Schuylkill League Boys' Basketball Playoff Capsules
Where: Martz Hall
Tickets: Adults/Senior Citizens are
$6. Students are $3. All tickets will be sold at the door and are cash only.
Live updates: Follow Republican Herald
sports editor Leroy Boyer on X at @pubsportsboss
Radio: Games will be simulcasted on WPPA 1360 AM, WPPA 105.9 FM, WAVT
101.9 FM
Blue Mountain (20-2) vs. North Schuylkill (16-7)
When: Today, 6 p.m.
Up next: Winner advances to
Friday's championship game at 7:30 p.m. at Martz Hall.
About the Eagles
Head coach: Dustin Werdt (21st season)
How
they got here: Division I co-champs had quarterfinal bye.
Projected starters: Isaac Thomas (sr., C), Tyeirre Meade (soph.,
G), Tyler Miller (sr., G), Elijah Feisel (sr., F), Aidan Grace (jr., G)
Key reserves: Braiden McGhee (sr.), Merik Brayford
(jr.), Max Heim (soph.), Chase Baldwin (jr.)
About the Spartans
Head coach: Will Bracey (4th season)
How
they got here: The Division I wild card, Spartans defeated Division II champion Schuylkill Haven 69-55 in Saturday's quarterfinals.
Projected
starters: Jack Keiter (sr., G), Zane Zulkowski (sr., G), Luke Miller (soph., G), Jude Maziekas (soph., F), Joey Flail (sr.,
F)
Key reserves: Tyrone Chambers (sr., F), Fernando Rivera (sr., G), Zack Marcinowski (soph., G), Caden Mengel (soph.,
G)
Game notes: Rematch of last year's boys' championship game, won by Blue Mountain 57-54 on dramatic 3-pointer by Grace
in final seconds. ... Teams met twice in regular season, with Eagles winning both, 80-66 on Dec. 11 in Fountain Springs and
71-63 on Jan. 25 in Orwigsburg. Meade had 25 points and Thomas 21 in first meeting, while Thomas had 26 and Meade 19 in second
game. Zulkowski has scored 21 and 24 in the two games vs. Blue Mountain. ... Eagles have won six straight games entering playoffs.
... Keiter scored a game-high 32 points in quarterfinal win over Haven as Spartans used a third-quarter run to take control.
Pottsville
(17-6) vs. Mahanoy Area (22-0)
When: Today, 7:30 p.m.
Up next: Winner advances to Friday's championship game at
7:30 p.m at Martz Hall.
About the Crimson Tide
Head coach: Jake Wartella (4th season)
How they got here:
Division I co-champs defeated small-school wild card Nativity 61-55 in Saturday's quarterfinals.
Projected starters:
Letrel Montone (jr., G), Kole Becker (sr., G), Derek Watkins (jr., G), Christian Alvarez (soph., F), Chase Oswald (sr., F)
Key
reserves: Juju Bainbridge (soph.), Gianni Hughes-Crane (jr.), Ryder Bowers (soph.), Tahlil Flucker-White (jr.)
About
the Golden Bears
Head coach: Teddy Styka (4th season)
How they got here: Division III champions had quarterfinal
bye.
Projected starters: Brady Alansky (sr.), Chris Cuff (sr.), Kadin Styka (sr.), Jace Yedsena (jr.), Tanner Zawada
(jr.)
Key reserves: Colm McGroarty (sr.), Ethan Manley (soph.)
Game notes: Tide are in the semifinals for the
15th straight season. Pottsville is looking to get to the finals after not making it last year. ... Golden Bears are in league
playoffs for first time since 2019, when they lost 56-13 to Pottsville. Tide and Bears don't play in regular season, but are
no strangers when it comes to the league playoffs. Tonight is the 10th meeting since 1980, and fifth since 2013. Tide own
a 6-3 advantage, with Mahanoy Area beating Pottsville in the 2014 championship game, 2006 semifinals and 1994 wild-card game.
... Becker had three 3-pointers and a game-high 19 points in quarterfinal win over Nativity, while Alvarez had 16 and Oswald
11.
- Compiled by Leroy Boyer
