WILKES-BARRE TWP. — Abington Heights senior forward George Tinsley observed several scratches on his arms while waiting to receive his gold medal.
The red marks served as proof that championships don’t come easy, even for the Comets who have now won eight consecutive District 2 titles.
Tinsley, a Binghamton University commit, scored 15 of his game-high 20 points in the second half to lift top-seeded Abington Heights (23-2) over second-seeded Crestwood (20-7), 43-36, in the District 2 Class 5A boys basketball championship game Friday night at Mohegan Sun Arena.
Abington Heights will play Pottsgrove (15-11), the fourth-place team out of District 1, in the first round of the state playoffs at 7:30 p.m. March 8 at Scranton High School.
Tinsley poured in 11 during the fourth quarter and gave Abington Heights a 43-32 lead in the final minute when he converted a 3-point play off a behind-the-back pass from senior guard Trey Koehler.
“It was close the whole game and they were playing really good defense,” Tinsley said. “We started moving the ball around a little bit more in the fourth quarter and it gave me a couple lanes. Once I got the momentum, I used it because I did not want to lose the game.”
Koehler scored on a reverse layup and knocked down a 3-pointer during the first four minutes of the contest, and Abington Heights led Crestwood 5-4 after the first quarter.
Crestwood played at a methodical pace and held the ball for a minute before taking the final shot of the quarter.
Sophomore guard Ryan Petrosky, who scored a team-high 15 points, opened the second quarter with a 3-pointer to give Crestwood its first and only lead of the game.
Koehler, who scored six of his 15 points in the second quarter, answered by scoring two consecutive baskets off passes from Tinsley to put Abington Heights up 9-7 with just under six minutes left in the first half.
“(Trey) stepped up big time and got us off to that start, and then they had to play catch up the rest of the night,” Abington Heights head coach Ken Bianchi said. “I was worried if they got out to a lead that they’d be able to do it the whole game. I knew we had to get a lead, even if it was few points so if they slowed it down, we’d still be ahead.”
A steal and layup by Koehler increased Abington Heights’ advantage to five points with under three minutes left in the half.
“We knew we had to be aggressive and try to make them play at our pace,” Koehler said.
Koehler, who missed last year’s district championship game with a foot injury, also contributed eight rebounds, three assists and three blocks, and cherished the opportunity to play at Mohegan Sun for a final time.
“It felt amazing since I haven’t played on this court since my sophomore year,” he said. “Playing with a bunch of my friends in my last year and winning it means a lot to me.”
Tinsley, who finished with seven rebounds, five blocks and three assists, scored four points in the third quarter to help Abington Heights push its lead to six. Senior guard Jack Nealon also hit a 3-pointer in the third as part of a 7-2 run.
“As a team, we do this for the community and the coaches,” Tinsley said. “I don’t know what I would have done without these coaches; they’re my role models and my teammates have a lot of heart, a lot of grit and I love playing with them.”
Junior guard Corey Perkins dished out three of his five assists in the fourth quarter to help Abington Heights claim its 26th consecutive district victory, a streak that dates back to 2011.
“I told them before the game that ‘you’re playing for yourselves, you’re playing for your school, you’re playing for your families, and you’re playing for all the guys before you who worked their butts off to get this program where it is.
“’Don’t let them down’ and they didn’t.”
