SCRANTON — Packy Doherty nearly kept up with Luke Kopetchny in a battle of two of District 2’s most explosive offensive boys basketball players and Doherty’s Scranton Prep teammates all joined forces on the boards Friday night.
The Cavaliers used a rebounding advantage to supplement the 11 shots they hit from 3-point range on the way to defeating visiting Wyoming Area 73-47 in a District 2 Class 4A semifinal.
Doherty scored 30 points while doing his best to offset the 35 points by Wyoming Area’s Kopetchny.
Charlie Skoff and Pittston resident Brody Martin joined Doherty in double figures and matched Matt McGrath with six rebounds each to help Scranton Prep to a 37-26 rebounding advantage.
“The effort needs to be there because that’s all rebounding is,” Scranton Prep coach Larry Reagan said. “We have a couple guys who give that effort and intensity every single time and we have other guys who have the ability to but it’s not consistent enough.
“When we get guys like Charlie Skoff attacking the glass like he did tonight and Max McGrath coming back from injury … the guys have accepted the challenge and they understand we’re small every single night. They just need to be relentless and tenacious on the glass.”
Skoff came off the bench to score 13 points and get five of his rebounds on the offensive end.
Martin scored 11 points.
The second-seeded Cavaliers, who will meet top-seeded Dallas in the final, started fast. Martin opened the game with a 3-pointer as Scranton Prep scored the game’s first eight points. The Cavaliers then scored the last 14 of the quarter for a 22-4 lead.
Wyoming Area worked its way back to within 36-24, but a Martin 3-pointer started a 20-9 finish over the last five minutes of the third quarter. Doherty had 10 points, three assists and three steals during that run.
Kopetchny also grabbed seven rebounds and assisted three of the five baskets that he did not score.
The Warriors will host Valley View Tuesday night with a chance to qualify for the PIAA state tournament.
District 2 Class 4A Semifinals
Scranton Prep 73, Wyoming Area 47
WYOMING AREA (47) — Shane Pepe 0 0-0 0, Luke Kopetchny 13 5-9 35, Drew Keating 3 1-2 7, Mitchell Rusinchak 0 0-0 0, Bruno Pizzano 1 0-0 2, Collin Casterlin 0 0-2 0, Noah Kostik 1 0-0 2, Nate Schoener 0 1-2 1, Cam McDermott 0 0-0 0, Mattie Argenio 0 0-0 0, Hudson Sharpe 0 0-0 0. Totals 18 7-15 47.
SCRANTON PREP (73) — Chicky Skoff 1 1-2, Brody Martin 4 1-2 11, Liam Haggerty 2 0-0 4, Packy Doherty 12 1-2 30, Max McGrath 2 0-0 4, Charlie Skoff 5 1-1 13, Matty Seitzinger 2 0-0 5, Alex Scanlan 1 0-0 3, Luke Flanagan 0 0-0 0, Jack Pavuk 0 0-0 0, A.J. Croom 0 0-0 0. Totals 29 4-7 73.
Wyoming Area`4`16`13`14 — 47
Scranton Prep`22`13`21`17 — 73
Three-point goals — WA 4 (Kopetchny 4), SP 11 (Doherty 5, Martin 2, Charlie Skoff 2, Seitzinger, Scanlan)
