Boys basketball’s Dandy Dozen: District 11 tournament gives us another new No. 1

Weve been doing the Dozen Dozen, the rankings of the areas top 12 boys basketball team since early December and over the last three months, many of the best teams have remained the best.But along the way, some teams that we didnt expect to be in the top 12 have emerged and created new storylines.Allen, Catasauqua and Northampton are in that category.And several teams who we thought would win championships and be on a possible path to Hershey at the end of the month have packed away the uniforms.Pocono Mountain West, Liberty and Notre Dame-Green Pond are in that category.So, here we are with the state tournament about to begin and by St.

Patricks Day, well be fortunate to have any teams left.So, if you enjoy high school basketball, better get out and catch your favorite team while you can.Here are the next-to-last Dandy Dozen rankings for the 2024-season;No.

12: Notre Dame-Green PondNotre Dame sophomore Justin Manning, 2, dribbles past defenders as Minersville and Notre Dame-Green Pond face off at Martz Hall in the District 11 3A semifinals, Wednesday, Feb.

26, 2025.

(MATTHEW PERSCHALL/MULTIMEDIA EDITOR)Record: 19-7, 17-1 ColonialLast rankings: 8thLast game: Lost to Mahanoy Area 65-56 in the District 11 3A consolation game.Next game: 2025-26 seasonComment: How it ended has to be considered somewhat of a disappointment for the Crusaders, who lost three of their last four games and didnt get to either the league or district championship game.

Senior Carmine Diaz led the team in scoring with a shade over 15 ppg, but both junior Isaiah Miles and sophomore are back after scoring 14.8 and 12.8 ppg respectively.No.

11: Bethlehem ChristianMyles Harris, left, is averaging 15.6 points per game for Bethlehem Christian.

(Contributed photo/Bethlehem Christian)Record: 25-2Last rankings: Not rankedLast game: Beat Lincoln Leadership 63-48 for the District 11 Class A title.Next game: Play Bucktail Area, District 4s No.

3 team, in the first round of the PIAA Tournament at 6 p.m.

Friday at Easton Area Middle School.Comment: The Panthers won a district title in just their third year as a PIAA program.

Gabe Transue, Myles Harris, Deion Swift and Rex Roman are all scoring in double figures led by Transues 24.2 ppg.

Swift, a sophomore, had 20 points in the teams semifinal win over Weatherly and 21 in the title game against Lincoln.No.

10: Saucon ValleySaucon Valleys Jack Robertson, center, Adam Clark, left, and their Panthers teammates walk off the court after falling to Allentown Central Catholic in a District 11 4A semifinal game Tuesday, Feb.

25, 2025, at Catasauqua High School in Northampton.

(Jonathan Broady/Special to The Morning Call)Record: 21-6, 14-4 ColonialLast rankings: 9thLast game: Beat Lehighton 46-44 in the District 11 4A consolation game.Next game: Will play Murrell Dobbins, District 12s No.

2 seed, 5 p.m.

Friday at Ben Franklin High School in Philadelphia.Comment: The Panthers took eventual 4A champion Allentown Central Catholic to the final seconds before losing on a Jahrel Vigo basket in the semifinals and then bounced back to beat Lehighton and earn a third straight PIAA appearance.

Jack Robertson scored 23 in the win over Lehighton and is over 1,300 points in his career.No.

9: CatasauquaCatasauqua players and coaches celebrate with their gold medals after winning the District 11 3A championship Saturday night.

(Contributed photo/Tom Moll)Record: 18-10, 10-8 ColonialLast rankings: 10thLast game: Beat Minersville 61-50 for the District 11 3A championship.Next game: Host Philadelphia Academy Charter, District 12s No.

5 seed, 1 p.m.

Saturday.Comment: The Rough Riders have authored one of the most unexpected and memorable chapters of the 2024-25 season, winning their first District 11 title since 2006 just a few years after going 1-21 and 0-22.

This is a team that found its way after starting 0-4 overall and 2-6 in league action and plays some of the most entertaining basketball in the area led by juniors Frankie Pujols and Hamaad Jenkins.No.

8: Northwestern LehighNorthwestern Lehighs Eli Zimmerman drives during a game against Allentown Central Catholic on Friday, Feb.

28, 2025, at Easton Area Middle School.

(Amy Shortell/The Morning Call)Record: 24-3, 17-1 ColonialLast rankings: 6thLast game: Lost to Allentown Central Catholic 68-57 in the District 11 4A championship game.Next game: Host Scranton Prep, District 2 No.

2, in the first round of the PIAA tournament on Friday.Comment: The Tigers had a remarkable 16-game winning streak snapped by ACCHS in the district finals, but gave a great effort and actually led after the first quarter.

Expect this tough-minded, determined team to put on a show against Scranton Prep in their final home game on Friday night.

If Scranton Prep sounds familiar, its the same school that the Tigers beat each of the past two seasons in the state football playoffs.No.

7: WhitehallWhitehalls Talon Dogmanits passes to a teammate on Wednesday, Feb.

26, 2025, during a District 11 Class 6A semifinal game against Northampton at Liberty High School in Bethlehem.

(April Gamiz/The Morning Call)Record: 19-8, 12-4 EPCLast rankings: 5thLast game: Lost to Allen 62-60 in the District 11 6A consolation game.Next game: Play at Chambersburg, District 3s No.

4 seed, at 1 p.m.

