PIAA CLASS AA QUARTERFINALS
Saturday at Martz Hall, Pottsville HS
1 p.m. tip.
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TRINITY (20-7, second seed out of District 3)
Probable starters
G Dominick Antonelli 6-1 jr -- 13.2 ppg
G Jay Agnew 5-10 sr -- 5.7 ppg
G Brad Wesner 6-0 sr -- 10.0 ppg
F Brandon Kuntz, 6-5 jr -- 7.2 ppg
F Josh Trumpy, 6-6 jr -- 13.6 ppg
Top reserves
G Dylan DeFrank 5-11 sr -- 9.2 ppg
G/F Mike Gagliardi 6-1 jr -- 4.0 ppg
Shamrocks notes: Trinity's second-round win over Philadelphia's William Sayre (74-47) netted head coach Larry Kostelac Jr. his 600th career victory. ... In that win, DeFrank and Antonelli were a combined 12-for-18 from behind the arc. DeFrank's 26 points off the bench were two shy of a season-high, while Antonelli's 23 matched a season- and career-high. ... Trinity began its march to the quarterfinals by beating Meyers 57-47 in the first round. ... The last time the Shamrocks got this far in the state tournament was 2009, when they also reached the Class AA quarters, also played that game at Martz Hall, and also played an opponent from Division II of the Heartland Conference (Hughesville). Though this time Trinity hopes to reverse the outcome. ... There will be added pressure on the Shamrocks' big men, Trumpy and Kuntz, to be sharp defensively against Loyalsock's leading scorer, 6-5 center Roger Wilson. ... Under Kostelac, the Shamrocks have a pair of PIAA titles under their belt -- 2001 and 2003. ... Trinity finished second to Susquehanna Twp. in the Mid-Penn Keystone Division this season.
LOYALSOCK (26-3, top seed out of District 4)
Probable starters
G Mike Pastore 5-8 so -- 9.1 ppg
G Kyle Datres 5-10 so -- 8.8 ppg
G Omar Little 5-10 so -- 11.2 ppg
F Ben Sosa 6-1 so -- 10.2 ppg
C Roger Wilson 6-5 sr -- 14.1 ppg
Lancers notes: Defeated Mid Valley 63-54 in last weekend’s opening round, then edged Communications Tech 51-48 in a second-round scrap Wednesday at Cumberland Valley. … With a victory today, ‘Sock coach Ron Insinger will notch his 802nd career win, the most by any Keystone State boys’ coach. Insinger is currently tied with former Pittsburgh North Catholic coach Don Graham at 801. … Loyalsock is appearing in its first state quarterfinal in 18 seasons. … Little netted 10 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter as Insinger’s Lancers rallied past Communications Tech, avenging a regular-season loss to the Philly Public League entry. Loyalsock actually trailed 16-3 after one quarter. … Wilson is averaging 10-plus rebounds per outing. … Datres’ father, Lynn, was on the Williamsport coaching staff in 1984 when Pete White’s Millionaires claimed the PIAA Class AAAA title. Former Harrisburg girls’ coach Larry Moore also was on that ‘Port staff. … Datres is averaging just south of nine assists per game. … Three losses are to Communications Tech, Williamsport and State College. … Have won 11 straight games. … Claimed Heartland-II, Heartland tournament and District 4-AA crowns. … Little is an impressive athlete with terrific lift. … Pastore can really light it up from deep. … Sosa is a grinder. … Starting five played the entire second half of the Communications Tech victory.
THE PICK: TRINITY
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<script type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8" src="http://static.polldaddy.com/p/6966858.js"></script><noscript><a href="http://polldaddy.com/poll/6966858/">Who will win the PIAA Class AA quarterfinal between Trinity and Loyalsock?</a></noscript>