Schuylkill Haven's Alan Evans shoots a free throw (Photo by Eli Doyle).

SCHUYLKILL HAVEN — Alan Evans has opened the season like a NASCAR stock car trying to qualify at Daytona.

The Schuylkill Haven guard poured in a game-high 26 points Thursday night as the Hurricanes downed Nativity 73-62 in a Schuylkill League Division II boys’ basketball game at the CACL Center.

Evans had 22 points in Schuylkill Haven’s season-opening win Monday over Northern Lebanon. He continued that torrid pace Thursday, scoring 10 in a fast-paced first quarter and 14 in the second half.

But Evans didn’t do it alone.

The Hurricanes’ overall depth was a big key to the victory as all five starters reached double figures. Justin Watcher had 13, Bradyn Diehl and Max Heim had 11 and Brady Kelly tallied 10.

That quintet evenly combined for 24 points in the fourth quarter as the Hurricanes closed the game on a 24-10 run after trailing 52-49 entering the fourth.

Trey Keating led all scorers with 28 for Nativity, hitting five 3-pointers. Nick Clarke netted 17 and Owen Holley added 13.

NATIVITY (62) — Clarke 7 2-4 17, Bowman 1 0-0 2, Pasker 1 0-0 2, Lutzkanin 0 0-0 0, Swartz 0 0-0 0, Kramer 0 0-0 0, Holley 6 0-0 13, Keating 11 1-4 28. Totals 26 3-8 62.

SCHUYLKILL HAVEN (73) — Evans 9 5-7 26, Diehl 5 0-0 11, Watcher 6 1-2 13, Kelly 5 0-0 10, Heim 5 1-2 11, Rossi 0 0-0 0. Totals 31 7-11 73.

3-point FGs: Clarke, Holley, Keating 5, Evans 3, Diehl

Officials: Groody, Gerchak

JV Score: Nativity 37-36

Tri-Valley 66, Williams Valley 56

TOWER CITY — Tri-Valley’s Kingsley Johnson is right there door to door with Evans through two turns.

Johnson drained six 3-pointers and scored a game-high 20 points as Tri-Valley outgunned Williams Valley in a Division II contest. Johnson downed eight 3-pointers and scored 28 points in the Dawgs’ season-opening win Saturday over Schuylkill Valley.

Braeden Doyle added 18 points and Trey Porter netted 17 for Tri-Valley, which used a 26-8 run in the second quarter to build a 45-24 halftime lead.

Evan Achenbach scored a game-high 22 points for Williams Valley, while Chris Dickerson added 11 and Brady Shomper tallied 10.

TRI-VALLEY (66) — Carl 1 1-2 3, Miller 2 0-0 5, Porter 7 3-4 17, Wehry 1 0-0 3, Johnson 6 2-2 20, Doyle 6 4-6 18. Totals 23 10-14 66.

WILLIAMS VALLEY (56) — Boykins 2 0-0 4, Shomper 4 0-0 10, Rodriguez 0 0-0 0, Dickerson 4 1-3 11, Rautzahn 2 0-0 4, Achenbach 9 3-6 22, B. Zilinski 2 1-1 5, K. Zilinski 0 0-0 0. Totals 23 5-10 56.

3-point FGs: Miller, Wehry, Johnson 6, Doyle 2

Officials: Jacoby, Cooper, Je. Misstishin

JV Score: Not reported

Mahanoy Area 51, Pine Grove 47

PINE GROVE — Mahanoy Area’s sophomore duo of Connor Bowman and Nico Dicasimirro stepped up in a big way, combining for 30 points to lift the Golden Bears to a victory over Pine Grove in a tight Division I matchup.

Bowman and Dicasimirro each poured in 15 points, knocking down six 3-pointers between them as Mahanoy Area raced out to a 19-9 first-quarter lead. Ryan Zilker added 8 points for the Bears.

Pine Grove was led by Hayden Felty with 20 points, including a 7-for-9 effort at the line.

MAHANOY AREA (51) — Bowman 5 2-3 15, Perez 1 0-4 2, Dicasimirro 6 0-0 15, Smith 3 0-0 6, Contreras 1 0-2 3, Corona 0 0-0 0, Byrne 1 0-0 2, Zilker 4 0-0 8. Totals 21 2-9 51.

PINE GROVE (47) — Rizzo 2 0-2 5, Fairell 1 0-0 2, Hannevig 2 0-0 5, Witmer 0 0-0 0, Schneck-Haines 2 1-1 6, Herber 1 0-0 2, Felty 6 7-9 20, Kold 1 0-0 2, Snyder 1 1-2 5. Totals 17 8-14 47.

3-point FGs: Bowman 3, Dicasimirro 3, Contreras, 

JV Score: Mahanoy Area 38-36

Minersville 70, Tamaqua 49

MINERSVILLE — Minersville rode big nights from Shazier Bethea and Jordan Bowers to pull away from Tamaqua in a Division I matchup Friday night.

Bethea was explosive from start to finish, scoring a game-high 29 points and hitting three 3-pointers as the Battlin’ Miners broke open a close game with a 23-point second quarter.

Bowers added 22 points, including three triples of his own, helping Minersville build a 36-19 halftime lead and maintain control throughout the second half. Chase Zimerofsky added 8 in support as Minersville gained another win.

