Lehman looking for big things in District 2 girls basketball playoffs

Along with winning the Wyoming Valley Conference overall title came a shot of confidence for Lake-Lehman.

Now, the Black Knights are hoping it translates into big things in the District 2 girls basketball tournament.

Fresh off a stunning 35-33 victory in the final seconds of the league title game, the Black Knights believe they’re poised for big things when the Class 4A district tournament opens Tuesday.

“To us, this is like saying, ‘Hey, Lake-Lehman, you can play with anybody,’ ” Black Knights coach Charlie Lavan said. “You’re the number one team in the conference right now.”

They’re the No. 4 team in the district, based on a season-long power rankings system that doesn’t include results of league playoffs.

But in those WVC playoffs, Lehman avenged two early-season losses back in December.

The Black Knights dominated a 50-35 league semifinal victory against a Dallas team that beat them by 11 points on Dec. 19 and came back in the championship to edge a Hazleton Area team that walloped them by 25 in the second game of the season, on Dec. 7.

Chase Purdy’s turn-around 3-pointer with nine seconds left put Lehman ahead in the title game and Claire Dougherty’s steal and free throw with three seconds to go sealed an upset for the 16-8 Black Knights. So going into districts, where Lehman lost to a Scranton Prep squad that’s again seeded No. 1 in last year’s finals, feeling a bit overlooked doesn’t bother the Black Knights.

Their postseason revenge tour continues in the District 2 tournament — where Lehman opens the Class 4A quarterfinal round against a Nanticoke Area team that beat the Black Knights 56-49 in the only meeting of the season between the teams Dec. 16. It came during an early-season stretch where Lehman lost six of seven games, but since then, won 14 of its last 16 games, including for in a row.

And if the Black Knights make it to the finals, they’ll likely see a Prep that pounded them, 60-25, on Dec. 10.

“I think in the beginning, it was just the start of the season. Now we’ve gelled as a team,” Purdy said. “This (win over Hazleton Area) gives us a lot of confidence. We know we can beat even the good teams.”

Hazleton Area may still be in good shape, too.

After all, the Cougars also lost last year’s WVC title game (to Holy Redeemer) and wound up as the only WVC team to win a district title by capturing the District 2/4 Class 6A subregional.

“That’s one way to look at it,” Hazleton Area coach Joe Gavio said after suffering the late title loss to Lehman. “But the kids, they’re down. They really wanted this bad. The only thing is, we get another chance (in districts). But this is going to sting for awhile. And even if the team we’re playing has a worse record than us, if we carry this (loss) over, we’re going to be one and done.”

Here’s a look at the teams trying to play more than one at districts and survive to see another day.

DISTRICT 2/4 SUBREGIONAL

CLASS 6A

(1 team to states)

Seedings: 1. Hazleton Area (19-5); 2. Wilkes-Barre Area (14-8); 3. Williamsport (7-15); 4. Scranton (5-17); 5. Delaware Valley (3-19)

Defending champ: Hazleton Area

Outlook: Hazleton Area may be hurting after losing the WVC Division 1 title in a playoff with Dallas and then losing the overall league championship in the final seconds. But in between, the Cougars broke Holy Redeemer’s three-year unbeaten streak to reach the finals. They have almost a whole week to heal for Friday’s semifinals and will face either Scranton or Delaware Valley, who play the only quarterfinal game in the bracket. Led by seniors Marissa Trivelpiece, Faith Grula and Kyra Antolick and super shooter Olivia Wolk, the Cougars have their hearts set on making it a subregional three-peat. The only team that appears capable of dethroning the two-time defending champs is Wilkes-Barre. Sparked by league scoring champion Allycia Harris and her 19.5-point average, the Wolfpack gave Hazleton Area good runs twice during WVC Division 1 losses and are getting dangerously close. Wilkes-Barre goes into the school’s inaugural district appearance as a title threat.

Prediction: Hazleton Area’s on a mission, and will hold off hard-charging Wilkes-Barre in the finals.

CLASS 5A

(2 teams to states)

Seedings: 1. Abington Heights (18-4); 2. North Pocono (16-6); 3. West Scranton (13-9); 4. Pittston Area (10-12); 5. Wyoming Valley West (9-13); 6. Crestwood (3-19); 7. Wallenpaupack (4-18)

Defending champ: Abington Heights

Outlook: There’s some interest about the WVC teams from the middle of the pack on down. No. 6 seed Crestwood didn’t win a league game, yet took Hazleton Area down to the wire before falling — but serving notice it may be waiting to pull an upset or two in districts. No. 5 Valley West gave Dallas a run for its money when Toni Amato finished the schedule by hitting five 3-point field goals in another WVC final and No. 4 Pittston Area has two of the WVC’s top 10 3-point shooters. Those two teams will open the quarterfinal round after splitting two league meetings this year. Abington Heights gets a bye in the quarterfinal round after roaring to an 18-4 record and the No. 1 seed. That puts Crestwood in position as the No. 7 seed to pull an upset of a third-seeded West Scranton team that finished 13-9.

