Prep’s Brycen Martin (11) dribbles around the Comets Robby Lucas (44) during the Feb. 7 game at Abington Heights High School, S. Abington Twp.
Buck Norton-Jennings | For Abington Journal
Scranton Prep’s Ambrose Rossi (42) takes an easy layup during the game against Abington on Feb. 7.
Buck Norton-Jennings | For Abington Journal
Brycen Martin (11) of Scranton Prep goes up for a layup against the Comets on Feb. 7, 2025.
Buck Norton-Jennings | For Abington Journal
CLARKS SUMMIT — Scranton Prep took a major step toward ultimately winning the Lackawanna League Division 1 boys basketball title Feb. 7 at Abington Heights.
On a night when the Comets could have forced a first-place tie, the Cavaliers instead clinched no worse than a tie at the top of the final standings with two games still remaining.
Ambrose Rossi was a force in the lane, Packy Doherty attacked from the perimeter and Brycen Martin reached a career milestone in the 56-27 rout.
The win was the seventh straight by Scranton Prep, which went on to finish the regular season with nine straight wins and 13 in their last 14 games after starting out 3-5.
The Comets took a 7-4 lead with 4:20 left in the first quarter, then did not score their next basket until the second half. During that time, the only Abington Heights points were two free throws to begin the second quarter.
Scranton Prep scored the last 22 points of the first half for a 34-9 lead.
“We just played Prep basketball,” said Martin, who contributed 12 points, including the 1,000th of his career. “It all started on the defensive end. We did a really, really good job finishing possessions.
“We got out and ran and I think we did a really good job moving the ball.”
The Cavaliers were not done yet.
Martin reached the 1,000-point mark with a 3-pointer from the top of the key to invoke the running clock of the Mercy Rule with 5:52 left in the third quarter.
Jack Maloney added another 3-pointer to make it 45-12. In a stretch of 15:10, Scranton Prep had outscored Abington Heights 41-5.
The instant offense of Doherty’s 3-point shooting and the inside presence of Rossi led the way.
Doherty scored the first 13 points of the what became a 24-point streak, hitting three straight 3-point shots in a span of 1:58. He added another 3-pointer in the third quarter to finish with 18 points on 7-for-12 shooting, including 4-for-7 from beyond the arc.
“That seems to just lead to everyone else getting going,” Cavaliers coach Larry Reagan said of Doherty’s frequent hot streaks.
Rossi blocked seven shots in the first half and finished with 11 points and 16 rebounds.
“He’s kind of the X factor for us,” Reagan said. “We know what Brycen and Packy are capable of, but when Ambrose is playing the way he’s capable, we’re different.
“It usually takes a little while for him to come over for football. I think he hit his stride right in time for us to hit ours.”
The winning streak also helped Scranton Prep earn the top seed for the District 4 Class 4A playoffs where they advanced to the championship game.
