Josh Johnson and Austin
Beidelman added 13 apiece. Johhson also grabbed 11 board and had four dunks. Schlitzer became
a complete offensive player during his playing days for the Crimson Tide and displayed those same skills Tuesday. He wanted
to play well, and for the most part, did, finishing the night 8-for-18 from the floor and 5-for-5 from the foul line. “It was just more of an excitement,” Schlitzer said. “You get to play in your old gym. You get
a little jitters, but it is just more excitement.” Schlitzer, the Rams’s leader in
scoring (22.2 points per game) and minutes per game (38.5) coming in, scored Philadelphia’s first two points of the
game, hitting two foul shots after he was fouled on a spin move in the lane. He hit a corner jumper later in the half, and
then hit three foul shots with 5 minutes left in the half after he was fouled on a 3-point attempt. Schlitzer
scored 15 of his points in the second half, including several key one late. Back-to-back buckets
by Schlitzer, a back-down move inside and layup off a cut inside, gave Philadelphia a 55-53 advantage with 3:39 remaining
in regulation. Schlitzer also knocked down consecutive buckets in the first overtime, scoring on a drive and then with 40.8
seconds left, on a fall-away jump from the corner. He appeared to be trapped at first but made himself some space and hit
the shot. That gave the Rams a 63-60 lead. However, Kutztown battled
back one last time and tied the game when Sellars drained a 3 from the top of the circle with 20 seconds remaining. Schlitzer
took the last shot for the Rams, but his shot in traffic from just outside the foul line with 2 seconds to go hit the rim. The game was tied one last time at 69 with 1:47 to go, but Fortune gave Kutztown the lead for good, hitting two foul
shots after he was fouled on a drive. The Rams’ Kaison Randolph made it a one-point game on a 3 with 4 seconds left
before Fortune hit both ends of a double bonus to make it 75-72. 3-point try from Johnson in the corner bounced away and the
Bears held on for the win. “We had a lot of chances down the stretch, including myself”
Schlitzer said. “We just weren’t able to come through. It is frustrating but we have to move on.” Game Summary Crimson Tide Invitational At Martz Hall PHILADELPHIA UNIVERSITY (72) — Alexis 7-11 1-3 15, Johnson 6-15 5-5 19, Huggins 1-2 0-0 2, Gibbs 3-9 2-2 9,
Schlitzer 8-18 5-5 22, DiCicco 1-5 0-2 2, Randolph 1-1 0-0 3, Long 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 27-61 13-17 72.
KUTZTOWN (75) — Johnson 6-12 1-2 11, Selby 1-2 1-2 5, Beidelman 5-9 2-2 13, Fortune 6-15
5-7 19, Brooks 2-5 0-0 4, Ridgeway 1-3 0-0 2, Sellars 6-9 1-2 17, Sherman 0-0 0-0 0, Dietrich 0-0 0-0 0, Peal 2-8 0-0 4. Totals
29-63 10-15 75. Philly U. (2-3) 26 31 6 9 — 72
Kutztown (2-3) 27 30 6 12 — 75 3-point FGs: Johnson 2, Gibbs, Schlitzer,
Randolph, Beidelman, Fortune 2, Sellars 4
Men’s basketball falls to Kutztown in double OT, 75-72Nov 25, 2014
POTTSVILLE, Pa. –
In his return to Martz Hall, senior guard Nick Schlitzer (Pottsville, Pa./Pottsville) recorded 22 points and a season-high 12 rebounds for the Philadelphia University men's basketball
team in a 75-72 double overtime loss to Kutztown Tuesday night. Schlitzer, who last played in Martz Hall in
2011 as a member of the Pottsville Crimson Tide, played all 50 minutes in Tuesday's game, shot 8-of-18 from the field and
dished out three assists for the Rams (2-3). Junior forward Derek Johnson (Conshohocken, Pa./Atlantic Christian) contributed 19 points, four rebounds, three assists, and two steals in 50 minutes
of action. Junior forward Peter Alexis (Wilkes-Barre, Pa./Holy Redeemer) added 15 points, five rebounds and three blocks. Philadelphia owned a 51-44 lead
after Johnson recorded a steal and fastbreak slam dunk with 8:30 left in regulation. Kutztown (2-3) responded with a 9-2 run
over a 4:28 span to knot the score at 53 on an Austin Beidelman jumper. Schlitzer made a layup 20 seconds later to put
