Click here to subscribe today or Login.
WILKES-BARRE TWP. — A long layoff was going to be a problem for MMI Prep on Friday afternoon, no doubt.
The bigger issue, though, was Susquehanna. The Sabers were sizzling from the field in the first three quarters and that was more than enough to overwhelm MMI .
Mason Deakin and Tyler Williams led an attack that shot 55 percent in the first three quarters as Susquehanna built a big lead and went on to defeat MMI 55-32 in the District 2 Class A boys basketball championship game at Mohegan Sun Arena.
Neither team will play in the PIAA Class A state tournament. Susquehanna (9-15), which last won the D2-A title in 2012, was eliminated from the D2/11-A playoffs last week. MMI finished the season at 5-18. They played for the championship since they are the only Class A schools in District 2.
MMI last played Feb. 16 in its Wyoming Valley Conference regular-season finale. The Preppers closed out WVC play strongly, winning three of its last four. But they were out of the usual rhythm of playing twice a week.
“That was the wild-card question,” MMI coach Joe Flanagan said. “I wasn’t sure if it would or wouldn’t (affect us). We came out a little sluggish, but thought we answered OK. I think it was more of them. I don’t know what they shot. They probably shot 65 percent from the field.”
Flanagan was close. Susquehanna was 7 of 11 (64 percent) from the field in the first quarter in building a 17-6 lead. The Sabers closed out the first on a 11-2 run as Deakin had three layups during the outburst with the help of five MMI turnovers.
Susquehanna coach Lawrence Tompkins emphasized the need to get easy shots early in the arena where the lack of a backdrop behind the baskets could make depth perception tricky on perimeter shots.
“It was different surroundings,” said Tompkins, who wore a snazzy blue plaid sportscoat. “We wanted to get easy baskets, using that defense and turning it into offense. We really did an awesome job with that.”
The Sabers extended their run into the second quarter, taking a 24-6 lead before MMI’s Matt Marchetti snapped it with a 3-pointer. Marchetti followed with another as the Preppers began to claw their way back.
Marchetti completed a 12-0 run with an inside basket with 1:45, moving MMI within 24-18. Susquehanna, though, scored the next 13 points with a run that extended into the third to pretty much end any Preppers’ threat.
“We got down and I think when we made that little run right in the beginning of the second quarter we expelled a lot of energy,” Flanagan said. “There wasn’t much left in the tank. This is a much bigger court than we’re used to playing on.”
MMI went 2 of 23 shooting over the final two quarters.
Philip Byriel, a 6-foot-7 freshman, scored nine for MMI. Marchetti added eight. Kyle Williams, the only senior in the starting lineup and only starter back from last season, ended his Prep career with five.
District 2 Class A Championship
MMI PREP (32) – Kyle Williams 2 1-2 5, George Palmero 0 1-2 1, Zack Young 0 2-2 2, Philip Byriel 3 3-8 9, Marcus Kassick 0 0-0 0, Nick Young 1 3-3 5, Kasin Patel 0 2-2 2, Matt Marchetti 3 0-0 8, Lucas Smith 0 0-0 0, Mike Badamo 0 0-0 0, Keefer Hoover 0 0-0 0, Dave Antolick 0 0-0 0, Tyler Degenhart 0 0-0 0, Josue Rodriguez 0 0-0 0, AJ Jordan 0 0-0 0, Reiley DeStefano 0 0-0 0, Jordan DeBelis 0 0-0 0. Totals 9 12-19 32.
SUSQUEHANNA (55) – Garret Grausgruber 4 1-3 11, Mason Deakin 7 6-0 20, Tyler Williams 8 4-4 20, Eric Lee 1 0-0 2, Bryce Baldwin 0 0-0 0, Canyon Stone 1 0-0 2, Adam Rockwell 0 0-0 0, Alex McHugh 0 0-0 0, Dave Armitage 0 0-0 0, Travis Craig 0 0-0 0, Anthony Dolfini 0 0-0 0, William Dixon 0 0-0 0, Devon Dubanowitz 0 0-0 0, Eric Hall 0 0-0 0, Tim Sweeney 0 0-0 0. Totals 19 11-17 55.
MMI Prep`6`12`8`6`—`32
Susquehanna`17`13`14`10`—`55
Three-point goals – MMI 2 (Marchetti 2). SUS 2 (Grausgruber 2).
For other sports stories, click here.