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District 2 Boys Game Recap (Abington Heights vs. Valley View)
 

District 2 Boys Game Recap (Abington Heights vs. Valley View)

Written by: Jon K on February 18, 2023

 

 

February 17, 2023

 

Valley View Defeats Comets for Division Championship

 

Valley View 50, Abington Heights 36

 

SCRANTON – Valley View found repeated success as they confidently took the ball to the basket in their Lackawanna League Division 1 playoff game against Abington Heights Friday night.  The Comets, conversely, suffered a nightmarish evening from close range, only scoring four second half field goals, as every transition scoring opportunity caromed off the rim.  But, with the end result still very much up-for-grabs heading into the final three minutes, the Cougars’ offense sizzled as they went on an impressive 15-4 run to seal the 50-36 victory setting off a jubilant celebration. 

 

The first half was a defensive battle that went back-and-forth on the scoreboard.  After Eli Yusavage gave Valley View a 3-0 lead on a triple, both teams struggled to connect throughout the next few minutes.  Abington Heights grabbed a 4-3 lead after scores by Patrick Walsh and Will Marion.  After teams traded baskets, Mason Fedor notched back-to-back blocks followed by one for Yusavage as the fast pace continued.  AH would take their largest lead of the game (11-7) at the 1:55 mark as a trey by Rob Lucas plus a pair of Fedor free throws were wrapped around a baseline drive by AJ Kucharski.  Taheed Jewell got a driving layup nearing the final half-minute as Valley View cut the deficit to 11-9 heading into the second period.

 

Fedor and LV Pegula traded triples to start the second quarter (14-12) before the Cougars went on an 8-3 run to take a late 20-17 lead before intermission.  Marion scored on a driving jump shot before getting called for an offensive charge on the Comets’ next possession midway through the stanza.  The call energized the overflow crowd and gave Valley View some momentum as they grabbed a 17-16 lead after a basket by Jewell and pair of free throws by Yusavage as he was fouled on an attempted triple.  The offensive frustrations were beginning for AH as Fedor missed on a nifty spin move after grabbing an offensive rebound followed by Marion going down hard on their next possession.  A score by Connor Hilling and free throw by Yusavage put the Cougars up 20-17 before Marion trimmed it to 20-19 at the break.

 

Valley View came out of the locker room hitting on all cylinders as they used a 6-0 run in the first two minutes to take a 26-19 lead.  They used some crisp passing getting the ball to Kucharski for an easy layup that got things going.  He’d add another one following a turnover by the Comets followed by a fast-break layup by Yusavage.  Lucas and Nealon would get baskets for AH wrapped around another driving score for Kuchaski making it 28-23.  The Cougars would then come up empty on several possessions, but they maintained their lead after the Comets missed on a pair of triples.  A score by Nealon and pair of free throws following a foul on the Cougars cut the deficit to 28-25 with 4:41 left in the period, but their offensive woes would continue as they were blanked throughout the rest of period as Valley View would add three free throws to take a 31-25 lead into the final eight minutes of action.

 

Abington Heights seemed to be losing focus as the final period began, but they inched closer with a pair of free throws by Fedor a minute into the frame.  Jewell and Walsh then traded scores as Abington Heights got it back to a one-possession game, 35-32, with 3:34 remaining.  Valley View then responded with a 3-point play by Kucharski and triple by Yusavage wrapped around a miss by AH to take a 41-32 lead.  Lucas brought the Comets within seven points (41-34) before Valley View went on a 6-0 championship-clinching run to lead 47-34 approaching a minute remaining in the game.  Jewell scored the final layup as he crowned the Cougars Lackawanna Division 1 champions with a 50-36 victory.        

 

Valley View played a very balanced game using terrific ball movement and precision darts to the hoop as they placed two players in double figures, Eli Yusavage with 19 points and AJ Kucharski with 14 points.  Taheed Jewell added 9 points.  The Cougars connected on 3 triples and converted 11 of 18 free throw opportunities.

 

Abington Heights was paced by Mason Fedor with 9 points while Will Marion, Patrick Walsh, and Rob Lucas all netted 7 points.  The Comets hit 2 triples and made 12 of 18 charity stripe opportunities. 

 

Both teams will take #1 seeds into the upcoming District 2 Tournament.  Valley View (19-3) will host Berwick (4-18) on Wednesday (2/22) in the 4A classification while Abington Heights (19-4) gets a first round bye in in the 5A classification and then hosts the winner of the #4 / #5 matchup, either Crestwood (12-10) or North Pocono (13-9), on Friday (2/24). 

 

 

 

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