Upsets in EPC semis?

Quarterfinals went as expected; now games shift to neutral sites

If you were looking for upsets, the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference boys basketball quarterfinals were a disappointment.

In all four of the EPC quarterfinals Friday, the higher-seeded teams won at home, although some might have been surprised that No. 4 seed Liberty eliminated No. 5 seed and defending league champion Allentown Central Catholic.

But now no one has homecourt advantage as the league semifinals shift to neutral sites. The EPC semis take center stage Monday night at Allentown’s PPL Center, unless Mother Nature intervenes (the National Weather Service says a snowstorm could roll into the region Monday night).

The EPC girls are set to take the spotlight Tuesday with Parkland and Easton in the 6 p.m. opener and Liberty and Emmaus in the second game.

The week will culminate with an EPC girls-boy championship doubleheader Thursday night at PPL Center.

Here’s a look at the EPC semifinals:

Game 1: Emmaus (No. 3 seed, 18-5) vs. Pocono Mountain West (No. 2, 20-3)

When/where: 6 p.m. Monday at PPL Center

What’s at stake: A berth in the EPC championship game, 8 p.m. Thursday.

EMMAUS

Coach: Steve Yoder (16th season, 236-158)

Last season: 20-7,14-2 EPC. Beat Liberty 60-39, lost to ACCHS 64-52 in the EPC semis. Lost to Liberty 46-43, beat Freedom 77-66 in the District 11 6A tournament. Lost to Hempfield 62-59 in the PIAA tournament.

Players to watch: Teague McCourt (5-10, Sr. G) 6.2 ppg; Jack Csensits (6-1, Jr. G) 5.8 ppg; Jametric Harris (6-3, Sr. F) 14.1 ppg; Rafael Terrero (6-4, Jr. C) 3.5 ppg; Jack Curley-Katrishen (6-7, Sr. C) 4.0 ppg; Will Barber (6-2, Sr. G) 19.5 ppg.

About the Green Hornets: Average 58.6 ppg, allow 48.8 ppg. … Finished second in the EPC West with a 13-3 league mark … Have made 110 3s, allowed 127 3s …Shoot 67% from the foul line … In the EPC tournament in current format for the sixth time, own 5-6 tourney record … Reached the finals once, losing to Bethlehem Catholic 46-44 in 2019 … Barber, a St. Joseph’s lacrosse recruit, was named a first-team all-EPC all-star for the second straight year. Barber has 1,212 career points. … Harris was a secondteam all-league selection.

POCONO MOUNTAIN WEST

Coach: Rich Williams (seventh season, 113-54)

Last season: 22-7, 13-3 EPC. Beat East Stroudsburg South 71-63, beat Parkland 61-52, lost to Allentown Central Catholic 61-54 in the EPC tournament. Beat Whitehall 69-60, lost to East Stroudsburg South 43-34 in the District 11 5A tournament. Beat Chichester 73-67, lost to Abington Heights 61-56 in the PIAA tournament.

Players to watch: Devin Artis (5-10, Sr. G) 11.1 ppg, 16 3s; KJ Coles (5-10, Sr. G) 16.5 ppg, 59 3s; Brady Behr (6-1, So. G) 3.5 ppg, 13 3s; Jonathan Mateo (5-10 Jr. G) 7.9 ppg, 20 3s; Adrian Brito (6-6, Jr. F) 17.7 ppg.

About the Panthers: Average 62.8 ppg, allow 48.0 .. Won the EPC North Division title with a 14-2 league mark, 10-0 in the division … Have made 138 3s, allowed 115 … Shoot 75%

from the line as a team, led by Coles’ 86% and Brito’s 81% … Making sixth tournament appearance, have a 6-5 tournament record … In the semis for the fifth time and third straight year … Brito was a first-team all-league selection. Coles was selected third team all-league.

