District 2 Hoops Season Tips Off
Written by: Jon K on December 1, 2022
2022-2023 Season Gets Underway Friday Night
The District 2 exhibition season gets underway tomorrow evening with a total of 25 boys’ and girls’ games to be played across the area. There are also 14 Tip-Off tourneys taking place over the next two weeks throughout the region involving another 29 hoops teams (including Williamsport, a District 4 squad which competes through the 6A District 2/4 sub-regional). This year features several teams that return a majority of their lineup which will give coaches and players high optimism to contend for division championships. There is a lot of competitive balances across District 2 this season. And those matchups will deliver plenty of exciting hoops and prepare teams for challenging district and state playoff tilts come February and March.
Scranton, the defending 6A boys’ district champion will tip-off their season on the road against Crestwood Friday night. Both teams are facing a rebuilding season (with the Comets coming off a rare losing record). Scranton Prep also graduated several key playmakers. The Cavaliers will host Tunkhannock Friday night in what should be a very entertaining matchup. The Tigers expect to be a factor in the WVC Division 1 battle this year. In what may be one of the premier opening weekend matchups, Nanticoke Area will host North Pocono Friday night. NP, a second-place finisher in division play last year, is looking to challenge once again this season. Nanticoke Area, with several key scorers returning, will be also looking to improve on their second-place finish in conference play. Saturday features the renewal of one of the better annual rivalries as Wyoming Area visits Pittston Area. While the Patriots do have a few more gaps to fill following their stellar 21-5 campaign last year, both teams expect to be competitive in their respective division races.
There is also plenty of tourney action taking place this weekend. In the area’s newest tip-off event, Wilkes-Barra Area will take on cross-town power Holy Redeemer. In Friday’s evening’s opening matchup, Mid Valley will take on Bethlehem Freedom. The Spartans look to challenge this year in what will be a loaded field in Lackawanna Division 3 play. Both the Royals and the Pack will be very competitive in the WVC this season. In Berwick, fans can get a look at the host Bulldogs at they take on North Penn-Mansfield (along with Bloomsburg and East Stroudsburg South) at the 20th Joseph Nespoli event. Wallenpaupack tips off at the Hawley Tip-Off Tourney against Monticello, NY. Other tourney teams include Stroudsburg and Nazareth. Blue Ridge and Susquehanna Community open up at the two-day Susquehanna-Bradford County Challenge to be played at the Sabers’ home court this year. On Monday and Tuesday, the Jerry Finan Memorial Tourney will be played at Carbondale. West Scranton will take on Honesdale and the host Chargers will battle Forest City. All four teams return plenty of talent and experience to set the stage for an exciting event. Three tourneys will take place next weekend. Williamsport will participate in the York William Penn Tip-Off and MMI Prep heads to Sullivan County for the Mountain Madness event. At Lackawanna Trail, host Lions will take on Lake-Lehman in the Cal King Tournament. Lakeland will take on Western Wayne in the opening tilt.
On the girls’ side, North Pocono will host Nanticoke Area on Friday evening in what should be a terrific matchup. Both squads expect to content for division championships this season. Holy Cross, a perennial contender that graduated several top players will visit Scranton. The host Lady Knights expect to build upon last year’s 14-8 campaign with a majority of their lineup returning. On Saturday, Scranton Prep will entertain Berwick. Monday features a pair of terrific matchups. Valley View will visit Crestwood. Both teams feature plenty of experience and leadership and both will find themselves in highly-contested division races. Pittston Area, another squad tabbed as a preseason division championship favorite, will travel to Nanticoke Area.
In Girls’ tourney action, Hazleton Area hosts a talent-filled Lady Cougar event with Lake-Lehman, Abington Heights, and Nazareth. Wallenpaupack hosts the Lake Region Tip-Off with Carbondale, Stroudsburg and East Stroudsburg North. Wyoming Valley West again hosts the Mike Duda Memorial event with Dallas, Honesdale, and West Scranton. Holy Redeemer heads to Selinsgrove to take on Bloomsburg in the Angela Wolfe Tourney. Wyoming Area will take on an always talented Central Columbia squad at the Central Columbia Tip-Off. And Western Wayne will take on host State College at the Little Lions Tip-Off event.
When It’s Time To Change, We Rearrange
This year, LLHoops will add some quick links to access District 2 information such as upcoming game schedules, scores, and up-to-date standings. These links are located on the right side of the web page under the “District 2” heading. Hopefully it makes it a bit easier to find information. Other weekly information, such as Players of the Week or Top 10 Ratings, will continue to be posts in the main feed.
Enjoy the games and be sure to stop back throughout the weekend for more updates.
See you in the bleachers !
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