Saturday.Comment: The Zephyrs lost a pair of heartbreakers in the 6A tournament, falling to Northampton and Allen by a combined six points.

Despite losing three players to a violation of school policy, including an all-star, they gave a great effort against the Canaries.

Seth Hoderewski and Talon Dogmanits led the way with 19 and 14 points, respectively.No.

6: LibertyLiberty junior Jake Pukszyn scored a career-high 36 points in a win over Allen during the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference regular season.

(Keith Groller/The Morning Call)Record: 19-6, 14-2 EPCLast rankings: 4thLast game: Lost to Parkland 64-47 in the District 11 6A quarterfinals.Next game: 2025-26 seasonComment: It was a disappointing end for a Hurricanes season that began with high hopes.

Liberty simply ran into a buzzsaw in Parkland and fell to the Trojans for the third time in as many years in districts, and all at the same venue Easton Area Middle School.

Several key players are back next year, led by Jake Pukszyn, who has more than 900 career points.

But Liberty will miss several graduating seniors, including Chase Dusseau and Jahsi Cole.No.

5: Pocono Mountain WestPocono Mountain Wests Adrian Brito makes a foul shot against Northampton on Thursday, Feb.

13, 2025, during the EPC championship game at PPL Center in Allentown.

(April Gamiz/The Morning Call)Record: 22-4, 15-1 EPCLast rankings: 2ndLast game: Lost to Allen 66-62 in the District 11 6A quarterfinals.Next game: 2025-26 seasonComment: Adrian Brito, who ended his career with a spectacular 37-point performance against Allen, will go down as one of the best players in Panthers history.

He finished his career with more than 1,400 points and figures to do well at East Stroudsburg University.

KJ Coles, a first-team all-EPC selection, returns next season and will be a key to West continuing its dominance in the EPC Monroe County Division.No.

4: AllenAllens Emmanuel Polanco drives against Parklands Jude Ruisch on Wednesday, Feb.

26, 2025, during a District 11 Class 6A semifinal game at Liberty High School in Bethlehem.

(April Gamiz/The Morning Call)Record: 16-10, 8-8 EPCLast rankings: 11thLast game: Beat Whitehall 62-60 in the District 11 6A consolation game.Next game: At Coatesville, District 1s No.

3 seed, at 1 p.m.

Saturday in the first round of the PIAA 6A tournament.Comment: The Canaries amazing turnaround season added a few more great memories in the District 11 tournament with a stunning win over Pocono Mountain West in the quarterfinals and a consolation-round win over Whitehall.

Keith Jackson had a great regular season and picked it up a notch in the postseason with 31 points against West, 24 against Parkland in the semifinals and 26 against Whitehall.

If hes not on some college coachs radar, he should be.No.

3: NorthamptonNorthamptons Leo Regec looks to score against Whitehall on Wednesday, Feb.

26, 2025, during a District 11 Class 6A semifinal game at Liberty High School in Bethlehem.

(April Gamiz/The Morning Call)Record: 19-9, 11-5 EPCLast rankings: 1stLast game: Lost to Parkland 66-33 in the District 11 6A championship game.Next game: Host Hazleton, District 2s No.

2 team, at 1 p.m.

Saturday in the first round of the PIAA 6A tournament.Comment: The amazing run by the Konkrete Kids came to a disappointing end in the district final, but now is an opportunity for the team to show its resilience as it did in bouncing back from a 66-50 loss to Easton on Jan.

21 with 10 straight wins and the programs first league championship since 1972.

As coach Matt Scholl said after the game, this is a team with a great future.

Anything they can get from this point on is a positive building block for the 2025-26 season.No.

2: Allentown Central CatholicAllentown Central Catholic celebrates winning the District 11 4A title after beating Northwestern Lehigh Friday, Feb.

28, 2025, at Easton Area Middle School.

(Amy Shortell/The Morning Call)Record: 22-4, 14-2 EPCLast rankings: 3rdLast game: Beat Northwestern Lehigh 68-57 in the District 11 4A championship game.Next game: Host West Philadelphia, District 12s No.

4 seed, 7:30 p.m.

Friday in the first round of the PIAA 4A tournament.Comment: Vigo showed why he was voted the EPCs MVP with a spectacular 38-point performance in the 4A championship game.

The Vikings seem to have bounced back from the issues that caused an early exit in the EPC tournament and appear to be primed for a potentially deep PIAA run.No.

1: ParklandParkland players Blake Nassry, left, and TJ Lawrence celebrate after receiving their gold medals following the District 11 Class 6A final on Saturday, March 1, 2025, at Easton Area Middle School in Easton.

(Jonathan Broady/Special to The Morning Call)Record: 17-9, 12-4 EPCLast rankings: 7thLast game: Beat Northampton 66-33 for the District 11 6A championship.Next game: Host Downingtown West, District 1s No.

9 team, at 2:30 p.m.

Saturday in the first round of the PIAA 6A tournament.Comment: Having talented football players on your basketball team is a good news/bad news situation.

The bad news is that you may have to wait for several weeks, or even half a season, for the football guys to get into basketball shape.

The good news is that those football players build up a physical and mental toughness that can be vitally important to the success of the basketball team.

Thats the case for these Trojans, who got Blake Nassry, TJ Lawrence, Jude Ruisch and Nassim Adams late, but have seen those guys emerge as team leaders in the teams postseason run which has a chance to continue for awhile..

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