Entering the night, North Schuylkill held a 10–6 overall record and stood 5–4 in league play, while Mahanoy Area was looking to gain momentum at 5–10 overall and 3–6 in Division 1 action. The game marked the second meeting between the teams this season, with the Spartans having claimed a 53–44 win in their first matchup on December 11.
North Schuylkill carried a slim 25–21 lead into halftime after opening the game strong, but Mahanoy Area steadily chipped away in the second half. The Bears outscored the Spartans 13–10 in the third quarter to cut the deficit to one, trailing 35–34 heading into the final frame.
The fourth quarter turned into a back-and-forth battle, setting up a wild final minute.
With just over a minute remaining, North Schuylkill held a 45–44 advantage and had possession. The Spartans ran a set that resulted in Logan Damiter finding Jude Maziekas, who then tossed a perfectly timed alley-oop to Xavier McNally. McNally finished the play with a dunk, giving North Schuylkill a 47–44 lead.
Mahanoy Area answered immediately. Connor Bowman drained a clutch three-pointer — his fifth and final triple of the night — to tie the game at 47 with 35 seconds remaining.
North Schuylkill took possession looking for the final shot, but a traveling violation with 15 seconds left turned the ball back over to the Bears.
Mahanoy Area worked the ball around the perimeter in the closing seconds, and as time expired, freshman Cam Smith launched a three-pointer at the buzzer. The shot dropped as the horn sounded, sealing the Bears’ dramatic 50–47 victory.
Smith finished with a game-high 19 points for Mahanoy Area, while Bowman added 17 points, including five three-pointers. Ryan Zilker contributed 11 points in the win.
North Schuylkill was led by Julian Nelson’s 18 points, with McNally adding 9 points and Caden Mengel finishing with 7
The win allowed Mahanoy Area to split the season series with the Spartans, while North Schuylkill was handed a tough league loss despite strong late execution and a highlight-reel alley-oop in the final minute.
Mahanoy Area will now look ahead to Friday night when they host Minersville at home in Mahanoy City for another Schuylkill League Division 1 matchup.
North Schuylkill will also be in action at home Friday night against a League Division opponent, Pottsville Area.
| Team | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Total |
| North Schuylkill | 12 | 13 | 10 | 12 | 47 |
| Mahanoy Area | 7 | 14 | 13 | 16 | 50 |
| North Schuylkill Scoring | Mahanoy Area Scoring | ||
| Player | Pts | Player | Pts |
| Julian Nelson | 18 | Cam Smith | 19 |
| Xavier McNally | 9 | Connor Bowman | 17 |
| Caden Mengel | 7 | Ryan Zilker | 11 |
| Cam Kacilowicz | 5 | Yoibel Perez | 3 |
| Jude Maziekas | 4 | ||
| Max Gallagher | 4 | ||
