EXETER – As an all-star post player on a championship team, double-doubles are nothing new to Holy Redeemer’s Matt Prociak.
Prociak, however, took his scoring and rebounding combination to a new level Tuesday night when Holy Redeemer was clinching the Wyoming Valley Conference Division 2 boys basketball title with a 78-41 rout of host Wyoming Area.
The Jenkins Township resident completed his double-double in the first quarter on the way to producing 24 points and 17 rebounds, 12 of them offensive, in just 20 minutes playing time.
“Right off the tip, our defensive pressure was really good, we were hitting tough shots, driving to the basket, rebounding the ball like crazy,” Prociak said after scoring 16 points in a 31-0 run that gave the Royals a 38-5 lead with 3:55 still remaining in the first half.
The craziest of the rebounding numbers were produced by Prociak, who had nine offensive rebounds in the first 5:15. He had another before the first quarter was over as the Royals rebounded 13 of their first 14 misses.
In one sequence, Prociak grabbed a rebound of a teammate’s miss, but struggled to convert from close range.
No problem. He simply retrieved four of his own misses until scoring.
“That’s something that we talk with him about, just staying after the ball, continuing to pursue the ball,” Holy Redeemer coach Paul Guido said. “He gets his teammates’ rebounds, but he also gets some of his own as well.
“That’s just him being aggressive, staying engaged in the game and continuing to pursue the ball until he gets it to go down.”
There are not always so many opportunities to retrieve his own misses.
An effective perimeter shooter, as well as finisher around the basket, Prociak was 11-for-22 from inside the arc Tuesday, even with those four straight misses.
Prociak leads the Royals in 3-pointers on the season as well as working the inside while producing more than 16 points per game.
Combining with another returning all-star, flashy guard Justice Shoats, Prociak has helped the Royals win the McGrane Tournament over Crestwood and the division title over a strong finish by Nanticoke, both schools from higher classifications. With a postseason ahead in Class 3A, the Royals are hoping they are just getting started.
“Winning (the McGrane) and the league, we definitely have our hopes up for bigger and better things,” Prociak said.
