Abington Heights is the only school to send both of its teams to the Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza in all four previous years of District 2 basketball championships at the Wilkes-Barre Township facility.
The Comets and Lady Comets have not only been there each year, but they have won every time, joining the Scranton Prep boys as the only teams to win titles each year since District 2 moved its championships to the single location.
Those three teams hope to extend their streaks during the series of 11 championship games that have been scheduled for a three-day stretch Feb. 27-29.
District 2 has set all of its district tournament plans, beginning with Feb. 18 openers and continuing through the final five championship games Feb. 29.
The district will conduct three title games each on Feb. 27 and 28.
Abington Heights is in Class 5A and Lackawanna Trail in Class 2A for both boys and girls in the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association’s six-classification system for basketball.
Both boys teams have clinched playoff berths. Both girls teams were assured playoff berths from the start because they are among seven teams in their classes and District 2 only forces qualification in fields that include nine or more teams trying to advance.
With the Wyoming Valley Conference regular season over for all but a few teams and the Lackawanna League entering its final week, the Abington Heights girls were positioned to take the top seed and a first-round bye.
Lackawanna Trail started the week in second in Class 2A boys and almost certain to remain there.
Abington Heights is third in the playoff ratings race in Class 5A boys with a move up or down one spot quite possible.
Lackawanna Trail began the final week sixth of seven teams in Class 2A girls.
In Class 5A boys and 2A girls, the quarterfinals are Feb. 18 and the semifinals are Feb. 21. The Class 5A boys title game is set for Feb. 28 at 8 p.m. Class 2A girls play their final Feb. 28 at 4 p.m.
Class 5A girls and Class 2A boys have quarterfinals scheduled for Feb. 19 and semifinals Feb. 22. They are both part of the Feb. 29 five-game schedule at the arena with Class 2A boys at 2 p.m. and the Class 5A girls at 6 p.m.
District 2 begins its championship games at the arena Feb. 27 with Class A girls at 4 p.m., followed by Class 4A girls at 6 and Class 3A boys at 8 p.m.
The Feb. 28 schedule also includes Class 6A girls at 6 p.m.
Other Feb. 29 games are Class 3A girls at noon, Class 4A boys at 4 and Class 6A boys at 8 p.m.
