The past eight seasons it’s been either Hazleton Area or Crestwood atop the final Wyoming Valley Conference Division 1 boys basketball standings.
There’s been the occasional lurker — Dallas finished second in the 2017-18 season and Wyoming Valley West in 2012-13. Otherwise, it’s been Hazleton Area and Crestwood occupying the top two spots.
This season is unlike any in recent memory and, perhaps, in WVC boys basketball history. Five of the division’s eight teams enter Saturday’s regular-season finales tied for first place.
That’s right — a five-way tie with Crestwood, Dallas, Hazleton Area, Pittston Area and Wilkes-Barre Area all 9-4 with one game left.
“It’s been fun honestly,” Crestwood coach Mark Atherton said. “I don’t know how many years it’s been us and Hazleton one-two. Even the one year Valley West won it, we tied Hazleton for second.”
“I knew it was going to be very balanced,” Hazleton Area coach Mike Joseph said. “We had one starter back. (WBA) had a bunch of starters back, Dallas had a bunch of starters back, Pittston had a bunch of starters back. Us and Crestwood probably lost the most from last year in terms of starters. I think they lost four starters.”
After Wyoming Valley West won the 2010-11 Division 1 championship, Hazleton Area won the next two. Then Crestwood won a pair followed by Hazleton Area winning the last four.
One of them, though, will be eliminated since they play at 7:15 p.m. at Hazleton Area. Normally, winning at Hazleton Area is a daunting task. But the Cougars are just 4-6 on their home court this season and were 9-1 in the division at one point only to lose three in a row.
The latest setback came on Thursday, 60-46 at WBA. The Wolfpack defeated Hazleton Area twice during the regular season, becoming the first team to do so since Crestwood in 2010-11. Yet, they also had to overcome a three-game divisional losing streak by winning six of their last seven games.
“It’s been such a roller coaster with the kids,” WBA coach Pat Toole said. “We just keep telling them you have to compete every night. This conference has been incredible and I think every coach would tell you they like it or love it because you have to prepare for every game. I think we’re teaching the kids how to compete night after night.”
Although WBA is a first-year program, its starting lineup consists of some players who started at Coughlin and Meyers last season.
There are 16 possible scenarios on how the games will play out Saturday, including the Crestwood-Hazleton Area winner clinching the title if Dallas, Pittston Area and WBA all lose. But that’s based on mathematics and not reality.
Dallas and WBA enter their games as huge favorites. Pittston Area is also favored, but to a lesser extent.
Dallas plays at 2:15 p.m. at Wyoming Valley West, which is 2-11 in the division and 4-17 overall. Dallas won the earlier meeting 64-48 on Jan. 21. However, the Mountaineers need to be cautious because Valley West upset Pittston Area 60-51 two weeks ago.
The Mountaineers were 2-3 in the division, but coach Mark Belenski remained optimistic his team would turn things around. Three starters — Jack Farrell, Luke DelGaudio and Dylan Schuster — had late jumps on the season because they were members of the football team which played for the PIAA Class 4A state championship two days before the first basketball game.
WBA is at Berwick, which won its first divisional game Thursday. There was some uncertainty about the start time, but it was confirmed to be at 1 p.m. The Wolfpack handled Berwick, which is 3-18 overall, 65-35 on Jan. 21.
Pittston Area had a chance to control its own destiny on Thursday night until Crestwood intervened. Crestwood ran the Patriots out of the gym 80-46. Pittston Area won the first meeting 45-34 on Jan. 21.
The Patriots have the toughest matchup — except, obviously, for Crestwood vs. Hazleton Area — when they host Nanticoke Area at 7:15 p.m. Pittston Area beat the Trojans 53-30 on Jan. 21. However, Nanticoke Area (4-9 Div. 1, 6-15) trailed Dallas by three points going into the fourth quarter on Thursday before falling 63-53.
If playoffs are needed to decide the divisional champion — and that looks inevitable — they will likely begin Monday or Tuesday depending on how many teams end up tied.
DIVISION 2 CHAMPION
The Division 2 championship could be decided Saturday night when Holy Redeemer (12-1) plays at Wyoming Seminary starting at 7:15 p.m.
A Redeemer victory would require a playoff game to determine the title.
