Boys 4A Quarter-Final Recap (Scranton Prep vs. Neumann-Goretti)

Written by: Jon K on March 17, 2024

March 15, 2024

PIAA Boys 4A Quarter-Final

Cavaliers Go Marching In to Semi-Finals

Scranton Prep 76, Neumann-Goretti 75

BETHLEHEM – When Scranton Prep welcomed the New Year with a 4-5 season mark, they focused on turning those defeats against powerhouse teams (Roman Catholic, Executive Education, Pocono Mountain West, and Bethlehem Liberty) into a learning experience. A month later, when they suffered lop-sided division losses a week apart to Abington Heights (by 25) and Scranton (by 19), there was no panic. First year head coach Larry Reagan got back to work. On paper, there was exceptional talent on the Cavaliers roster. They just needed to figure out how to fit all the pieces together more effectively. One of those pieces that has helped key their impressive run has been the exploding impact of sophomore Packy Doherty who has netted 80 points in their three state playoff victories. This is a team that has been fueled by that offensive spark and has doubled-down on playing unselfish, scrappy hoops on both ends of the floor. The result Friday evening was a heart-pumping, refuse-to-lose effort against perennial state-championship contender Neumann-Goretti – a juggernaut program that owns 9 state titles. This one literally came down to the last second as Scranton Prep held on a for a 76-75 victory played before a large crowd at spacious Bethlehem Freedom.

After Neumann-Goretti took a 2-0 lead with a basket by Larenzo Jerkins a half-minute into the contest, Scranton Prep put together a 7-0 run as the Cavaliers got a pair of free throws from Ambrose Rossi, a triple by Brycen Martin, and a putback by Kellen Casey. The Saints countered with a 10-0 spurt over the next three minutes as they got drives to the bucket by Jerkins and Stephon Ashley-Wright (off a turnover), a score by Torrey Brooks, and a pair of free throws by both Jerkins and Deshawn Yates. Scranton Prep, playing aggressive and confident, bounced right back with a 7-2 run to close out the first period. Daniel Santaniello got things started with a clutch triple followed by Packy Doherty knotting the score at 12 with a pair of free throws. Teams traded baskets in the closing minute (Jerkins and Martin) to make it 14-14 heading into the second frame.

Both teams played even midway through the second quarter before the Cavs pulled ahead to grab the lead at halftime behind the offensive eruption by Doherty who netted 16 points (including 4 treys). There were 5 ties in the period as both teams battled back and forth. Santaniello gave the Cavs a 16-14 edge before Yates converted a turnover into a layup. Another Prep turnover resulted in a layup by Brooks who then nailed a triple for a 21-18 Saints lead moments before Doherty connected on his first triple of the game. Neumann-Goretti grabbed a 25-21 lead, but Doherty and Martin drove in for scores to make it even once again at the 4:10 mark. Casey converted a pair of free throws and Doherty added another triple bookended by baskets by Jerkins to make it 30-29 approaching the 3-minute mark and setting up a wild first half finish. Jerkins again got to the charity stripe following another Doherty trey (Cavs led 33-31) before Brooks and Doherty traded another flurry of triples (36-34). The mostly Scranton Prep crowd exploded in delight as inside scores by Doherty and Santaniello gave the Cavs their largest lead of the half, 40-34. Brooks and Martin traded foul shots as Scranton Prep went into the locker room holding onto a 42-36 lead.

Scranton Prep retained their momentum after the break twice grabbing an 8-point lead, but the Saints stormed back to tie the game after three periods. Neumann-Goretti got a Jerkins score and fast break layup by Brooks to cut it to 42-40 before Prep went on a 6-0 spurt. After Martin failed to complete a 3-point play, Rossi hustled to convert the putback off the miss. Following an offensive charge and missed triple by N-G, Santaniello got a driving layup to make it 48-40. Santaniello continued to be a force as he got a putback and another drive to the hoop wrapped around a putback by Jerkins (who was becoming a force on the offensive boards) to give the Cavs another eight-point lead, 52-44. That lead quickly disappeared as Stephon Ashley-Wright went on an impressive offensive streak scoring 9 consecutive points (including a 3 and a 4-point play) that gave the Saints their last lead of the game, 53-52. A triple by Martin didn’t slow down Ashley-Wright as he ended the quarter with another basket to make it 55-55 heading into the 8 minutes.

Scranton Prep began to slowly build a lead and held a 69-63 advantage approaching the 3-minute mark before Neumann-Goretti made a final push to try and win the game. Martin and Yates scored to knot it at 57. Rossi and Jerkins scored to tie to at 59. Prep then went on an 8-2 run to take a 67-61 lead as they got a triple by Martin and scores by Santaniello and Jordan Odom. After a turnover, Jerkins got a reverse layup before Rossi got a putback with 3:15 remaining in the game to put the Cavs up 69-63. The Saints came up with a double-bank triple by Ashley-Wright and a corner trey by Amir Williams wrapped around a driving bank layup by Martin to cut it to a one-possession game, 71-69. An intentional foul against Williams gave Prep a 73-69 lead after Martin’s free throws. Ashley-Wright cut it to 73-71 with a pair of free throws with 46 ticks left. Rossi and Jerkins traded free throws with 26 seconds remaining (74-72). After Doherty made it 76-72 with 4.8 left, Brooks quickly got the ball down court and nailed a triple making it 76-75 with 1.1 showing on the clock. A Saints’ foul before play began sent Doherty back to the charity stripe. The full court launch off missed free throws was off-target as the Cavaliers secured a hard-fought 76-75 victory to advance to Monday night’s Boys 4A Semi-Final against Archbishop Carroll (12-3, 20-8) at Bethlehem Liberty HS (7 pm).

Scranton Prep was led by Brycen Martin with 26 points and Packy Doherty with 20 points. Daniel Santaniello also reached double figured with 15 points. Ambrose Rossi, Kellen Casey, and Jordan Odom combined for 15 points. The Cavaliers connected on 8 tripes and hit 14 of their 21 free throws.

Neumann-Goretti was paced by Larenzo Jerkins with 25 points (and 15 rebounds), Stephon Ashley-Wright with 20 points, and Torrey Brooks with 17 points. The injury-limited Saints got a combined 13 points from Deshawn Yates, Amir Williams, and DJ Clark. N-G netted 6 treys and made 15 of their 21 free throw opportunities.

Congratulations to the Scranton Prep Cavaliers on advancing to the Boys 4A Semi-finals on Monday. pic.twitter.com/tAFKiSPDGx

— LLHoops Neast Beat (@LLHoopsNEPbeat) March 16, 2024