SCRANTON — Packy Doherty has shown the ability to provide instant offense, while Brody Martin has built more of a reputation for relentless defense.
The two senior guards return to the starting lineup as Scranton Prep tries to defend its Lackawanna League Division 1 boys basketball title.
Doherty, who came off the bench to score 40 points in a state tournament game as a sophomore, averaged two 3-pointers and more than 16 points per game last season when the Cavaliers went 13-1 in the division and 18-9 overall. Martin handled the difficult defensive assignments for the District 2 finalists, who added one state tournament win to the three they had put together the year before.
The Cavaliers should still have depth, but graduation losses, including center Ambrose Rossi, will create a different look.
“No Rossi is going to be different,” Cavaliers coach Larry Reagan said. “We’re still very much like a flow-based offense. We’re not running a lot of sets necessarily; it’s the guys recognizing concepts and spacing.
“We’ll look different in that we’re not going to have that dominant guy on the block that we throw the ball to and expect him to do something.”
The Cavaliers also have to replace Brycen Martin, Brody’s older brother who ran the offense for the past two-plus seasons.
Chicky Skoff, who saw playing time last season as a freshman, will take over there.
The defense will also be altered.
“We’ll want to pressure more with our lack of size,” Reagan said. “We played fast last year, and we will this year.”
The inside game will be turned over to two players who backed up Rossi.
Liam Haggerty was in that role early in the season before being sidelined by an ankle injury. Max McGrath played more minutes after that. The two juniors could form the frontcourt with junior Charlie Skoff also in the mix.
Alex Scanlan, who brings energy and defensive toughness, and Luke Flanagan, an effective outside shooter, are two more juniors who should see increased playing time. Scanlan is the more experienced of the two.
Reagan expects a lift from freshman Jimmy Doherty and also has freshman Matt Seitzinger on the varsity roster.
