Minersville's Dante Carr tries to drive around Nativity's Noah Dolbin (Photo by Kelly Wiley).

Schuylkill League Boys’ Basketball Playoffs

Semifinal Preview Capsules

Minersville (20-3) vs. Nativity (14-8)

When: Today, 5 p.m.

Where: Martz Hall, Pottsville

Tickets: All tickets are cash sales at the door. Cost is $6 for adults, $3 for students. There is no senior citizen discount.

Live updates: Follow T102 Sports Now Content Editor Leroy Boyer on X @pubsportsboss

TV/Radio: Game will simulcasted on T-102 (101.9 FM) and WAVT (1360 AM/105.9 FM)

Up Next: Winner faces Mahanoy Area-Pottsville winner in Friday’s championship.

About Minersville

Head coach: Dave Mullaney

How they got here: Defeated Weatherly 76-42 in quarterfinals

Streaks: Have won seven straight games

Projected starting five: C Logan Hutsko (sr., 5.3 ppg, 3 rpg), G Shazier Bethea (jr., 15.7 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 5.3 asp), G/F Bradley Kostishak (sr., 9.4 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 2.2 apg), G A.J. Halford (sr. 2.3 ppg), F Dante Carr (jr. 14.6 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 3.4 apg 2.6 steals per game)

Key reserves: G/F Dawsyn Manning (sr., 4.6 ppg, 2.4 rpg), F Jordan Bowers (soph. 5.3 ppg, 2.9 rpg), G Chase Zimerofsky (soph. 2.6 ppg)

Schuylkill League history: The Battlin’ Miners are in the league playoffs for the first time since back-to-back appearances in 2015 and 2016. …. Minersville has never won a league title and last appeared in the championship round in 2002 (Shamokin def. Minersville 55-40).

About Nativity

Head coach: Mike Walborn

How they got here: Division II champion, quarterfinal bye

Streaks: Have won eight of last nine

Projected starting five: G Sammy Walborn (sr., 7.6 ppg, 3.5 apg, 3.1 steals per game), F Trey Keating (jr. 25.4 ppg, 7 rpg, 3.5 apg, 2.6 steals per game), G Jake Bowman (soph. 8.4 ppg, 2.5 rpg), G Layne Pasker (soph. 10.5 ppg, 3.4 rpg), F Noah Dolbin (sr. 13.3 ppg, 7.9 rpg)

Key reserves: F Nick Clarke (soph. 3.0 ppg, 3.5 rpg), G Ben Kreitzer (sr.), G/F Sean Kramer (soph.)

Schuylkill League history: Nativity last captured the boys’ title in 2021. Last season, the Hilltoppers earned a wild card spot and fell to Pottsville 61-55 in the quarterfinals.

Game Breakdown

Nativity enters the game with Trey Keating, the league leader in points per game, peaking offensively at the right time. Keating scored 33, 27, 15 and 33 in his last four contests and will pace the Hilltoppers’ offensively. …  Minersville has been firing on all cylinders lately, with a scoring differential of 209-124. … Defense will be key on both sides. Nativity plays zone for the most part, while the Battlin’ Miners will look to match up man-to-man. … Expect this game to be physical, with rebounds, second-chance opportunities, turnovers and fouls certainly being factors. … The Hilltoppers took on rival Minersville once during the regular season because of the Battlin’ Miners switch to Division I. Minersville rolled to a lopsided home victory over Nativity 73-43 in a non-league game Jan. 11.

Pottsville (17-6) vs. Mahanoy Area (20-2)

When: Today, 6:30 p.m.

Where: Martz Hall, Pottsville

Tickets: All tickets are cash sales at the door. Cost is $6 for adults, $3 for students. There is no senior citizen discount.

Live updates: Follow T102 Sports Now Content writer and digital media extraordinaire Eli Doyle on X @IamEliDoyle

TV/Radio: Game will simulcasted on T-102 (101.9 FM) and WAVT (1360 AM/105.9 FM)

Up Next: Winner faces Minersville-Nativity winner in Friday’s championship.

About Pottsville

Head coach: Jake Wartella

How they got here: Defeated Tri-Valley 63-55 in quarterfinals

Projected starting five: F Christian Alvarez (jr. 14.5, 7.2 rpg), G Letrel Montone (sr. 11.7 ppg, 4.7 apg, 3.9 rpg), G Derek Watkins (sr. 8.0 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 3.5 apg, 2.4 steals per game), G Ryder Bowers (sr. 11.2 ppg, 2 rpg), G JuJu Bainbridge (jr. 2.5 ppg)

Key reserves: C London Ivy (sr. 3.8 ppg, 2.8 rpg), C Tahlil Flucker-White (sr.), F Max Clews (soph.), F Colin McGinley (soph. 2.4 ppg)

Schuylkill League history: Pottsville knows a ton about Martz Hall and league titles. The Crimson Tide have a captured 11 league championships since 2000. … Pottsville is making its 16^th consecutive league playoff appearance.

About Mahanoy Area

Head coach: Teddy Styka

How they got here: Division I co-champion (No. 1 seed following district ratings points), quarterfinal bye

Streaks: Have won three of last five, before that 17 straight

Projected starting five: G Tanner Zawada (sr. 16 ppg), G Jace Yedsena (sr. 18 ppg), F Ryan Zilker (jr. 8 ppg), G Peyton Sendatch (sr. 5 ppg), G William Mayberry (sr. 7 ppg)

Key reserves: Mikey Oblas (sr.), Brian Gallagher (sr.), Aidan Bowman (sr.)

Schuylkill League history: The reigning league champions, Mahanoy Area defeated Blue Mountain 66-51 last season to capture its first league crown since 2014. The Golden Bears defeated Pottsville 45-44 to win the league title in 2014. … Mahanoy Area has won five league titles since 1991.

Game Breakdown

Mahanoy Area and Pottsville have battled each other for the boys’ championship twice going back the past 20 years. The 20-year title series is split as the Golden Bears edged the Crimson Tide 45-44 in 2014, while Pottsville got the better of Mahanoy Area 35-21 in 2013. … This season, defense has taken center stage as the teams split regular-season matchups after Mahanoy Area’s move to Division I. The Crimson Tide got the better of the Golden Bears in the latest contest 36-34 on Jan. 21. Mahanoy Area won the turnover battle in the first matchup and rolled to victory 62-47 on Jan. 6.

— Compiled by Eli Doyle