BETHLEHEM — Packy Doherty and Brody Martin brought Scranton Prep to a new level before completing their careers with the Cavaliers.
Doherty and Martin became the first seniors in the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association era of Scranton Prep boys basketball — a span of more than a half-century — to be part of six state tournament victories.
Scranton Prep won a pair of games this season, reaching the quarterfinals where it gave eventual repeat champion Devon Prep its only real test of the tournament.
“I’m proud of them,” Cavaliers coach Larry Reagan said of his team’s effort. “It’s fun to be playing games that mean something in March.”
Devon Prep, the Philadelphia Catholic League school that entered state play with just five wins on the season, won its other four PIAA games by at least 17 points.
The Cavaliers finished 22-6.
Devon Prep 62, Scranton Prep 55
Jaden Craft made four straight 3-point tries in the first 4:09 of the second half March 13 to help Devon Prep through its quarterfinal matchup with Scranton Prep.
“I made the first one, then hit the second and it was like, ‘alright, I’m feeling it, I’m going to keep shooting the ball,” said Craft, a 6-foot-4 junior guard.
Jaden Craft finished 9-for-12 from the floor, including 4-for-5 on 3-pointers, while scoring 25 points.
John Doogan made four shots and Craft three in a combined 7-for-7 effort in the first quarter to get the Tide out to a 19-10 lead.
Reagan knew Craft’s outside shooting that was a “big momentum changer” in the third quarter was a possibility that had to be accounted for, but he was surprised by the early inside success that put the Cavaliers in a hole.
“I really wasn’t expecting all that from him,” Reagan said. “We knew that he was a great catch-and-shoot guy, but he did a good job around the basket against some of our better defenders.”
Those two shooting sprees meant that the Cavaliers were battling from behind most of the game.
Martin did his best to lead the Cavaliers back. He went 8-for-10 from the floor, including hitting all five of his fourth-quarter attempts, to finish with 17 points.
The Cavaliers, however, struggled to a 2-for-19 night from 3-point range.
Those numbers were a combination of two factors, an off night from the Cavaliers and Devon Prep’s defense.
“We got open looks,” Reagan said. “We also just didn’t have a particularly good shooting night.”
The Tide made the Cavaliers work while avenging a 73-58 loss Dec. 6 in Pittsburgh.
“They just played with a completely different level of physicality,” Reagan said. “I think most likely what happened was they were breaking in an entirely group out in Pittsburgh that hadn’t yet played in the Philadelphia Catholic League. Now, they’ve played in the Catholic League.
“The way I said it to our kids is that they’re pretty much like we would be if we had to play in the Catholic League.”
Jimmy Doherty added nine points in the loss. Chicky Skoff had three assists and Martin had three steals.
Scranton Prep 57, Salisbury 42
Chicky Skoff scored 20 points and Packy Doherty added 18 in the March 10 second-round victory.
Scranton Prep 65, Schuylkill Valley 48
Packy Doherty made five 3-pointers in a 25-point effort as the District 2 champion Cavaliers opened the state tournament at home with the March 6 victory.
Doherty had 19 points in the second half when Martin had 12 of his 15 points as they helped break open a two-point game.
Charlie Skoff added 10 points.
