POTTSVILLE — Minersville stormed back to win the Schuylkill League Championship 47-44 in overtime at Pottsville’s Martz Hall Friday.
The Battlin’ Miners (23-1, 13-1) turned up the heat in the second half when they rallied from a seven-point halftime deficit to force overtime. Shazier Bethea and Chase Zimerofsky then stepped up with big shots in the final minutes to secure Minersville’s league championship win.
“We didn’t want to talk about last year and this is a new team, it’s a new year and we don’t get here without last year,” Minersville coach Chris George said. “All these kids, Minersville, the town and the program is all a part of this and it’s something special to build up to these historic moments for these guys.”
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Pottsville senior Christian Alvarez (11) shoots the ball as Pottsville and Minersville face off during the Schuylkill League boys basketball championship at Martz Hall in Pottsville, Friday, Feb. 13, 2026. (MATTHEW PERSCHALL/MULTIMEDIA EDITOR)
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Minersville junior Chase Zimerofsky (3) reaches out for the ball as Pottsville and Minersville face off during the Schuylkill League boys basketball championship at Martz Hall in Pottsville, Friday, Feb. 13, 2026. (MATTHEW PERSCHALL/MULTIMEDIA EDITOR)
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Pottsville senior Davey Kunstek (20) puts the ball up as Pottsville and Minersville face off during the Schuylkill League boys basketball championship at Martz Hall in Pottsville, Friday, Feb. 13, 2026. (MATTHEW PERSCHALL/MULTIMEDIA EDITOR)
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Minersville senior Shazier Bethea (5) shoots the ball as Pottsville and Minersville face off during the Schuylkill League boys basketball championship at Martz Hall in Pottsville, Friday, Feb. 13, 2026. (MATTHEW PERSCHALL/MULTIMEDIA EDITOR)
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Pottsville senior Christian Alvarez (11) shoots the ball as Pottsville and Minersville face off during the Schuylkill League boys basketball championship at Martz Hall in Pottsville, Friday, Feb. 13, 2026. (MATTHEW PERSCHALL/MULTIMEDIA EDITOR)
SEE FULL PHOTO GALLERY: Minersville boys basketball wins Schuylkill League championship
Same book, new chapter
This time around it was Minersville who emerged with the overtime win after falling to Pottsville (18-7, 12-2) 50-43 in the league championship game last year. Minersville is now on a 20-game winning streak after their only loss of the season was to Pottsville on Dec. 11, 62-51.
“We didn’t like losing the championship last year so we we knew we could come back and get it this year and we just played,” Minersville’s Shazier Bethea said. “We really played good team defense in the second half.”
Minersville outscored Pottsville 30-20 in the second half and overtime periods and didn’t allow the Crimson Tide to more than seven points in the third or fourth quarter or overtime.
The Battlin’ Miners trailed 24-17 at halftime just to rally in the second half and outscore Pottsville by seven points while being led by a barrage of three-pointers from Camden Rogers and Chase Zimerofsky in the fourth quarter.
“We know how to win in the clutch and we did it all the time the last few weeks and we had some real nailbiters but I’m really proud of them,” George said. “They dared us to take shots and they’re too good of a team for us to put up more points.”
The overtime period belonged to Minersville as Zimerofsky scooped up a steal which Jordan Bowers turned into a layup for the 45-40 lead to mark a 7-2 scoring run on the way to a 47-44 win.
Bethea and Rogers led Minersville’s offense with 14 points apiece while Bowers had 13 rebounds to lead the Battlin’ Miners on the boards.
First Half
Christian Alvarez and Davey Kunstek posted layups to put Pottsville up 4-0 in the opening minutes before Rogers hit a three for the 4-3 deficit midway through the first quarter.
Ryder Bowers and Kunstek each had another layup and Pottsville took a 9-5 lead at the end of the first.
The Crimson Tide ramped up the intensity even more in the second quarter when Alvarez hit a three and scored five points for the 16-9 lead with three minutes left in the first half.
Rogers hit a three to bring Minersville within a 16-12 deficit. Alvarez hit a three and Kunstek added a putback layup for Pottsville’s 24-17 halftime lead.
“All we needed was to hit a couple shots and it opens some stuff up,” George said. “This is an awesome team and we put a lot of time in the last few weeks prepping for Pottsville.”
Second Half
Bowers posted a layup to bring Minersville within a 26-23 deficit to start the second half.
Alvarez then stepped up for Pottsville with a three and a pair of layups for the 31-25 lead at the end of the third quarter.
Minersville brought the deficit within three points at multiple points in the fourth quarter before a Camden Rogers three knotted it at 38-38 with two minutes left in the game to send it to overtime.
“They just played hard and at the end it was just a matter of wanting the ball on rebounds and it’s about just locking in and not falling asleep on shooters,” George said. “It’s really trusting your teammates because they’re all great athletes and want to make great plays.”
Zimerofsky hit a three to bring the deficit within 33-30 just over a minute into the fourth quarter before Rogers hit his first of two three’s in the fourth quarter for the 36-33 deficit.
“They stepped up a lot tonight and we just had to find them and they were open,” Bethea said. “They were knocking down shots every time.”
Bethea blocked a shot on the defensive end of the floor which led to a Bowers layup and free throw for the 36-35 deficit. Rogers then nailed the game-tying three with just under three minutes left in the game and it stood until the end of regulation.
Overtime
Bethea couldn’t be stopped when overtime began when he got to the bucket for a pair of layups and the 42-38 lead. Zimerofsky then swiped a steal and Bowers flushed it at the other end for the 45-40 lead with over a minute left in overtime.
“We really played defense together in the second half and we had to stay together and keep fighting,” Bethea said. “We’re long and lengthy so we can play defense with anyone.”
Rogers got to the basket and drew a pair of free throws for the 47-42 lead and a Kunstek layup wasn’t enough as Minersville escaped with the 47-44 overtime win.
Alvarez led Pottsville with 21 points while Kunstek had 14 points and eight rebounds.
Minersville and Pottsville await their District 11 playoff matchups next week and will be announced on Sunday.
P (18-7, 12-2);9;15;7;7;6;—44
MIN (23-1, 13-1);5;12;8;13;9—47
Pottsville 44 — Hobbs 0 0-0 0, McGinley 0 0-0 0, Allen 0 0-0 0, Herndon 0 0-0 0, Bainbridge 0 0-0 0, Alvarez 8 2-3 21, Bowers 2 0-0 6, Kunstek 5 4-4 14, Clews 0 0-0 0, Kimber 1 0-0 3, Viars 0 0-0 0, Oswald 0 0-0 0, Baker 0 0-0 0, Killian 0 0-0 0, Eroh 0 0-0 0, Leskin 0 0-0 0, Frantz 0 0-0 0. 16 6-7 44.
Minersville 47 — Adams 1 0-0 2, Rogers 4 2-2 14, Zimerofsky 1 2-4 5, Fessler 0 0-0 0, Bethea 3 8-8 14, McGrath 0 0-0 0, Seddon 0 0-0 0, Pepin 0 0-0 0, Toth 0 0-0 0, Bowers 5 1-3 11, Mealey 0 0-0 0, Plesnarski 0 0-0 0. 14 13-17 47.
3-FG: Zimerofsky 4, Alvarez 3, Bowers 2, Kimber, Adams, Zimerofsky, Bowers