Girls’ quarterfinals set for Saturday at Martz Hall

North Schuylkill and Marian are two of the Schuylkill League’s most storied girls’ basketball programs.

They’ve combined for 26 Schuylkill League crowns since the league’s inception in 1969, with North Schuylkill winning 17 titles since its first championship in 1986.

The Spartans and Fillies are regular visitors to Martz Hall in February and their home gymnasium walls are filled with banners highlighting District 11 and PIAA success.

Yet, since they’re in different divisions, they don’t see each other on the court until Martz Madness gets under way.

Saturday afternoon they square off for the first time in three years in the first of four Schuylkill League basketball quarterfinals at 2 p.m. at Pottsville’s Martz Hall. The girls’ quarterfinal between Tamaqua and Mahanoy Area follows at 3:30 p.m., with the boys’ quarterfinals at 5 and 6:30 p.m.

Division I champion Schuylkill Haven (18-4) and Division II champion Lourdes (21-1) await Saturday’s winners in Tuesday’s girls’ semifinals at Martz Hall.

It will be the first time North Schuylkill (15-7) and Marian (12-9) have faced each other since the 2023 Schuylkill League final, which the Spartans won 56-52 in overtime.

Overall, it’s the ninth time North Schuylkill and Marian have met in the Schuylkill League playoffs, with the Spartans winning seven of the previous eight. Three of those matchups have come in the championship game (1986, 2007, 2023). The Fillies’ only playoff victory over North Schuylkill occurred in the 2014 semifinals, 31-28.

Tamaqua (16-6) and Mahanoy Area (17-5), meanwhile, square off annually in the regular season. This season they met Dec. 27 in Tamaqua, with the Blue Raiders winning 40-32.

Millie Black scored 14 points and Lauren Ligenza pulled down 16 rebounds and dished out six assists as Tamaqua used a second-half surge to upend the Golden Bears. Mahanoy Area led 18-15 at halftime. The Blue Raiders outscored the Bears 14-6 in the fourth quarter to capture the win.

The Schuylkill League is loaded with talented girls’ basketball players this season and Saturday’s quarterfinals give local fans a chance to see All-State-caliber players like North Schuylkill’s Mya Conti, Marian’s Addy Marek and DeAnna Pugh, Tamaqua’s Ligenza and Millie Black and Mahanoy Area’s Felicia Bro.

How do the teams match up in Saturday’s games?

Here’s a capsule preview of both contests:

Schuylkill League Girls’ Basketball Playoff Preview Capsules

North Schuylkill (15-7) vs. Marian (12-9)

When: Saturday, Feb. 7, 2 p.m.

Where: Martz Hall, Pottsville

TV/Radio: Game will be simulcast on both WPPA (1360 AM / 105.9 FM) and T-102 (101.9 FM) with Ed Beneshunas and Tim Coyle on the call.

Live updates: Follow T102 Sports Now content editor Leroy Boyer on X @pubsportsboss and get score updates on the T102 Sports Now Facebook page.

Tickets: All tickets for the Schuylkill League playoffs will be cash sales at the door. Cost is $6 for adults, $3 for students. There will NOT be a Senior Citizen discount.

Up Next: Winner faces Division II champion Lourdes in Schuylkill League semifinals at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Martz Hall

About North Schuylkill

Head coach: Rich Wetzel

How they got here: Finished as Division I runner-up with 11-3 record

Scoring Averages: Offense, 49.2 ppg; Defense, 38.9 ppg

Schuylkill League playoff history (since 1985): Making seventh straight league playoff appearance and 29th overall. Spartans have reached the title game the past six seasons. NS has won 17 league championships (2023, ’21, ’20, ’15, ’07, ’02, ’01, 1996, ’95, ’94, ’93, ’92, ’91, ’90, ’88, ’87, ’86) and was the runner-up five other times.

Projected starting five: G Monica Selgrade, soph. (7.9 ppg, 5.4 rpg), G Mya Conti, sr. (16.6 ppg, 26 3-pt FG), G Ella Digris, soph. (5.0 ppg, 31 3-pt FG), F Gianna Capone, jr. (8.8 ppg, 26 3-pt FG, 6.7 rpg), F Jadelin Stitzer, sr. (4.7 ppg, 9.4 rpg)

Key reserves: G/F Katie Urbanowicz, sr.; G Payton Gawrylik, fr.

About Marian

Head coach: Jeff Onushco

How they got here: Finished third in Division II with 9-5 league record

Scoring Averages: Offense, 42.8 ppg; Defense, 36.0 ppg

Schuylkill League playoff history (since 1985): Making fifth straight league playoff appearance and 26th overall. Fillies have won three titles (2008, ’06, ’05) and were the runner-up seven times. Marian also won league crowns in 1972, 1973, 1974, 1979, 1980 and 1984.

