READING — Pottsville faced its toughest test of the season Wednesday night.
Thanks to a big night from Eli Nabholz, the Crimson Tide’s bid for an undefeated regular season marches on.
Nabholz scored 16 of his 19 points in the middle two quarters as Pottsville held on for a 49-46 non-league victory over Berks Catholic.
Nabholz, who knocked down four 3-pointers in the game, had eight points apiece in second and third periods. The Crimson Tide (19-0) held a 29-15 scoring advantage in the middle quarters to take a 42-31 lead heading into the fourth.
Jordan Melochick added 14 points for Pottsville, while Travis Blankenhorn had 13. Melochick was 4-for-4 from the foul line in the fourth quarter.
Isaac Lutz had 19 points for Berks Catholic (10-8), which cut the deficit to 47-45 late in the game. The Saints had 13 seconds on the clock for their last possession, but Lutz missed a wild 3-pointer at the buzzer.
Pottsville finishes the regular season at Panther Valley on Friday, hosting Lehighton on Feb. 3 and traveling to Jim Thorpe on Feb. 6.
POTTSVILLE (49) — Hinchliffe 0 0-0 0, Painter 0 0-0 0, Blankenhorn 6 0-3 13, Dunkel 0 0-0 0, Melochick 3 6-6 14, Shuman 0 0-0 0, Witman 0 0-0 0, Abdo 1 0-0 3, Nabholz 6 3-3 19. Totals 16 9-12 49.
BERKS CATHOLIC (46) — Wilson 0 0-0 0, Gilbert 0 0-0 0, Suriel 0 0-0 0, Lacy 4 1-2 11, Lutz 7 4-8 19, Nesby 2 0-0 4, Reedy 1 0-0 2, Rivera 0 1-2 1, Jack 3 3-6 9. Totals 17 9-18 46.
Pot (19-0) 13 12 17 7 — 49 BC (10-8) 16 6 9 15 — 46
3-point FGs: Blankenhorn, Melochick 2, Abdo, Nabholz 4, Lacy 2, Lutz
JV score: Pottsville 38-23
Nativity 79
Gillingham Charter 33
Jeff Yordy had 17 points and Dominic Piccioni added 15 to lead the Hilltoppers to a non-league win over the Wolf Pack atop Lawton’s Hill.
Ayden Adams also reached double figures with 10 points as Nativity jumped out to a 34-8 lead after the first quarter.
Jetsiel Rivera and Isaiah Thompson had 11 points apiece for Gillingham Charter.
GILLINGHAM CHARTER (33) — Cintron 2 0-0 5, Pulicicchio 0 0-0 0, Broadhurst 0 0-0 0, Thompson 5 0-0 11, Ja. Rivera 0 0-0 0, Holbert 0 0-0 0, L. Miller 0 0-0 0, Krammes 0 0-0 0, Woodling 3 0-2 6, Je. Rivera 5 1-2 11. Totals 15 1-4 33.
NATIVITY (79) — Piccioni 5 3-3 15, Szeliga 3 0-0 6, Greco 1 1-2 3, Winter 1 1-2 3, Hoppel 2 0-0 4, Yordy 7 1-2 17, Hunyara 3 0-0 6, Adams 4 2-2 10, Shatalsky 2 0-0 4, Belding 2 1-2 5, Nelson 2 0-0 4, White 1 0-0 2. Totals 33 9-13 79.
GC (0-13) 8 6 11 8 — 33 Nat (12-7) 34 12 18 15 — 79
3-point FGs: Cintron, Thompson, Piccioni 2, Yordy 2
JV score: No game
Weatherly 52
Line Mountain 44
WEATHERLY — Luke Figas knocked down five of the Wreckers’ eight three-pointers and finished with a game-high 22 points to lead Weatherly past the Eagles in a non-league contest.
Nick Miller backed Figas with 11 points, Luke Reiner contributed nine points and Brett Kelly eight for the Wreckers.