the Rams back in front and junior guard Andre Gibbs (Smyrna, Del./Smyrna) pushed the lead to 57-53 with two successful free throws with 2:42 remaining. Josh Johnson scored
the final four points of regulation, including a dunk with 29 seconds on the clock, to tie the score at 57 and send the game
to overtime. After falling behind 60-57, Philadelphia went on a 6-0 run, capped off by four straight points from Schlitzer,
to move ahead 63-60 with 39 seconds to play. Coming out of a timeout, the Golden Bears' Howard Sellars drained a 3-pointer
with 20 seconds remaining to make it a 63-63 affair. Schlitzer's game-winning 3-point attempt with two seconds on the
clock missed the mark and the game went to double overtime. The second extra session started the same way the first
one did with Kutztown getting out to a quick lead (67-63). Alexis tied the score at 69 at the 1:59 mark with a layup. Kutztown
would go 4-for-6 from the free throw line over the next 1:31 to reestablish a four-point lead (73-69). On Philadelphia's next
trip down the floor, Kaison Randolph (Trenton, N.J./Pennington Prep) buried a 3-pointer with six seconds left to close the gap to 73-72 and give the Rams life. Three
seconds later, Tynell Fortune sank two free throws to push the Golden Bear advantage to 75-72. Philadelphia had one last attempt
with 2.1 seconds remaining, but Johnson's game-tying 3-point attempt was no good. Fortune led the Golden Bears with
19 points in 37 minutes. Sellars finished up with 17 points. Philadelphia heads to West Chester for a non-conference
game on Saturday, Nov. 29 at 3 p.m.
Crimson Tide Players Named to National Honor Society
CRIMSON TIDE BASKETBALL PLAYERS SCORE
OFF THE COURT Four members of this years Crimson Tide Basketball team have
been named to The National Honor Society. Derek Shuman, Connor Hinchliffe, Eli Nabholz and Ty Painter, all Seniors players
who also excelled in the classroom. Congratulations to our players for a great job!
Tide closing in on the 2014-2015 season -Team dedicates offseason for individual improvement Summer League Beginning in June our freshmen, JV, and Varsity teams began competing in our summer
league at Barefield. Our summer league continues to grow and now has a total of 22 teams.
With three teams competing, we have up to 24 players in our program competing each Tuesday and Thursday evening at
our Barefield Complex. Our varsity team was able to compile a 6-6 record in a very competitive Adult league,
which continues to attract the very best adult teams and players within Schuylkill and its’ surrounding counties.
Our JV-A team went undefeated through the Junior Varsity league, while our freshmen ended with a winning record.
We are excited to see our summer league continue to grow and improve each and every year! Skill Development We try to pride ourselves to devoting most of our offseason to skill development. We
feel this is the number one priority for us as a program each offseason. As we get closer to the season,
we will begin to focus more on our system, but the majority of our offseason workouts involve making our players better individually.
Our skill development sessions ran Monday through Thursday mornings at Barefield and focused primarily on dribbling,
passing, and shooting. These skill sessions were often led by Nick Schlitzer and Brandon Bridy, former
star players for the Tide and current college players. Nick also ran his own day camp in July in which
27 players of ours attended. Brandon, along with Saige Spece, another former Tide player who is now playing
at Bloomsburg, helped Nick with the advanced skill development camp. Strength Training One area we noticed
we fell short as a program in comparison to the elite teams in the state last season, was in strength, quickness, and explosiveness.
Our trainer, Dan Slotterback, who is certified in strength training, has our kids training at an all-time high.
