Yahoo Autos Playoff basketball: Pocono Mountain West falls to Abington after intense 4th period
Pocono Mountain West fell to Abington Heights during Wednesday's PIAA playoff game, effectively ending the season for the Panthers.
Read on for highlights from the well-fought contest.
Ahead of the game
The Pocono Mountain West boys basketball team is looking to advance to the Elite Eight round of the PIAA state playoffs for the first time in school history.
The Panthers play Abington Heights at 6 p.m. Wednesday at Hazleton Area High School.
Pocono Mountain West defeated Chichester 73-67 in the first round of the 5A championship.
The Panthers are the last Monroe County team with state title hopes, as East Stroudsburg South and Notre Dame East Stroudsburg lost in the first round after taking home the Class 5A and Class 1A district titles, respectively.
Tonight's winner will play Imhotep Charter, which beat Muhlenberg 68-32 on Tuesday.
Related:Pocono Mountain West advances to Sweet 16 in PIAA playoffs
The tip-off: Panthers vs. Comets
The Abington Heights Comets won the tip-off and scored a 3-pointer to start off what was rightfully expected to be a high-energy game. West soon took the lead, with 7 points to Abington Heights' 6.
Starting lineup for West: senior Julian "Juju" Pagan (No. 0), junior Devin Artis (No. 2), senior De'von "Day-Day" Smith (No. 10), and sophomore Adrian Brito (No. 24).
For Abington Heights: junior Mason Fedo (No. 10), junior Will Marion (No. 12), senior Patrick Walsh (No. 22), junior Ryan Nealon (No. 23), and sophomore Robby Lucas (No. 44).
Pagan sank a 3-pointer with less than four minutes left in play in the first period, which Abington answered with a 2-pointer, followed by two free throws to tie the game, 10-10.
Abington Heights recovered to give them a slight edge to end the period with 17 points to West's 16.
A 2-pointer early on in the second period widened Abington's lead over West 19-16. A 3-pointer brought the Comets 22-16 with just over six minutes left in the period.
Pocono Mountain West was able to make a bit of a recovery later in the period. A 2-pointer from Ethan Sakwa (No. 2) brought the score up to 24-20, with Abington Heights still leading.
By halftime, Brito and Sakwa cinched a basket each, but the Comets still edged past West 31-26.
Abington Heights continues lead into second half of play
West started the third quarter with a lot more energy, with Brito quickly making a 2-pointer to narrow the gap for the Panthers, who at that point had 28 points to Abington's 31.
The two teams go tit for tat in the third quarter, with both teams keeping the pace with each other.
Eventually Abington brings their score up to 44.
With less than three minutes left in the third period, West's Pagan sinks two free throws, which Abington responded to with a basket of their own.
The Miracle:How PM West's Juju Pagan came back from injury to lead team to the finals
West gives all in second half, but it's not enough
West's boys worked hard to make up the difference in the second half of the game. Brito nailed a 3-pointer, but it was quickly countered by a strong Abington offensive. At the end of the third period, the Comets still had a measurable lead over the Panthers.
West recovered, with Pagan and Kyon Coles Jr. putting in work with over three minutes left in the game.
Pagan sank a free throw followed by a 3-pointer, and Coles Jr. made his own 3-pointer. Abington coaches called for a timeout with the score Abington: 56, West: 53.
West brought more heat in the final minutes of play, with a standout 3-pointer from sophomore Jonathan Mateo.
But it wasn't not enough. Abington scored the last basket of the game with a free throw, final score: 61-56.
Abington moves on to play Imhotep Charter in round three.
This article originally appeared on Pocono Record: Pocono Mountain West plays Abington Heights for spot in Elite Eight