Prediction: Emmaus is extremely tough to beat at home, but sometimes struggles in front of much larger crowds, and it’s had troubles at PPL Center. Pocono Mountain West has only lost to Notre Dame-Green Pond, Parkland and Allentown Central Catholic, all on the road. The Panthers are the most athletic team in the league and will push the pace from start to finish. But they must avoid foul trouble. Pocono Mountain West 60-50.

Game 2: Parkland (No. 1 seed, 18-5) vs. Liberty (No. 4 seed, 18-5)

When/where: 7:45 p.m. Monday at PPL Center

At stake: A berth in the EPC championship game, 8 p.m. Thursday.

PARKLAND

Coach: Eddie Ohlson (first season)

Last year: 20-10, 12-4 EPC. Beat Becahi 64-51, lost to Pocono Mountain West 61-52 in the EPC tournament. Beat Northampton 60-47, beat Freedom 54-44, beat Liberty 57-43 to win the District 11 6A title. Beat West Chester Henderson 56-39, beat Garnet Valley 74-58, lost to Roman Catholic 53-35 in the PIAA 6A tournament.

Players to watch: Nick Coval (6-2. Sr. G) 22.4 ppg; Luke Spang (6-0, Sr. G) 3.0 ppg; Jayden Thomas (6-3, Sr. G) 10.6 ppg; Robbie Ruisch (6-4, Sr. F) 5.7 ppg; Zaire Smaltz (6-6, Sr. F) 9.8 ppg.

About the Trojans: Advanced with a 38-35 win over Nazareth on a 3-pointer by Thomas at the buzzer. … Average 58.3 ppg, allow 47.8 ppg. … Shoot 76% at the line, led by Coval’s 93% … Have made 168 3-pointers, allowed 89. … Won EPC West title with a 15-1 league mark and 9-1 record in division … Coval, voted the league MVP for the second straight, has made 63 3-pointers. Coval has 1,957 career point. … Parkland is in the semis for the eighth time out of nine possible tournaments. … Have a 12-4 tourney record and has won three championships … Have won eight league titles overall.

LIBERTY

Coach: Nigel Long (fourth season, 48-37) Last season: 16-11, 10-6 EPC. Lost to Emmaus 60-39 in the EPC tournament. Beat Allen 52-47, beat Emmaus 46-43 and lost to Parkland 57-43 in the District 11 6A tournament. Lost to Upper Darby 66-64 in 2OT in the PIAA tournament

Players to watch: Blake Hargrove (6-0, So. G) 16.3 ppg; Jahsi Cole (5-9, Jr. G) 3.7 ppg; Jake Pukszyn (6-2, So. G) 8.8 ppg; Caden Vermuelen (6-1, Sr. G) 7.2; Angel Holguin (6-6, Sr. F) 7.1 ppg; Will Palmer (6-4, So. F) 8.9 ppg.

About the Hurricanes: Advanced with a 50-38 win over ACCHS by outscoring the Vikings 20-8 in the fourth quarter. Hargrove scored 10 of his 13 points in the final period. … Average 53.1 ppg, allow 45.7 ppg … Made 118 3s and make 69.1% at the line. … Hargrove, who was a co-Morning Call rookie of the year last year, was voted second-team all-EPC. … Liberty is making its fifth tourney appearance and has a 5-4 tourney record. … In the semis for the first time since 2020 when they beat ACCHS 60-53 before losing to Allen 84-62 in the finals. … Seeking first league title since 2013.

Prediction: These two played one of the best games of the year, an overtime thriller won by Parkland 50-45, on Jan. 24. Hargrove had six 3-pointers and scored 21 in that one while Coval and Smaltz had 15 and 14 points, respectively. The Trojans have struggled the last two weeks with narrow wins over Northampton and Nazareth and losses to Executive and ACCHS. Liberty has won six straight and might be peaking at the right time, but the Trojans have been the EPC’s best team most of the season and it’s hard to go against Coval, who is due to rise up with a big performance. Parkland 53-48.