Through strength training three days a week in the summer and two days a week during the fall, we feel we are going
to be ready to meet the physical and athletic demands to compete with the very best in the state this year. Team Camp Our Varsity and JV teams returned to the Kutztown AFBE team camp in mid-July. Once
again, the camp provided plenty of competition from teams from the Northeast and abroad. Our Varsity Team
recorded a 9-4 record and lost a close semi-final game. Our JV’s won their division, and did so in
such an impressive fashion, they were moved up to varsity competition for the playoffs. Fundraising Our booster club has had another successful offseason of fundraising. In
the spring, we hosted our AFBE basketball tournament for the 2nd straight
year. In early June, we ran our sticky bun fundraiser, which was used to defer some of the cost for our
beach trip. Once again, we ran our 3 on 3 tournament at Barefield, along with our golf tournament at Hidden
Valley. This year the weather cooperated and we had a great turnout for both! Our last
fundraiser before the season will be the Philadelphia University vs Kutztown University basketball game we our hosting at
Martz Hall. Given the fact we will have two of our former star players participating, we anticipate a large
crowd on November 25th at Martz! Beach Trip to Stone Harbor The summer of 2014 marked the first year for a beach trip for our program. We were
able to take 12 of our junior and senior players on a four day, three night beach trip to Stone Harbor at the end of July.
While the kids were able to enjoy some free time at the beach, we also got some great competition at neighboring Middle
Township High School. Though competing with the Middle Twp current players, as well as former players, who are now playing
collegiately and professionally, our kids were exposed to a great deal of talent.
Philadelphia
University Rams vs Kutztown University Golden Bears November 25,
2014 at 7;00 pm at Martz Hall, Pottsville Pottsville
Boys Basketball Game Crimson & White Game at 5:30 pm Admission: $5.00 ALL
PROCEEDS BENEFIT POTTSVILLE BOYS BASKETBALL PROGRAMS See Former Tide Players: Nick Schlitzer (Philadelphia) & Brandon Bridy (Kutztown)
|
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| Brandon Bridy - Kutzstown University 2013 |
Crimson Tide ranks 8th in the state
AAA Bracket 1. Archbishop Carroll(12, 23-5) — previous
ranking: 5 — Packing D-I recruits Derrick Jones and Ernest Aflakpui into the same frontcourt for the third year in a
row, Paul Romanczuk’s Patriots won’t have another chance to reel in a state title with that tandem in Carroll
uniforms — unless they get it done this season. Just a sophomore, David Beatty’s emergence could be the key to
developing more space for Jones and Aflakpui to operate in the paint. 2. Neumann-Goretti(12,
27-4) — previous ranking: 1 — Although Carl Arrigale’s 14-man Neumann-Goretti roster features 11
guards, fortunately he’s got three really, really good ones returning from a Saints squad that last March claimed its
fourth state title in five seasons by topping Susquehanna Twp. in overtime. All-stater Lamarr “Fresh” Kimble (St.
Joseph’s) should get plenty of looks with Ja’Quan Newton off to Miami (Fla.), but Quade Green and Vaughn Covington
are mighty good, too. 3. Susquehanna Twp.(3, 23-8) — previous ranking: 2 —
With four starters returning from last season’s state finalists — including all-state guard Nehemiah “Bud”
Mack — Vince Rogers’ Indians already were looking forward to tipping off the 2014-15 season. Once Dejour Williams
returned following two seasons at Harrisburg to rejoin Mack, Joe Marshall, Quintin Ward and Roman Letterlough in the Susquehanna
lineup, expectations quickly grew even bigger. Yet another rugged schedule of games will test the Indians on a nightly basis. 4.
