AJ Sports

By Don McGlynn dmcglynn@theabingtonjournal.com
Reporter / Photographer

It was teamwork that gave the Lackawanna Trail High School boys basketball team the extra push to finish with a 65-46 win on Sunday, Dec. 20, over Lake Lehman in the championship round of the Lackawanna Trail Invitational Tournament.

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The Lackawanna Trail High School varsity boys basketball team, shown above, after receiving their medals after winning the Lackawanna Trail Basketball tournament held Friday and Sunday, December 18 and 20.

Photo Courtesy of ALice Stuffle

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Stephen Miller, shown above, coming down with a rebound, finished Sunday’s win against Lake Lehman with 18 points.

Photo Courtesy of Alice Stuffle

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After trailing 16-12 at the end of the first quarter, the Lions outscored the Black Knights 16-9 in a second quarter that saw all five of Lackawanna Trail’s players on the court score, to claim a 28-25 lead at the end of the first half.

“I thought tonight was a total team effort,” said head coach Andrew Kettel.

“The seniors led us. I thought the guys off the bench did an amazing job giving the starters a break and accepting their role on the team and doing the little things they needed to do that helped us win this game.”

Down but not out coming into the second half, Lake Lehman staged a come-back with Robert Evans and Carson Baker hitting back-to-back threes to put the Black Knights on top, 31-28.

Stephen Miller and Bobby Pacholec made sure that Lake Lehman’s celebration was short lived, scoring a combined 25 points in the third quarter, resulting in a 55-35 Lackawanna Trail lead.

“I was thrilled with the way we came out in the third quarter,” said Kettel. “We played okay in the first, second we played a little bit better, and then in the third we came out and we got into our game up and down the floor.”

“We controlled the boards because of Stephen, who had an outstanding game, and two of our seniors, Jake (Bedford) and Bobby, did a great job for us tonight.”

Pacholec proved to be unstoppable from the outside, sinking four three-pointers and finishing with 18 points.

“First couple of games, Bobby was struggling with his shots, tonight he found it,” said Kettel. “Once he starts hitting, his confidence goes up, and he’s the type of player that can go out one night and go for 30 if he’s on. When he’s on, we’re that much better.”

Miller also finished the game with 18 points, Tanner Holmes finished with six points, David Boslough and Matt Lochen each finished with four and Sean Fricke finished with three.

Jake Bedford, who finished Sunday night’s game with nine points, led the team in scoring with 20 points in the Lions’ 62-43 win over Mid Valley in the first round of the tournament held on Friday, Dec. 18.

Mid Valley went on to defeat Lakeland High School 59-41 in the consolation game held on Sunday.

Lakeland, who was just coming off a 45-41 overtime loss to Lake Lehman on Friday, was led by Kyle Kiehart and Tony Peregrin in scoring, each finished with 12 points. Connor Clauss-Walton finished with 11 points and nine rebounds for the Chiefs.