Allentown Central Catholic, Whitehall hit the road
Class 5A championship
The 2023-24 boys basketball season reaches its climax this weekend with six championship games and it tips off Friday night with two of the Lehigh Valley’s premier programs going for championships in locations outside the Lehigh Valley. Whitehall, winner of 12 district championships but none since 2005, goes for 5A gold at Pleasant Valley while Allentown Central Catholic, which has won 21 district titles, competes for a second straight 4A championship at Pottsville. Here’s a look at those matchups:
Class 4A championship
Who: No. 1 seed Blue Mountain (23-3) vs. No. 2 Allentown CCHS (19-6) When/where: 8 p.m. Friday at Pottsville’s Martz Hall
What’s next: The winner will play District 12 No. 5, School of The Future, and the loser will play District 3 No. 3, either Berks Catholic or Fleetwood, in the first round of the PIAA Class 4A tournament on March 8.
Consolation: North Schuylkill (17-9) vs. Pottsville (18-8), 7:30 p.m. Friday at Blue Mountain. Winner will play District 12 No. 2, Neumann-Goretti or Engineering and Sciences in first round of PIAA 4A tournament on March 8.
BLUE MOUNTAIN Coach:
Dustin Werdt (21st season, 352-175)
Key players: Isaac Thomas (6-5, Sr. C); Tyler Miller (6-0, Sr. F); Eli Feisel (6-3, Sr. F); Braiden McGhee (5-10, Sr. G); Aidan Grace (5-10, Jr. G); Merik Brayford (5-10, Jr. G); Tyeirre Meade (6-0, So. G); Max
Heim (6-4, So. C).
About the Eagles: Advanced with an 86-60 win over Wilson Area and a 62-53 victory over North Schuylkill. … Lost to undefeated Mahanoy Area 66-51 in the Schuylkill League title game, but played that game without Thomas, the team’s leading scorer, who was battling an illness. He has returned for two district games and scored 24 against Wilson Area and 17 against North Schuylkill. … Lone regular-season losses were to Pottsville, 61-51, on Jan. 8 and to Northampton, 63-52. on Jan. 20. ALLENTOWN CCHS
Coach: Dennis Csensits (12th season, 244-84)
Key players: Cole Cook (6-2, Sr. G) 2.9 ppg; David Fridia (6-7, Sr. C) 9.9 ppg; Tim Spinosa (6-1, Sr. G); NaSean Davis (5-10, Sr. G) 1.9 ppg; Jarel Vigo (6-2, Jr. G/F) 18.2 ppg; Lucas Mushrush (6-2, Jr. G) 13.2 ppg; JaKeir Ensley (6-0, Sr. F) 3.1 ppg; Harrison Stewart-Smith (6-3, Sr. F) 1.0 ppg.
About the Vikings: Advanced with a 58-28 win over Tamaqua and a 50-38 win over Pottsville. … Average 55.3 ppg, allow 43.0 ppg … Have made 130 3-pointers, allowed 131. … Shoot just 64% from the foul line. … Mushrush leads the team with 63 3s. … Vigo led team with 15 points against Tamaqua and had 18 against Pottsville. Mushrush also scored 18.
Keith Groller’s prediction: It hasn’t been the smoothest of seasons for the Vikings, but they have a knack of putting it together at this time of year. Blue Mountain will pose a challenge and Isaac Thomas will be a problem inside. But as long as ACCHS can avoid the turnovers it had against Pottsville and make enough free throws, district championship No. 22 should be theirs. Allentown CCHS 59-53.
Who: No. 1 seed Pocono Mountain West (21-4) vs. No. 2 Whitehall (16-8) When/where: 8 p.m. Friday at Pleasant Valley
Preceding game: Notre Dame-East Stroudsburg (16-6) vs. MMI Prep (15-9) for Class A title at 6 p.m.
What’s next: The 5A champion will play District 1 No. 5, Radnor, and the 5A runners-up will play District 1 No. 3, Phoenixville, in the first round of the PIAA Class 4A tournament on March 8. POCONO MOUNTAIN WEST
Coach: Rich Williams (7th season, 114-55) Key players: Devin Artis (5-10, Sr. G)
11.8 ppg; KJ Coles (5-10, Sr. G) 16.2 ppg; Brady Behr (6-1, So. G) 3.5 ppg; Jonathan Mateo (5-10 Jr. G) 7.3 ppg; Adrian Brito (6-6, Jr. F) 17.6 ppg.
About the Panthers: Advanced with a 74-36 win over Pocono Mountain East. … Average 62.5 ppg, allow 48.1 ppg. WHITEHALL
Coach: Jeff Jones (17th season, 195-203) Key players: Gavin Roberts (6-4, Sr. F) 4.9 ppg; Luke Keppel (6-1, Sr. G) 15.0 ppg; Sebastian Orochena (6-0, Sr. F) 4.3 ppg; Ethan Ringenberger (6-1, Sr. G) 5.2 ppg; AJ Hines (6-7, Jr. C) 11.6 ppg; Talon Dogmanits (5-10, So. G) 6.0 ppg; Seth Hoderewski (5-11, So. G) 4.4 ppg.
About the Zephyrs: Advanced with a 65-59 win over East Stroudsburg North. Keith Groller’s prediction: The Panthers steamrolled through the EPC North division by going 10-0 in the regular season and added a postseason win over Pocono Mountain East. The Zephyrs need to be able to handle West’s relentless pressure and get the ball inside to Hines to have a chance at an upset. Pocono Mountain West 70-61.