Indiana(7, 20-3) — previous ranking: NR — Packing plenty of size — the Stapletons,
Riley and Dylan, Blake Shields, Kevin Jack and Jacob Zilinskas are 6-3 or taller — the Indians are heavy favorites to
capture the WPIAL’s Section 3 crown. And with Chris McConnell manning the backcourt — he’s the nephew of
former Penn State All-American Suzie McConnell and the cousin of former Class AAA player of the year T.J. McConnell —
Indiana can get opponents in a number of ways. 5. Uniontown (7, 22-3) — previous ranking: HM
— While the Red Raiders had a sparkling 2013-14 campaign derailed in the second round of states by Farrell, Rob Kezmarsky’s
club has more than enough firepower to make another lengthy run. Start with versatile 6-7 forward Joe Campbell, an inside-outside
threat who can finish from all over the floor. Jeremy Perkins, Deandre Winfrey and Lyric Ellis will provide balance for a
really athletic Uniontown club. 6. Imhotep Charter(12, 20-7) — previous ranking:
HM — Andre Noble’s Panthers may have bowed out of last year’s Class AAA state playoffs prematurely —
Imhotep was eliminated by Susquehanna Twp. in the opening round — but the chances of that happening again are mighty,
mighty slim. Especially since Devin Liggeons (Wagner) and lightning-quick guards Jaekwon Carlyle and Daron Russell likely
will take turns having the ball in their hands. 7. Mars(7, 15-10) — previous
ranking: HM — Although flush with sophomores last season, Rob Carmody still found a way to guide his youthful group
of Planets into the state playoffs. While Carmody’s club was eliminated by Central Valley in the opening round, just
having that experience should be a plus going forward. Especially for 6-5 hammer John Castello, who last season averaged a
double-double (16.8 ppg, 15.6 rpg). Freshman Robby Carmody may be ready to pitch in, too. 8.
Pottsville(11, 24-6) — previous ranking: HM — Since Dave Mullaney’s Crimson Tide returns all five starters
from a hard-working club that gave Susquehanna Twp. all sorts of problems in a state second-rounder, opposing coaches may
be checking into Martz Hall to check out Pottsville. Forwards Travis Blankenhorn, Eli Nabholz and Jordan Melochick averaged
in double figures a season ago. 9. Scranton Prep(2, 21-3) — previous
ranking: HM — While the Cavaliers didn’t qualify for the state playoffs, enthusiasm is running high since Andrew
Kettel’s club returned the backcourt tandem of Tim Rose (Binghamton) and Bobby Casey. Both averaged 14-plus points per
outing. They’ll get tested often, too, since Prep has juiced up its schedule by adding Parkland, Georgetown Prep and
Roman Catholic. 10. Beaver Falls (7, 20-8) — previous ranking: 8 (AA) — Just two seasons
removed from winning a PIAA Class AA title, Doug Biega’s Tigers now find themselves chasing Class AAA gold. Can it happen?
Sure. Particularly since Beaver Falls returns speedy guard Javon Turner and sophomore bigs Donovan Jeter (6-5) and Josh Creach
(6-6). Another youngster, freshman Torian Leak, also is expected to start. OTHERS TO WATCH: Allentown
Central Catholic (11) 29-1, Ambridge (7) 17-7, Berks Catholic (3) 24-6, Bishop McDevitt (3) 27-3, Cathedral Prep (10) 15-8,
Del-Val Charter (12) 19-8, GAR Memorial (2) 21-7, Greater Johnstown (6) 12-11, Hampton (7) 24-5, Holy Ghost Prep (1) 23-7,
Huntingdon (6) 15-9, Lewisburg (4) 23-4, Manheim Central (3) 24-5, New Castle (7) 31-0, Philly Electrical (12) 19-12, Somerset
(5) 16-9, Steel Valley (7) 15-5, Strong Vincent (10) 17-9.
BOYS' BB: High-scoring trioBy Mike Carnahan Published:
December 5, 014
Nativity’s Jeff Yordy was mentored by his father
Mike, a star at Saint Clair in the late 1980s. Tamaqua’s Brett Kosciolek has fond memories of playing HORSE with
his aunt Anne Marie Kosciolek, one of the best female players in Pennsylvania at Marian in the 1970s. When he was in
junior high, Pottsville’s Travis Blankenhorn used to watch former Pottsville standout Nick Schlitzer display his skills
for the Crimson Tide. Yordy, Kosciolek and Blankenhorn were introduced to basketball at an early age and the game has
remained a part of each for their entire lives. It likely always will. The Schuylkill League is known for its defense,
but the three have excelled offensively as Yordy (25.0 points per game), Kosciolek (18.8 ppg) and Blankenhorn (16.5 ppg) finished
1-2-3 in the league in scoring average last season. The three are back for their senior seasons, bringing with them
a special feat in a defensive-oriented league: All three are returning 1,000-point scorers. Yordy has 1,191 career points,
Blankenhorn 1,106 and Kosciolek 1,034. The three hit the century mark last season. Yordy was first, reaching his
milestone Jan. 27, 2014, with a 37-point performance on Lawton’s Hill against Weatherly, a 79-48 Hilltoppers’
victory. Kosciolek was next, hitting the mark Feb. 6, 2014, scoring 22 points in a 59-40 victory at Panther Valley. Blankenhorn
followed, scoring 10 on Feb. 12, 2014, a 56-30 victory over Williams Valley in the Schuylkill League semifinals at Martz Hall. All
three are multi-sport athletes, and what makes them even more unique is that baseball, not basketball, is their main sport.