Prediction: Abington Heights has owned the district title for the past four years and that doesn’t look likely to change this year. The biggest challenge to the Comets’ throne may come from North Pocono, dropped a nine-point game when the teams met three weeks ago.

CLASS 4A

(3 teams to states)

Seedings: 1. Scranton Prep (22-0); 2. Dallas (20-4); 3. Berwick (14-8); 4. Lake-Lehman (16-8); 5. Nanticoke Area (12-10); 6. Western Wayne (14-8); 7. Valley View (12-10); 8. Wyoming Area (13-9)

Defending champ: Scranton Prep

Outlook: With three-point ace and University of Pennsylvania commit Lauren Charlton, Dallas may be the only team with enough firepower and balance to dethrone Scranton Prep. The way they pulled playoff upsets while winning the WVC overall league title, you’d have to like the chances of the Lake-Lehman Black Knights. But not against Prep in the semifinals. Berwick upset Prep in the semifinals three years ago, and the Bulldogs could be dangerous if they can recapture the magic that led to a six-game winning streak in midseason.

Prediction: Scranton Prep to hold off Dallas in the title game, while Lehman leaves Berwick out of states again by beating the Bulldogs in the third-place game for the second straight season.

CLASS 3A

(2 teams to states)

Seedings: 1. Dunmore (21-1); 2. Riverside (20-2); 3. Holy Redeemer (18-4); 4. Wyoming Seminary (15-7); 5. Lakeland (11-11); 6. Montrose (13-9); 7. Carbondale (6-16); 8. Mid Valley (3-19)

Defending champ: Dunmore

Outlook: Dunmore came within a whisker of winning the state title last season and Moriah Murray and Co. appear intent on grabbing it this time around. First things first, though. The Bucks, who lost only to unbeaten Scranton Prep, have to get past Riverside for a third time after beating the Vikings twice during the Lackawanna League season. Wyoming Seminary should put a topping on a strong season by beating Lakeland in the quarterfinals. And Holy Redeemer, led by 19-point scorer Sam Yencha, played for the last four district titles and badly, wants another crack at Dunmore after two straight losses in the district finals and suffering a beating by the Bucks at the foul line back in December. It’ll be tough for either WVC team to make it past the semifinals, though.

Prediction: Dunmore should roll past Riverside in the championship and get started on getting back to the PIAA championship game, but don’t be surprised if Redeemer shows up to play for the crown insead.

CLASS 2A

(2 teams to states)

Seedings: 1. Old Forge (16-6); 2. Holy Cross (14-8); 3. Northwest (11-10); 4. Elk Lake (11-11); 5. Mountain View (9-13); 6. Lackawanna Trail (5-16); 7. Blue Ridge (3-18)

Defending champ: Old Forge

Outlook: Reagan Harrison is the only starter remaining from that Northwest team that reached the District 2 finals two years ago and she’s been getting help from a balanced but young Rangers team. They’ve got a good shot at getting through the opening round, but Holy Cross will be hard to handle in the semifinals. Old Forge gets a bye through the quarterfinals as the top seed at 16-6 and will face the winner of the game between Elk Lake and Mountain View in the semis.

Prediction: There’s just something about districts that makes Old Forge turn up the heat, and Holy Cross will find that out in the District 2 title game.

DISTRICT 2/11 SUBREGIONAL

CLASS A

(2 teams to states)

Seedings: 1. Nativity BVM (16-6); 2. Susquehanna (15-7); 3. Salem Christian (17-5); 4. Lincoln Leadership (5-17)

Defending champ: Susquehanna

Outlook: In the middle of making a bid to the subregional title game on Feb. 29, Susquehanna will battle the only other Class A team in District 2, MMI Prep, for the District 2 title on Feb. 27. While Prep comes in at 3-19 overall, the game will give fans one more chance to see Preppers scoring standout Kim Amentler and her 11.5 average.

Prediction: Nativity has the top seed, but Susquehanna has the experience — and three straight District 2 championships to defend. The Sabers shouldn’t have much problem winning both the District 2 crown and the subregional.