Abington Heights Finishes the Job, Runs Away With 5A Title at the Arena
By: Matt Flanagan | SportzWire | February 28, 2026 | Photo courtesy Jake Speicher
WILKES-BARRE — The lights were bright. The crowd was loud. And when it mattered most, Abington Heights rose to the moment.
In Friday night’s District 2 Class 5A championship at Mohegan Sun Arena, Abington Heights pulled away in the second half to defeat Crestwood, 57-37, and bring home the gold.
It didn’t start that way.
Crestwood came out with energy and confidence, jumping ahead 12-7 after the first quarter. Every possession felt intense early on — loose balls, strong takes to the rim, bodies hitting the floor. It looked like it was going to be a four-quarter battle.
Abington Heights steadied itself in the second. The shots began to fall. The ball started moving. By halftime, Abington had flipped the script and carried a 23-19 lead into the locker room.
From there, the seniors took over.
Jordan Shaffer set the tone, attacking the basket and living at the free-throw line on his way to 17 points. Andrew Kettel added 16, hitting big shots and keeping the offense balanced. Finn Goldberg chipped in eight, while Carter Plantz did the little things inside — rebounding, defending, finishing through contact.
But it was the fourth quarter where Abington Heights truly separated.
Leading by 10 entering the final period, Abington turned up the defensive pressure and began to stretch the floor in transition. Every stop seemed to lead to points. Every trip down the court felt controlled. The lead grew, the confidence built, and by the final minutes, the celebration had already begun.
Crestwood was led by Miles Metz with 14 points, while Ayden Agapito added nine and Gio Barna finished with eight. Crestwood battled early, but Abington’s discipline and depth wore them down over time.
When the final buzzer sounded, Abington Heights players embraced at midcourt — a season’s worth of work culminating under the Arena lights.
For Abington Heights, this wasn’t just a win. It was validation.
District 2 Class 5A belongs to Abington Heights.
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