Both Blankenhorn (University of Kentucky) and Kosciolek (Rider) have signed NCAA Division I letters of intent to play baseball
when they graduate. Yordy is still deciding between Elizabethtown College and Lebanon Valley. Still, they have fit basketball
into their busy athletic careers, and their offensive skills have evolved since they were freshmen. Most important- ly,
the three have also been committed to helping their programs win. Here’s a look at the high school careers of
Yordy, Kosciolek and Blankenhorn and their paths to 1,000 career points and beyond. Yordy follows in his father’s
footsteps One could say Jeff Yordy was destined to play basketball. Mike Yordy finished with 1,154 career points at
Saint Clair from 1985-89, and was also a part of the Saints’ last high school boys’ team after the school closed
following his senior year. “I’ve had a hoop in my living room since I was able to walk,” Jeff Yordy
said. “There are pictures of me shooting and stuff. “My dad loved it and he wanted me to get into it as
young as I could.” Reaching 1,000 career points wasn’t on Yordy’s mind when he was a freshman and
he never kept track of his career numbers. It wasn’t until his junior year that he realized the milestone could be reached. Yordy
was also the league’s leading scorer as a sophomore, averaging 17.8 pointer per game. He poured in 596 points last year. When
Yordy first started out, he was mostly a perimeter player. But during his sophomore and junior years, he’s worked on
scoring off the dribble and driving to the basket more. “My sophomore year I knew I was going to play a lot more
than my freshman year, so that is what I wanted to work on,” Yordy said. “So I worked on that and got pretty good
at it. And last year I kept getting better.” The Hilltoppers have also become a winning program during Yordy’s
time at Nativity, going 29-19 the past two seasons. Last year the Hilltoppers had their best season in seven years, going
16-7 overall and reaching the District 11 Class A semifinals for the first time since 2007. Of the three, Yordy is the
only one that takes part in any extensive organized basketball over the summer in a league in Tamaqua, while playing American
Legion baseball for Schuylkill Valley. Yordy played golf for Nativity his sophomore and junior years. This past fall,
went out for football for the first time in high school and was a standout receiver for the Hilltoppers, leading the area
with 51 catches for 1,045 yards and 17 touchdowns. One area Yordy feels he needs to improve upon is his 67 percent career
foul-shooting average. He is the only experienced scorer returning for Nativity and is working on being able to distribute
the basketball more to his teammates. Kosciolek key part of Tamaqua’s revival Basketball was in Brett Kosciolek’s
family, too. His father Caszy, who is in his fourth season as the Blue Raiders’ head coach, also played the sport.
