Parkland Pulls Away in Second Half to Top Delaware Valley in 6A State Playoffs
By: Carrie Miner Yaple | SportzWire | March 11, 2026 | Photo courtesy Brendan Baird
HAZLETON, Pa. — A defensive battle early turned into a three-point shooting clinic in the second half as the Parkland Trojans pulled away from Delaware Valley for a 62–33 victory in the PIAA Class 6A boys basketball state playoffs Wednesday night at Hazleton Area High School.
The opening minutes set the tone for what looked like it might be a grind-it-out contest. Delaware Valley came out in a disciplined 2–3 matchup zone, forcing Parkland to slow down and work for every look.
More than halfway through the first quarter, the scoreboard still read zeros.
With 6:39 remaining in the opening period, neither team had cracked the scoring column as Parkland methodically controlled the tempo, patiently probing the Del Val zone.
By the 3:10 mark, the teams were locked in a 3–3 tie, with both defenses dictating the pace.
Delaware Valley found a brief spark from beyond the arc late in the quarter. Two three-pointers gave the Warriors a 6–5 lead with just over a minute remaining, and they carried a slim 8–7 edge into the end of the first quarter.
The defensive theme continued in the second. Delaware Valley battled to keep Parkland’s offense from finding a rhythm, but the Trojans gradually began to create better looks. By halftime, Parkland had edged in front, 17–14.
As his team headed into the locker room, Parkland head coach Ed Olsen said adjustments would be key in the second half.
“We just want to move the ball quicker,” Olsen said. “If we do that, we’ll create better looks offensively.”
On the other side, Delaware Valley’s message was about confidence.
Coming out of halftime, the Warriors’ coach reminded his team of their experience in big moments.
“We’ve been here before,” he told his players, hoping to instill confidence heading into the second half.
But the third quarter quickly shifted the momentum decisively in Parkland’s favor.
A few minutes into the period, the Trojans built a 20–14 lead before Delaware Valley called a timeout in an attempt to regroup. It didn’t stop the barrage.
Parkland connected on three consecutive three-pointers, pushing its lead to seven. The Trojans kept firing — and connecting.
What followed was a 12–3 Parkland run highlighted by four straight three-pointers. When the fourth one dropped, Delaware Valley called another timeout as the Parkland crowd erupted inside the Hazleton gym.
At one point, the Trojans hit five straight three-point attempts, and the lead continued to swell.
Delaware Valley guard Trey Newton tried to keep the Warriors within striking distance, attacking offensively and looking to spark his team. But Parkland’s shooting proved overwhelming.
By the end of the third quarter, Parkland had exploded for a 39–26 lead. The Trojans were 6-for-9 from three-point range in the quarter alone.
Newton accounted for 11 of Delaware Valley’s 27 points entering the fourth.
The final quarter became a matter of game management for Parkland.
Holding a comfortable lead, the Trojans slowed the pace, stalling the ball and refusing to attack the basket unless a clear layup opportunity appeared. Delaware Valley was forced to foul to stop the clock as time ticked away.
With five minutes remaining, Parkland led 44–32 and remained firmly in control.
The exclamation point came from Javian Porter.
Porter rose above the defense for a powerful one-handed dunk that brought the Parkland crowd to its feet, effectively putting the game out of reach. Moments later, he added another dunk to seal the victory.
Delaware Valley struggled to find its shooting touch throughout the night, and Parkland’s defensive pressure prevented the Warriors from establishing their transition game.
Newton finished with 15 points to lead Delaware Valley.
After the game, Olsen credited his team’s second-half composure and ball movement.
“We came out a little more under control offensively and created more looks,” Olsen said. “When those shots start falling, it changes things.”
Parkland opened the half by hitting six three-pointers, a stretch Olsen said helped swing the game.
“It’s always good when guys get in a rhythm,” he said. “That helped us get over the hump.”
Looking ahead to the next round, Olsen kept the focus simple.
“Whoever we play on Saturday, we’ll be ready.”
Sportzwire’s Player of the Game, Javian Porter, said the team’s halftime adjustments helped ignite the surge.
“It just felt great,” Porter said. “But we’ve got to stay hungry.”
Porter said the message from the coaching staff at halftime centered on fundamentals.
“Coach said to get our feet set, and a lot more shots would come,” he said.
They did — and they fell.
And with that second-half explosion, Parkland’s state playoff run rolls on.
*images courtesy of Reagan Decker*
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