Projected starting five: G DeAnna Pugh, jr. (11.1 ppg, 25 3-pt FG, 59 assists, 72 steals), G Katie Knock, fr. (4.5 ppg, 23 3-pt FG), F Haley Minzola, fr. (5.5 ppg), F Gia DeCosmo, fr. (1.5 ppg), G/F Addy Marek, soph. (16.5 ppg, 10 rpg, 38 3-pt FG)

Key reserves: G/F Brooke Hannis-Miskar, jr. (4.8 ppg, 17 3-pt FG), G Yerang Kwon, fr. (0.8 ppg)

Game Notes

Teams did not play in the regular season. First meeting since 2023 Schuylkill League championship game. … Spartans are 3-3 over last six games, with losses to Tamaqua, Schuylkill Haven and Loyalsock. … Fillies enter on three-game win streak. … Spartans will be without sophomore G/F Addisyn Balicki, who is injured. … Some legitimate Schuylkill League star power in this one. Conti, Selgrade, Capone, Stitzer, Marek and Pugh are all veterans of the Schuylkill League playoffs, are familiar with the atmosphere and excitement that Martz Hall bring and have experienced what it’s like to win there. … Keys to the game: A) How Marian handles North Schuylkill’s pressure defense; B) Can the Spartans score in their half-court offense?; C) Which team controls the boards; D) Can the Fillies get enough open looks for Marek and their other perimeter shooters? … Neither team is deep, so foul trouble could have a big impact on the outcome as well.

Tamaqua (16-6) vs. Mahanoy Area (17-5)

When: Saturday, Feb. 7, 3:30 p.m.

Where: Martz Hall, Pottsville

TV/Radio: Game will be simulcast on both WPPA (1360 AM / 105.9 FM) and T-102 (101.9 FM) with Ed Beneshunas and Tim Coyle on the call.

Live updates: Follow T102 Sports Now content editor Leroy Boyer on X @pubsportsboss and get score updates on the T102 Sports Now Facebook page.

Tickets: All tickets for the Schuylkill League playoffs will be cash sales at the door. Cost is $6 for adults, $3 for students. There will NOT be a Senior Citizen discount.

Up Next: Winner faces Division I champion Schuylkill Haven in Schuylkill League semifinals at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at Martz Hall

About Tamaqua

Head coach: Erika Davis

How they got here: Finished third in Division I with 10-4 league record

Scoring Averages: Offense, 41.4 ppg, Defense, 33.1 ppg

Schuylkill League playoff history (since 1985): Making third straight playoff appearance and eighth overall. Was back-to-back league champion in 2010-2011 and runner-up in 2009.

Projected starting five: C Lauren Ligenza, jr. (10.7 ppg, 9.9 rpg, 2.4 assists per game); F Leah Black, sr. (5.3 ppg, 6.5 rpg); G/F Millie Black, soph. (13.7 ppg, 8.4 rpg); F Ceanna Gormley, sr. (1.9 ppg, 4.5 rpg); G Makenna Ellington, sr. (1.0 ppg)

Key reserves: G/F Elaina Coleman, soph. (2.9 ppg, 9 3-pt FG); G Gabby Osenbach, jr.; G Mia Bamford, jr.; G Nico Conahan, soph.

About Mahanoy Area

Head coach: Tom Scheeler

How they got here: Finished as Division II runner-up with 12-2 league record

Scoring Averages: Offense, 46.9 ppg; Defense, 32.6 ppg

Schuylkill League playoff history (since 1985): In the league playoffs for the first time since 2021. Making 15th overall appearance. Bears were the 2018 league champion and runner-up in 1988 and 2019.

Projected starting five: G Felicia Bro, sr. (15.2 ppg, 39 3-pt FG); C Ella Connolly, jr. (15.4 ppg, 7.8 rpg); F Naomi Kowalick, jr. (6.6 ppg, 13 3-pt FGs); F Lilly Carl, soph. (3.5 ppg, 15 3-pt FG); G Juliana Wonsock, fr. (2.2 ppg)

Key reserves: F Kieran Haughney, soph.; F Emma Manley, fr.; F Brooklyn Christian, fr. (1.9 ppg)

Game Notes

Teams met Dec. 27 in Tamaqua, with Blue Raiders capturing a 40-32 victory. Bro had 11 points and Connolly 10 in that game. Bears will need others to step up to complete the deal this time around. … Mahanoy Area went 1-2 against Division I teams, beating Minersville while losing to Schuylkill Haven and Tamaqua. … Tamaqua enters with more playoff experience, as Ligenza, Miller and Leah Black have been major contributors to the Blue Raiders’ runs the last two years. Raiders will be without senior G/F Kendall Miller, the team’s top 3-point shooter, who is injured. She had 11 points in first meeting; her outside shooting will be missed Saturday. … Keys to game: A) Can Mahanoy Area handle Tamaqua’s aggressiveness on the boards and prevent multiple shots on a possession?; B) Can Tamaqua contain Mahanoy’s guards, more specifically can the Raiders stop Felicia Bro? C) Can Mahanoy score in transition? D) Can Tamaqua hit its free throws late in the game if it’s ahead?

— Compiled by Leroy Boyer