Brett figures he picked up a ball when he was 2 years old, shooting baskets at a Little Tykes hoop. He also remembers playing
HORSE with his aunt Ann Marie (Kosciolek) Clausius, who scored 2,164 career points at Marian from 1972-76. She was also Pennsylvania’s
first female to score 2,000 career points in 1976. The game has stuck with him. “It is a competitive sport,”
he said on why he has stuck with it. “It is fun. I like to challenge myself.” Kosciolek has been a starter
since he was a freshman and had an immediate impact for the Raiders. Getting to 1,000 career points was always a goal of his. “It
was in the back of my mind,” he said. “I knew it was possible. I knew it was going to be challenging, but I did
it somehow.” Kosciolek’s best season was his sophomore year when he scored 390 points, a 16.3 average per
game. He scored 320 last season (18.8 per game) and would have had more but missed six games with a concussion. Kosciolek
used to play on travel basketball teams when he was young, but due to baseball he doesn’t play much organized basketball
in the offseason and over the summer anymore. He is also used to playing sports year-round and was a member of the Tamaqua
football team his freshman and sophomore years. “I just fit it in,” Kosciolek said of basketball. “We’ve
gone from season to season my whole life, pretty much.” Kosciolek also helped turned the Raiders into a winning
program as Tamaqua has gone 27-20 the past two seasons. At 6-foot-7, Kosciolek has the ability to hit 3-pointers but
also score in the paint. He was more of a perimeter player as a freshman and has developed more of an inside game as he’s
developed. That has been a big focus of his work offensively this preseason. Kosciolek is working on his defense, too.
He, and rest of the Raiders, know defense is something that has to improve if Tamaqua wants to contend for a Division I title
this season and make a run in the District 11 Class AAA playoffs. “Right now we have the talent to score but if
we hold our opponents, we know we can go decently far,” he said. Blankenhorn helps Tide continue winning ways Like
Yordy and Kosciolek, Blankenhorn doesn’t remember when he first picked up a basketball and has been playing the sport
competitively since the Biddy leagues. He grew up watching Schlitzer play for the Crimson Tide and just missed playing along
side of him by one year. “I didn’t get a chance to play with him, but it would have been pretty cool if
I did,” Blankenhorn said. Reaching 1,000 points for his career was always a goal in Blankenhorn’s mind when
was a freshman. “It is kind of like a milestone in your varsity career, making 1,000 points,” he said. “That
is what a lot of people talk about. Winning was most important, but making 1,000 points while doing that and helping the team,
that is always good.” Blankenhorn played a complimentary role alongside Brandon Bridy his first two seasons, averaging
11 points per game as a freshman and 13.7 as a sophomore. When Bridy graduated following the 2012-13 season, Blankenhorn stepped
up and put up the best offensive numbers of his career last year, scoring 545 points. He was The Republican-Herald Co-Player
of the Year with Mahanoy Area’s Dylan Mahmod. Pottsville went 24-6 in 2013-14, winning its fifth consecutive Division
I title and reaching the league championship game for the fifth consecutive year. The Crimson Tide also made it to their first
District 11 Class AAA title game since 2010 and won their first PIAA playoff game since 1974. Blankenhorn was mostly
a 3-point shooter as a freshman, but added more dimension to his offensive game by learning to score in the post and drive
to basket. “When I was a freshman I didn’t get a lot of post touches or anything, so I definitely worked
on a lot of those moves,” Blankenhorn said. “I felt like my dribbling got better so I could drive more. I felt
my game got better as time went on because when I was a freshman, I was primary just a shooter.” Blankenhorn’s
focus this preseason is working on his ball-handling skills. “I could be a lot better,” he said. For
most of his high-school career, Blankenhorn was a standout in football, too, playing wide receiver, defensive back, punter
and kick returner for the Crimson Tide. However, he didn’t go out for football this past fall. Blankenhorn competed
in numerous showcase baseball tournaments this past summer in the hopes of getting drafted in the Major League Baseball Amateur
Draft next June. He isn’t home much over the summer, so Blankenhorn doesn’t have much of an opportunity
to pick up a basketball. Still, the game will always be a part of him even as he turns his attention to baseball for good
when he graduates. “I just love to do it,” Blankenhorn said. “Even when I get older playing baseball,
if I am playing baseball when I get older, I am still going to want to play around, shoot around with a basketball with my
friends.” Milestone numbers Jeff Yordy, Nativity Date reached 1,000 career points: Jan. 27, 2014,
vs. Weatherly Career point total: 1,191 Career point average: 17.8 in 67 games Brett Kosciolek,
Tamaqua Date reached 1,000 career points: Feb. 6, 2014, vs. Panther Valley Career point total: 1,034 Career
point average: 16.4 in 63 games Travis Blankenhorn Pottsville Date reached 1,000 career points:
Feb. 12, 2014, vs. Williams Valley Career point total: 1,106 Career point average: 14.5 in 76 games
Crimson Tide Players Named to National Honor Society
CRIMSON TIDE BASKETBALL PLAYERS SCORE
OFF THE COURT Four members of this years Crimson Tide Basketball team have
been named to The National Honor Society. Derek Shuman, Connor Hinchliffe, Eli Nabholz and Ty Painter, all Seniors players
who also exceled in the classroom. Congratulations to our players for a great job!