LINE MOUNTAIN (44) — Reichard 3 1-3 8, Hepner 0 1-2 1, Michael 2 0-1 5, Masser 2 2-3 7, Mace 2 0-0 4, Ingram 1 0-0 2, Kaleta 0 1-2 1, Bartholomew 4 8-10 16. Totals 14 13-21 44.
WEATHERLY (52) — Reiner 4 0-0 9, Kelly 2 2-4 8, Figas 6 5-6 22, Miller 5 1-2 11, Bizzare 1 0-0 2, Buck 0 0-0 0, Peiser 0 0-0 0. Totals 18 8-12 52.
LM (3-14) 4 10 19 11 — 44 Wea (4-12) 12 11 12 17 — 52
3-point FGs: Michael, Masser, Reichard, Figas 5, Kelly 2, Reiner
JV score: Line Mountain 58-56, OT
Girls’ Basketball
Minersville 62
Williams Valley 41
MINERSVILLE — Emily Mealey recorded a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds, while Adrienne Kroznuskie scored a game-high 21 points as the Miners cruised to a Schuylkill League Division II win over the Vikings.
Kroznuskie had five 3-pointers and shot 4-of-6 from the line. Abby Schoffstall added 16 points and eight assists for Minersville.
Rayanne Hawk and Kate Whelski led Williams Valley with eight points apiece.
WILLIAMS VALLEY (41) — Pinchorski 1 2-2 4, Hawk 3 2-4 8, Schorr 0 1-2 1, Han. Nestor 3 0-0 7, Daniel 2 3-4 7, Schadle 0 0-0 0, Raho 0 0-0 0, Kreiser 0 0-1 0, Hal. Nestor 2 2-4 6, Whelski 1 6-6 8, Updegrove 0 0-0 0. Totals 12 16-23 41.
MINERSVILLE (62) — Nawrocki 1 1-2 3, Kriston 1 0-0 2, Polinsky 1 0-0 2, Schoffstall 6 3-5 16, Bentz 1 0-0 2, Ebert 0 0-0 0, Nettles 0 0-0 0, Mealey 6 0-0 12, Kroznuskie 6 4-6 21, Wigoda 2 0-0 4. Totals 24 8-13 62.
WV (11-6, 5-5) 6 11 9 15 — 41 Min (17-1, 10-0) 15 10 12 25 — 62
3-point FGs: Han. Nestor, Schoffstall, Kroznuskie 5
Pottsville 40
Tamaqua 24
TAMAQUA — Sadie Cresswell scored nine points, while Madison Sherakas and Kyra Schenk added eight points apiece as the Crimson Tide used a 29-14 scoring advantage in the second half to pull away for a Division I victory over the Raiders.
Vanessa Solt led Tamaqua with seven points, followed by Paige Demetriades with six.
POTTSVILLE (40) — Sherakas 3 2-5 8, Burnhauser 1 0-0 2, Drasdis 0 0-0 0, Eckley 1 1-2 3, M. Tarconish 1 0-0 2, Cresswell 2 5-6 9, Kondrack 2 0-0 4, Connors 1 2-2 4, Schenk 3 2-4 8, Hook 0 0-0 0, Coyle 0 0-0 0. Totals 14 12-19 40.
TAMAQUA (24) — Hartung 1 0-0 2, Demetriades 2 0-0 6, Hoffman 0 0-0 0, Jones 2 0-0 5, Wittig 0 0-0 0, Baddick 0 0-0 0, Solt 2 2-2 7, Ligenza 0 0-0 0, Pratka 0 0-0 0, McVicker 1 0-0 2, Hromyak 1 0-0 2. Totals 9 2-2 24.
Pot (16-2, 9-2) 2 8 7 7 — 24 Tam (2-16, 2-9) 6 5 13 16 — 40
3-point FGs: Demetriades 2, Jones, Solt
JV score: Pottsville 42-30