After an even opening quarter, Pottsville Area High School flipped the switch.
The Crimson Tide used a dominant middle stretch and a barrage of 3-pointers to break open a tight game and cruise past Tri-Valley High School, 70-44, in the Schuylkill League Boys’ Semifinals Wednesday night at Martz Hall.
Pottsville outscored the Bulldogs 43-17 across the second and third quarters, turning a 15-15 deadlock into a runaway.
Christian Alvarez led the charge with a game-high 29 points, knocking down three 3-pointers and finishing a perfect 7-for-7 from the foul line, while Ryder Bowers added 14 points with four shots from beyond the arc.
Tight Early, Tide Take Over
Both teams traded punches in the opening quarter, with Tri-Valley matching Pottsville bucket-for-bucket to tie things at 15 after one.
But the second quarter changed everything.
Pottsville’s defense clamped down, holding the Bulldogs to just eight points, while Alvarez and Bowers heated up from outside. The Tide took a 34-23 halftime lead and never looked back.
The third quarter proved decisive.
Pottsville buried four more triples and poured in 24 points in the frame. By the time the fourth quarter arrived, the lead had ballooned past 20 and the Tide comfortably controlled the tempo.
| Team | 1Q | 2Q | 3Q | 4Q | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pottsville | 15 | 19 | 24 | 12 | 70 |
| Tri-Valley | 15 | 8 | 9 | 12 | 44 |
| Player | Points |
|---|---|
| Christian Alvarez | 29 |
| Ryder Bowers | 14 |
| Davey Kunstek | 10 |
| Josh Kimber | 4 |
| Colin McGinley | 3 |
| Juleon Bainbridge | 3 |
| Max Clews | 3 |
| Brody Eroh | 3 |
| Total | 70 |
| Player | Points |
|---|---|
| Braeden Doyle | 12 |
| Trey Porter | 11 |
| Kingsley Johnson | 9 |
| Gavin Klock | 5 |
| Cooper Carl | 3 |
| Kolton Clemmer | 2 |
| Riley Kaslavage | 2 |
| Total | 44 |