Tide closing in on the 2014-2015 season -Team dedicates offseason for individual improvement Summer League Beginning in June our freshmen, JV, and Varsity teams began competing in our summer
league at Barefield. Our summer league continues to grow and now has a total of 22 teams.
With three teams competing, we have up to 24 players in our program competing each Tuesday and Thursday evening at
our Barefield Complex. Our varsity team was able to compile a 6-6 record in a very competitive Adult league,
which continues to attract the very best adult teams and players within Schuylkill and its’ surrounding counties.
Our JV-A team went undefeated through the Junior Varsity league, while our freshmen ended with a winning record.
We are excited to see our summer league continue to grow and improve each and every year! Skill Development We try to pride ourselves to devoting most of our offseason to skill development. We
feel this is the number one priority for us as a program each offseason. As we get closer to the season,
we will begin to focus more on our system, but the majority of our offseason workouts involve making our players better individually.
Our skill development sessions ran Monday through Thursday mornings at Barefield and focused primarily on dribbling,
passing, and shooting. These skill sessions were often led by Nick Schlitzer and Brandon Bridy, former
star players for the Tide and current college players. Nick also ran his own day camp in July in which
27 players of ours attended. Brandon, along with Saige Spece, another former Tide player who is now playing
at Bloomsburg, helped Nick with the advanced skill development camp. Strength Training One area we noticed
we fell short as a program in comparison to the elite teams in the state last season, was in strength, quickness, and explosiveness.
Our trainer, Dan Slotterback, who is certified in strength training, has our kids training at an all-time high.
Through strength training three days a week in the summer and two days a week during the fall, we feel we are going
to be ready to meet the physical and athletic demands to compete with the very best in the state this year. Team Camp Our Varsity and JV teams returned to the Kutztown AFBE team camp in mid-July. Once
again, the camp provided plenty of competition from teams from the Northeast and abroad. Our Varsity Team
recorded a 9-4 record and lost a close semi-final game. Our JV’s won their division, and did so in
such an impressive fashion, they were moved up to varsity competition for the playoffs. Fundraising Our booster club has had another successful offseason of fundraising. In
the spring, we hosted our AFBE basketball tournament for the 2nd straight
year. In early June, we ran our sticky bun fundraiser, which was used to defer some of the cost for our
beach trip. Once again, we ran our 3 on 3 tournament at Barefield, along with our golf tournament at Hidden
Valley. This year the weather cooperated and we had a great turnout for both! Our last
fundraiser before the season will be the Philadelphia University vs Kutztown University basketball game we our hosting at
Martz Hall. Given the fact we will have two of our former star players participating, we anticipate a large
crowd on November 25th at Martz! Beach Trip to Stone Harbor The summer of 2014 marked the first year for a beach trip for our program. We were
able to take 12 of our junior and senior players on a four day, three night beach trip to Stone Harbor at the end of July.
While the kids were able to enjoy some free time at the beach, we also got some great competition at neighboring Middle
Township High School. Though competing with the Middle Twp current players, as well as former players, who are now playing
collegiately and professionally, our kids were exposed to a great deal of talent.
Philadelphia
University Rams vs Kutztown University Golden Bears November 25,
2014 at 7;00 pm at Martz Hall, Pottsville Pottsville
Boys Basketball Game Crimson & White Game at 5:30 pm Admission: $5.00 ALL
PROCEEDS BENEFIT POTTSVILLE BOYS BASKETBALL PROGRAMS See Former Tide Players: Nick Schlitzer (Philadelphia) & Brandon Bridy (Kutztown)
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| Brandon Bridy - Kutzstown University 2013 |
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