Tamaqua was led by Gavin Edmonds with 11 points and Donovan Broadway with 10, while Jakin Tamagini added eight in the loss.

MINERSVILLE (70) — Adams 0 0-0 0, Rogers 0 0-0 0, Zimerofsky 3 0-0 8, Fessler 1 2-2 5, Bethea 12 2-4 29, Pepin 1 0-0 3, Toth 0 0-0 0,  Bowers 6 7-8 22, Mealey 0 0-0 0, Plesnarski 1 0-0 3. Totals 24 11-14 70.

TAMAQUA (47) — McDowell 2 0-0 5, McCabe 1 0-0 2, Edmonds 3 3-3 11, Schickram 1 0-0 3, Zimmerman 1 0-0 2, Shannon 1 1-3 3, Frohnheiser 0 0-0 0, Wargo 0 0-0 0, Sadusky 0 0-0 0, Makovec 2 1-2 5, Tamagini 3 1-3 8, Broadway 3 4-5 10. Totals 17 10-16 49.

3-point FGs: Bethea 3, Bowers 3, Zimerofsky 2, Fessler, Pepin, Pleanarski, Edmonds 2, McDowell, Schickram, Tamagini

JV Score: Tamaqua 42-25

Marian 54, Weatherly 30

HOMETOWN — Rocco Griguoli scored a game-high 14 points to lead a balanced Marian attack as the Colts pulled away from Weatherly in a Schuylkill League Division II matchup.

Marian controlled the game defensively while steadily building its lead, getting key contributions from Justin De La Cruz with 10 points and Greg Tirpak with 7. A strong fourth quarter closed out the win as the Colts outscored the Wreckers 21–12 down the stretch.

Weatherly was led by Corbin Wagner with 13 points, while Ian McKeegan added 6. The Colts held the rest of the Wreckers largely in check to secure the victory.

WEATHERLY (30) — Adler 0 1-2 1, Kokinda 4 0-1 8, McKeegan 2 0-0 6, Saldukas 1 0-2 2, Davis 0 0-0 0, Wagner 3 6-8 13. Totals 10 7-15 30.

MARIAN (54) — Shigo 1 0-0 2, Tom 2 1-1 5, Nunez 1 2-6 4, Paulino 0 0-0 0, Ju. De La Cruz 2 4-4 10, Ja. De La Cruz 3 0-2 6, Tirpak 2 2-3 7, Griguoli 6 2-6 14, Cannon 3 0-1 6. Totals 20 11-20 54.

3-point FGs: McKeegan 2, Wagner, Ju. De La Cruz 2, Tirpak

North Schuylkill 60, Panther Valley 47

LANSFORD — Xavier McNally netted a game-high 16, sparking North Schuylkill to a win over Panther Valley in a  Division I matchup.

Jude Maziekas added 15 points and Cam Kacilowicz netted 12 for the Spartans, who led 16-5 after the first frame.

Danny Wehr led Panther Valley with 15 points, including four 3’s. Chase McArdle chipped in 10 points the Panthers.

NORTH SCHUYLKILL (60) — Cairo 0 0-0 0, Damiter 2 0-0 4, Maziekas 6 0-1 15, Wall 0 0-0 0, Mengel 2 1-2 5, Kacilowicz 5 2-2 12, Kronkowski 0 0-0 0, Nelson 3 1-2 7, McNally 7 2-3 16, Gallagher 0 1-2 1, Osenbach 0 0-0 0. Totals 25 7-12 60.

PANTHER VALLEY (47) — Moyer 0 0-0 0, Crampsie 0 0-0 0, McArdle 2 5-8 10, Hall 0 0-0 0, Breiner 1 1-4 3, Mitchell 0 1-2 1, Revell 1 0-0 2, Wehr 5 1-3 15, Baneravage 3 0-0 6, Thomas 2 1-1 5, Smith 0 0-0 0, Maynard 1 0-0 3, Williams 1 0-2 2. Totals 16 9-20 47.

3-point FGs: Maziekas 3, McArdle, Wehr 4, Maynard

Officials: Hurd, Dems

JV Score: Shenandoah Valley 40-30

Lourdes 53, Shenandoah Valley 34

SHAMOKIN — Gaven Renn took over offensively, scoring a game-high 20 points to lead Lourdes past Shenandoah Valley in a Division II contest.

Renn powered an attack that steadily pulled away as Lourdes used balanced scoring and a surge in the middle quarters to create separation. Brighton Scicchitano added 15 points, while Trebor Moore chipped in 10, giving the Red Raiders three players in double figures.

Shenandoah Valley was led by Izayah Lopez with 14 points.

SHENANDOAH VALLEY (34) — Reyes 1 0-2 3, White 1 0-2 2, Burrows 2 3-3 7, Lopez 3 5-8 14, Bench 4 0-0 8. Totals 11 8-13 34.

LOURDES (53) — G. Renn 8 0-0 20, Moore 4 0-0 10, Scicchitano 5 5-10 15, B. Rishel 1 0-0 2, J. Rishel 1 1-2 3, B. Renn 0 0-0 0, Williams 1 0-0 3. Totals 20 6-14 53.

3-point FGs: Reyes, Renn 4, Moore 2, Williams

JV Score: Shenandoah Valley 40-30