Between meetings with the top two teams in Division 3 of the Lackawanna League boys basketball, Lackawanna Trail ran off five straight wins to keep the team in contention.
The Lions set themselves for a shot to move into a tie for second place in the division, but fell to Susquehanna for the second time this season.
The 57-46 road loss Feb. 3 virtually eliminated Lackawanna Trail from division title contention and might ultimately cost the Lions a home game if they meet Susquehanna in the District 2 Class 2A semifinals.
Lackawanna Trail (8-3 in the division, 13-5 overall) had a slim lead on the Sabers (10-1, 15-4) in the district power rating race until losing that advantage in their latest meeting. Defending champion Old Forge (13-5) appears headed for the top seed in the seven-team field.
Susquehanna limited Lackawanna Trail to seven points each in the second and third quarters to build a 39-25 lead.
Griffin Fisk helped put the win away with 12 of his game-high 25 points in the fourth quarter. Fisk had three 3-pointers in the game, including two in the fourth quarter. He then made his final six free throws to finish 10-for-12 from the line.
Mason Keyes had 11 points in the first three quarters for the Sabers.
Jimmy Phillips led Lackawanna Trail with 16 points. He had 14 in the second half, including nine in the fourth quarter.
Lucas Filipek added 12 points.
After losing back-to-back games to Susquehanna and first-place Elk Lake, the Lions had won five straight Jan. 16-29.
Lackawanna Trail defeated Montrose 59-31, Forest City 68-28, Carbondale 56-49, Blue Ridge 55-40 and Mountain View 65-43 during the streak.
At the time of the Blue Ridge game, the Raiders were in fourth and trying to gain on third place in the division. They had won four of their previous five.
Hayden Bluhm helped stop Blue Ridge’s momentum with a 21-point effort.
Bluhm hit three 3-pointers while scoring 11 points in the first half. He then made all six of his fourth-quarter free throws.
Logan Seigle else helped close out the win with six of his 10 points in the fourth quarter.
The Lions finished strong after trailing at the end of the first quarter and leading by just two at halftime.
Filipek led the way when Lackawanna Trail destroyed Forest City.
The Lions held the Foresters without a second-quarter field goal while opening a 53-11 halftime lead.
Filipek broke loose for 20 points in the second quarter and did all of his scoring in the first half for 22 points total.
Seigle added 14 points in the win.
Balanced scoring was the key to the other victories.
The Lions had four double-figure scorers against Montrose and three each against Carbondale and Mountain View.
The most balanced effort was in the game that started the win streak. Ashton Thiel had 14 points, while Bluhm and Phillips had 12 each, and Seigle had 11.
Phillips had 19 while Seigle and Filipek added 14 each against Carbondale.
Seigle (18), Filipek (14), and Bluhm (13) were the double-figure scorers against Mountain View.