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The PIAA’s decision to expand boys basketball to six classifications certainly expanded the newcomers to the state tournaments.
All three Wyoming Valley Conference teams left didn’t make the four-classification field in 2016. Nor did their opponents.
District 2 champ Holy Redeemer is up first in a Class 3A game at 8 p.m. Friday at Wilkes University. The Royals are back in state after missing the show last year and will play District 12 fourth seed World Communications, which is making its state debut.
“It feels great,” Redeemer coach Paul Guido said. “We’re all very excited — myself, my coaches, the players. We’re pumped to be back in the tournament, and playing basketball at this time of year is always the best. It’s something these guys haven’t experienced too much.”
D2-4A runner-up GAR also missed states last season, losing in the 3A third-place game to West Scranton in 2016. The Grenadiers get D4 runner-up Selinsgrove, absent from states for 16 years, at 5:30 p.m. Saturday at Wilkes.
“That was one of our goals, to get back to the state playoffs,” said GAR coach Jerry Altavilla, who took over midway through the 2015-16 season when long-time coach Paul Brown resigned abruptly. “It was tough to sit home and watch other teams play. Some of the guys had been to the state playoffs as sophomores and they didn’t go as juniors. Now, they’re seniors and know the excitement of getting into the state playoffs.”
D2-4A third-seed Nanticoke will be on the road Saturday, playing D11 champion Bethlehem Catholic. Nanticoke last appeared in the state tournament in 2003. Bethlehem Catholic was last there in 2013.
“We gave our guys a couple days off and the last week has been fun,” Nanticoke coach John Beggs said. “We were in the gym a couple days by ourselves, we practiced (Tuesday) with GAR and Redeemer and had a scrimmage, so that broke the week up.”
PIAA 3A First Round
Holy Redeemer (17-8)
vs. World Communications (14-12)
8 p.m. Friday
Wilkes University
District 12 fourth-seed World Communications shouldn’t be confused with Communications Tech, another Philadelphia city team which ran into District 2 opponents such as Crestwood, Holy Cross and Riverside in the state tournament. In fact, Comm Tech is no more as it was among two dozen Philadelphia public schools closed in 2013.
World Comm certainly doesn’t bring the same credentials into the PIAA Class 3A tournament as Comm Tech did. The Stallions are making their first state appearance, although it should be noted the school opened in 1997 and Philadelphia schools didn’t join the PIAA until 2005.
The Stallions were roughed up by state power Delaware Valley Charter 86-39 in the Philadelphia Public League Class 3A title game. They followed with a 73-70 loss to five-win West Catholic in the D12 third-place contest.
Guard Adrian Adside and forward Kareem O’Neal, both seniors, are World Comm’s top players and average in double figures. Neither tops 6-foot and the Stallions are a small squad overall with their tallest player at 6-2.
“We know a little bit about them,” Guido said. “We have a little bit of film on them. I have some connections in Philadelphia. We scrimmage and always play Boys Latin Charter and we go to a team camp down there at St. Joe’s, so I was able to reach out to some people and get some film.”
Redeemer won its first District 2 title since 2011 by knocking off top-seeded Mid Valley 38-36. While the Royals used their superior size (6-7 Nick Prociak, 6-6 Luke Nealon and 6-4 J.D. Turosky) very effectively in a semifinal win against Dunmore, it wasn’t as beneficial against a smaller Mid Valley team. Prociak, though, did have 16 points with six coming in the decisive fourth quarter.
The winner advances to the second round on Tuesday, playing the winner of the D12 champion Neumann-Goretti (19-7) vs. D3 third seed York Catholic (22-3).
PIAA 4A First Round
GAR (18-7) vs. Selinsgrove (20-6)
5:30 p.m. Saturday
Wilkes University
Selinsgrove entered the District 4 Class 4A playoffs as the top seed, but needed a late run to dispose of Montoursville 55-47 in the quarterfinals. The Seals had an easy time in the semifinals, defeating Athens 86-53, but didn’t play well in an 81-57 loss to Lewisburg for the title. They had defeated Lewisburg 52-47 a few days before Christmas.
Hunter George has been the most consistent player in the postseason. The 6-5 senior is averaging 17 points in the playoffs. Senior swingman Griffin Kirchner brings size at 6-6 and the ability to shoot from behind the arc. They match up well with GAR’s bigs, 6-6 Keyshawn Palmer and 6-5 Herman Suazo.
“I watched that (Scranton) Prep film,” Altavilla said of the 64-45 loss in the D2-4A title game. “The first half, they really destroyed us on second-chance opportunities. We talked about keeping them one and done and that didn’t happen.”
There should be a good backcourt battle as well between GAR’s Will Johnson and Selinsgrove’s Brice Harro. Harro and George were Heartland Athletic Conference first-team all-stars.
Known primarily for its football success, Selinsgrove defeated Nanticoke 79-55 in the 2001 state playoffs before falling 69-60 to D3 champion Steelton-Highspire.
The winner plays Wednesday against the winner of the D3 champion Lancaster Catholic (24-4) vs. the D12 fourth seed West Philadelphia (12-4).
PIAA 4A First Round
Nanticoke (18-7)
vs. Bethlehem Catholic (21-7)
4:30 p.m. Saturday
Bethlehem Freedom H.S.
District 2 Class 4A third-seed Nanticoke is back in states for the first time since 2003. The Trojans are playing well, pushing eventual district champion Scranton Prep to double overtime before losing 72-66 and then defeating Meyers 57-46 for the final state berth.
Nanticoke defeated Meyers without its best player, Luke Butczynski. He suffered a knee injury against Prep, but coach John Beggs is optimistic he will play. The Trojans will need all the height they can muster. Justin Casey, a 6-6 senior, is the only player with significant size.
District 11 champ Bethlehem Catholic features 6-9 junior Ryan Young, who is averaging 13.9 points and has snagged 300 rebounds. The Hawks, who won their first district title since 2002, have a sharp shooter on the perimeter in Justin Paz. He averages 17.3 points and has 69 3-pointers.
“I guess Hazleton would probably be the tallest team (we’ve played) and we didn’t fare too well against them,” Beggs said. “GAR had some tall guys and we battled them. (Young) will be the biggest individual we’ve played this year.”
While Nanticoke was battling for a state spot, Bethlehem Catholic cruised to the D11 crown. The Hawks manhandled Lower Moreland 71-48, Saucon Valley 60-34 and Jim Thorpe 64-31.
The winner plays Wednesday against the winner of the game between D12 runner-up Conwell-Egan (9-14) and D11 fourth seed Saucon Valley (14-12).
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