HS Boys’ Basketball: Saldukas, McKeegan lead balanced Weatherly attack
Weatherly's Niko Saldukas prepares to launch a free throw during a Schuylkill League Division II boys' basketball game at The Junkyard at Weatherly Elementary School on Thursday. Also picture from left to right is Lourdes' Trebor Moore, Weatherly's Matt Adler and Lourdes' Brighton Scicchitano. The Wreckers impounded the Red Raiders with a 66-48 victory at home (Photo by Eli Doyle).
WEATHERLY — It felt like a balanced performance for Weatherly.
After enduring momentum swings in both directions, the Wreckers pulled away with a dominant fourth quarter to secure a 66-48 Schuylkill League Division II boys’ basketball victory over Lourdes at The Junkyard in a pivotal matchup between teams that entered the night with identical records.
Weatherly (4-3, 3-2) used balance and late composure to take control, outscoring the Red Raiders 27-9 in fourth quarter to turn a tight game into a convincing home win.
Lourdes (3-4, 2-3) came out sharp early, jumping to a 6-2 lead before Weatherly answered with an 11-0 run to flip the tempo. Trebor Moore briefly halted the surge with a 3-pointer for Lourdes with 3:33 left in the first quarter, but the Wreckers carried a slim edge after one as both teams traded baskets at a fast pace.
The Red Raiders regained momentum early in the second quarter when Moore drilled another 3 to put Lourdes ahead 20-18. Weatherly responded immediately, however, as Ian McKeegan knocked down a triple of his own to swing the lead back. From there, the Wreckers closed the half on a decisive 12-1 run, fueled by defensive pressure and transition opportunities, to take a 33-21 advantage into the break after Corbin Wagner went 1-for-2 at the foul line in the final minute.
Lourdes refused to fade quietly. The Red Raiders stormed out of halftime with a 9-0 run and outscored Weatherly 18-10 in the third quarter to claw back within striking distance. Gavin Renn, Moore and Brighton Scicchitano all found their rhythm during the stretch, trimming the deficit and injecting energy back into the building heading to the fourth.
That momentum didn’t last long.
Weatherly seized control early in the final quarter with a 10-1 run over the opening 3:00, reasserting itself on both ends of the floor.
Senior forward Niko Saldukas was the difference down the stretch, scoring 10 of his game-high 22 points in the fourth quarter while repeatedly attacking the rim and converting at the free-throw line. Saldukas went 4-for-5 from the stripe in the frame, helping Weatherly close the door.
Saldukas finished with 22 points to lead all scorers, while McKeegan added 19 and Dom Kokinda chipped in 15 for the Wreckers, who showed poise after Lourdes’ third-quarter surge. Weatherly also won the free-throw battle late, converting 13-of-22 attempts overall.
Lourdes was led by Scicchitano’s 17 points, with Renn adding 15 and Moore finishing with 10. The Red Raiders showed flashes of explosiveness but couldn’t match Weatherly’s execution in the closing minutes.
Game Summary
Weatherly 66, Lourdes 48
LOURDES (48) — G. Renn 6 2-2 15, Moore 4 0-0 10, Scicchitano 6 3-8 17, B. Rishel 3 0-0 6, J. Rishel 0 0-0 0, Williams 0 0-0 0, Yablonski 0 0-0 0, B. Renn 0 0-0 0.Totals 22 5-10 48.
WEATHERLY (66) — Adler 3 0-2 6, Kokinda 7 3-5 15, McKeegan 7 3-5 19, Saldukas 8 6-7 22, Davis 1 0-0 2, Wagner 0 2-4 2. Totals 26 13-22 66.
| Team | 1Q | 2Q | 3Q | 4Q | Final |
| Lou (3-4, 2-3) | 17 | 9 | 18 | 9 | 48 |
| Wea (4-3, 3-2) | 18 | 15 | 10 | 27 | 66 |
