Engaging Excerpt: Tied at 40 and trading punches in a packed Holy War, it wasn’t about who started faster, it was about who finished stronger. Holy Cross owned the final stretch, turning a dead-even battle into a statement 53–42 quarterfinal win when it mattered most.

The 2025-26 District II high school basketball regular season wrapped up this past weekend, with all eyes now set on Mohegan Sun Arena. The district playoffs start Feb. 17 and will culminate with five district champions crowned and 11 state playoff teams decided. Here’s a preview of every classification and a prediction for each district championship game. Teams will be listed in order of seeding from highest to lowest.

The District II girls basketball regular season concluded on Feb. 14 with division and conference champions being crowned. Now all eyes are on the district playoffs. This is a preview of each class and a prediction for the championship game. Teams will be listed from highest to lowest seed.

Pittston Area opened the Class 5A district playoffs with a commanding 60 to 37 victory over Nanticoke Area, building a strong first half lead and riding a balanced scoring attack to advance to the semifinals.

For three quarters, it felt like a tug-of-war. Every bucket answered. Every stop matched. But when the fourth quarter arrived, the Lady Crusaders dug deep, locked in defensively, and found just enough separation to keep their season moving.

Eight minutes. That’s all it took for Dunmore to flip the switch from contender to controller. 23 straight points, relentless defense, and an intense home gym watching the defending champs hit cruise control early.

She wasn’t chasing a record. She was chasing the next dive. When Kate O’Hearn stepped onto the board at Pittston Area, the record book wasn’t on her mind. Focus was. Rhythm was. The next step forward was. And yet by the end of the day, the board beneath her feet told a different story. Five varsity sports. Honor roll academics. Year-round competition. At Old Forge, O’Hearn isn’t just busy, she’s essential. In small-school athletics, multi-sport athletes don’t just thrive. They carry programs. So when she broke Pittston Area’s diving record, and then broke it again, it wasn’t coincidence. It was confidence meeting preparation. “It goes so much faster than you think,” she said. And somehow, in a career packed with seasons, teammates, and milestones, she made every moment count, one leap at a time.

When the Wyoming Valley Conference championship tipped off Saturday afternoon, it felt like the perfect ending to a season-long rivalry. The area’s two best teams — Hazleton Area and Crestwood — met for the third time this year after splitting their regular-season matchups, setting the stage for a true rubber match with a championship on the line.

The Dallas Mountaineers continued their late-season surge Saturday, capturing the Wyoming Valley Conference championship with a hard-earned 43–38 victory over Crestwood. In a matchup defined by physical defense, pressure, and momentum swings, Dallas delivered a strong second-half performance to secure its third win over the Comets this season and carry serious momentum into district play.

It was a game that tested heart, composure, and belief. And when the final buzzer sounded, it was the Northwest Lady Rangers standing tall as Conference Champions after a breathtaking victory over Muncy that quite literally came down to the final seconds.

Cortland Michaels and Cooper Mowry combined for 40 as Lewisburg punched their ticket in the PHAC Final. Read more about their 67-61 win over Warrior Run by clicking the link below!

The Wyoming Valley Conference championship is set, and a familiar rivalry will take center stage as Dallas and Crestwood prepare to meet for the third time this season with everything on the line. Both teams earned their spots with impressive semifinal performances, setting up what promises to be a high-energy battle between two of the conference’s most consistent and battle-tested programs.

History hit different Friday night at Freedom. Lehighton didn’t just win a championship, they took it. Fast start. Defensive clamps. No looking back.

Repeats aren’t given, they’re earned. And Northwestern Lehigh had to earn every possession down the stretch to retain the Colonial League crown.

Jude Flick nears a double-double performance as Central Columbia takes down Loyalsock to advance to PHAC Finals.