It’ll be a first for one of the teams

Neither the Panthers nor the Vikings won a title in the new EPC

Allentown Central Catholic has been around a lot longer than Pocono Mountain West, but one of the things the schools have in common is a rich history in boys basketball.

The Vikings have been playing basketball since the 1929-30 school year. They have won seven PCIAA titles, three PIAA crowns, 20 District 11 championships and seven league titles, all in the original East Penn League/East Penn Conference.

But they haven’t won in what is considered the new Eastern Pennsylvania Conference, one featuring 18 schools after a merger between the Lehigh Valley Conference and the Mountain Valley Conference. It began in 2014-15.

Pocono Mountain West opened its doors in 2002 and the Panthers have never missed qualifying for a district tournament. They won seven Mountain Valley Conference crowns and won District 11 gold in the highest classification in 2012 and 2017.

But the Panthers haven’t won a championship in the newer, larger version of the EPC either.

So, something’s gotta give at 8 p.m. Thursday at PPL Center when ACCHS and Pocono Mountain West clash for the EPC championship.

Both are coming off impressive semifinal wins on Tuesday night and would love to make history in downtown Allentown.

Considering where both started, a league championship would be a remarkable accomplishment.

Pocono Mountain West was expected to go through a transition after the graduation of Morning Call co-player of the year, all-stater and VCU recruit Christian Fermin. Likewise, some figured the Vikings would be going through a rebuilding year after the graduation of all-state players Tyson Thomas and Liam Joyce who were keys to the team’s state title run in 2021.

An 0-4 start only enhanced the notion that ACCHS might not have a normal ACCHS season.

But the Vikings rebounded from the poor start as well as two straight losses at the end of regular season to make their first appearance in the league finals since losing to Bethlehem Catholic in the 2018 title game.

Pocono Mountain West had its own disappointments during the regular season. The Panthers had a pre-Christmas loss to Whitehall and fell on back-to-back days on the road at Dieruff and Scranton Prep on Jan. 20-21.

However, West is on an eightgame winning streak and eager to make a statement.

An added intrigue to the championship matchup is that unlike the two semifinal games, the Vikings and Panthers didn’t play each other during the regular season.

In fact, they haven’t met since a 60-57 ACCHS win at Pocono Mountain West on Jan. 10, 2020.

“Pocono Mountain West has a great basketball team and showed it against Parkland,” Vikings coach Dennis Csensits said. “We’re going to have our hands full. It’s going to take a team effort on both ends of the floor. We’re going to have to defend and rebound the basketball to put ourselves in a position to be competitive.”

Here’s a closer look at the matchups:

Eastern Pennsylvania Conference Boys Championship

Matchup: No. 2 seed Pocono Mountain West (20-4) vs. 4 Allentown Central Catholic (16-8) When/where: 8 p.m. Thursday at PPL Center, Allentown.

Tickets: PPLCenter.com

POCONO MOUNTAIN WEST Coach:

Rich Williams (sixth season, 91-48)

How they got here: Won the EPC North with a 10-0 record, beat No. 7 East Stroudsburg South 71-63, beat No. 3 Parkland 61-52.

Key players: Julian “Juju” Pagan (6-3, Sr., G) 20.8 ppg, 46 3s; Kyon Coles (6-2, Fr. G) 13.6 ppg, 54 3s; Devin Artis (5-10, Jr. G) 5.0 ppg, 10 3s; Ethan Sakwa (6-0, Sr. G) 4.4 ppg, 14 3s; De’von Smith (6-4, Sr. G) 4.3 ppg, 9 3s; Jonathan Mateo (5-10, So. G) 2.9 ppg, 17 3s; Adrian Brito (6-5, So., F) 12.6 ppg, 4 3s. About the Panthers: Average 66.5 ppg, allow 52.4 ppg. …. Have made 159 3s, allowed 115 3s. …

Shoot 72.4from the foul line … Pagan had 22 in the quarterfinalround win over East Stroudsburg South and Coles added 14 while three others scored 9. In the win over Parkland, Pagan had just one field goal but went 12-for-12 at the foul line. Brito joined Pagan with 14 and Coles added 12 and Devin Artis chipped in 10. … Won four straight MVC titles in the last four years of the league from 2011-14. … Have a 5-4 EPC tournament record, including a 60-52 win over ACCHS in the 2016 quarterfinals.

ALLENTOWN CENTRAL CATHOLIC

Coach: Dennis Csensits (218-77) How they got here: Beat No. 5 Freedom 56-44, beat No. 1 Emmaus 64-52.

Key players: David Fridia (6-8, Jr. F) 2.0 ppg, 2 3s; Nico Pulieri (6-3, Sr. G) 10.5 ppg, 22 3s; NaSean Davis (5-9, Jr. G) 1.5 ppg, 7 3s; Anthony Jones (6-2, Sr. G) 9.1 ppg, 32 3s; Griffin Patridge (6-2, Sr. F) 3.9 ppg, 13 3s; Jahrel Vigo (6-1, So. G) 11.9 ppg, 11 3s; Lucas Mushrush (6-0, So. G) 11.3 ppg, 62 3s; Ja’Keir Ensley (6-0, Jr. F) 1.5 ppg, 3s; Alistair Stewart-Smith (6-2, Sr. F) 2.4 ppg, 6 3s.

About the Vikings: Average 54.5 ppg, allow 44.1 ppg … Have made 161 3s, allowed 113 3s … Shoot 65.8% from foul line. … Vigo had 14 points against Freedom and

21 in the win over Emmaus. Jones had 18 against Freedom and

Pulieri added 13, while against Emmaus Mushrush had 12 and Patridge added 9. … ACCHS won East Penn League titles 1965 under John Compardo and in 1972 under Mike Koury. They claimed EPC championships in 1986 and ’89 with Bob Schlosser as coach and got a crown with Rich Baksa in 1995. Ron Hassler guided the 2000 team to an EPC title and Csensits earned an LVC gold in 2014. … Own a 6-6 record in the new EPC tournament format. Lost to Becahi 47-44 at Liberty in the 2018 tourney finals.

Prediction: A pair of deep teams with a lot of weapons. The Vikings had the No. 1 defense in the EPC in the regular season, allowing just 43.6 ppg and have won 13 of their last 16 games, but two of their three losses in the calendar year of 2023 were to Allen. Pocono Mountain West plays a similar style to the Canaries, only with a lot more depth and consistency. Pocono Mountain West 61-54.