Coudersport is led by Nate Jones’ 20 ppg, while Dave Brown has hit 29 three-pointers and Josh Haskins 26 three-pointers. The Falcons get a first-round bye and will play the winner of the Otto-Eldred-A-C Valley games Thursday. Coudersport has won four D-9 titles with the last win coming in 1995-96. The Falcons were 402 against playoff teams this season.

ECC is the defending D-9 champions and considering the fact that they came into last season’s playoffs with a 10-14 record this year figures to be a walk in the park with a 19-4 mark. The four loses ECC has had this year have come by a total of nine points, and they are on the top of the list when it comes to teams favored to win the title this year. The Crusaders are led by seniors Marty Timm (14.9 ppg and 39 treys) and Dave Dellaquilla (14.1 ppg). Sophomore point guard A.J. Straub has hit 79 three-pointers and scored 12.4 ppg. But some reward for winning 19 games ECC gets, as it will have to play the winner of the First Baptist-Clarion Area game Thursday night. Those two teams have gone a combined 37-9 this season, and Clarion Area has won 15 straight games. Last year, ECC went to the state quarterfinals before losing to Duquesne by one point. With the championship last season, ECC has won 13 D-9 titles, four in Class AA and nine in Class A. The Crusaders were 2-0 against playoff teams this season.

Only a bad loss at Redbank Valley kept the Panthers from being the No. 2 seed, but Greg Heath’s squad has to find a way to beat North Clarion which it lost to twice and Clarion Area which it lost to once if it has dreams of returning to the top of the district. But first things first, as Keystone will have to get past fifth-seeded Cameron County at 7 p.m. Thursday night at Keystone High School if it wants to even think about getting another shot at North Clarion.

The Panthers are led by possibly the best post player in the conference in Chris Banner who is scoring 18.6 ppg. Point guard Raoul Whitaker is adding 11.2 ppg, while guards Clint Mattern (8.2 ppg & 30 treys) and Ryan Ruppert (7.0 ppg & 35 treys) give Keystone outside sharpshooters. Inside, Charlie Cotherman (7.4 ppg), Justin Braumbaugh (5.7 ppg) and Brandon Reed (5.4 ppg) give the Panthers depth. Keystone made it to the semifinals of the D-9 playoffs last season before losing to ECC. The Panthers were then knocked from the consolation game by Cameron County and would love to pay the Red Raiders back with a first-round win Thursday night. Keystone has won eight D-9 titles (seven in Class AA and one in Class A) with their last title coming as a Class A team in 1997-98. They also won Class AA titles in 1996-97 and 1995-96 meaning they have won championships in three of the past four seasons. The Panthers were 2-3 against playoff teams this season.

Cameron County entered last season’s playoffs as the heavy favorite but was knocked out in the semifinals by North Clarion. Gone from that team was the districts' leading scorer in Brandan Housler, who is now playing at IUP. But back is Shane Goss who is scoring 22.5 ppg. Goss had 56 points in one game this season. Also helping the Red Raiders cause are Josh Catalone (12.4 ppg) and Preston Housler (10.9 ppg). Cameron County has to travel to Keystone for a first-round game at 7 p.m. Thursday night. The Red Raiders have won six D-9 titles all in Class AA and last won a title in 1972-73. Cameron County was 4-2 against playoff teams this season.

Clarion Area clinched the KSAC title with a 73-54 win at North Clarion Saturday night and have won 15 straight games going undefeated since New Years. But a weak December when the Bobcats lost five of their first five of their first nine games while adjusting to new coach Rob Leone hurt their seeding. The lower seeding leaves many in the Clarion Area School District and us here at KSAC Review wondering how a team could win the KSAC and yet be seeded below two of the teams it finished ahead of. The Bobcats will open up the playoffs when they host First Baptist Academy of DuBois at 7 p.m. Tuesday. Clarion Area is led by three players scoring in double digits: guard Jeff Bruner and twin-tower forwards, 6-6 Charles Bashnagel and 6-7 Brad Larson. Bruner is the team’s leading scorer at 13.7 ppg going into the North Clarion game. He had hit 20 three-pointers entering the final contest and is a big reason why the Bobcats have surged since January. Larson has been a steady performer at center scoring 12.0 ppg, while Bashnagel is scoring 10.2 ppg. Other contributors to the Bobcats cause include guards Joel Roth and Zac Mechling and forward Mario Bernardi. The strength of the Clarion Area team might be its bench with as many as 11 players capable of contributing at any time. The Bobcats lost to eventual D-9 Class A champion Elk County Christian in the opening round of the playoffs last season at home and would love nothing more than to knock the Crusaders out of the playoffs this year. They will get a chance if they topple First Baptist Academy in the opening round, because they will travel to ECC Thursday night if they win. Clarion Area has own four D-9 titles last winning it in 1985-86. The Bobcats went 6-1 against teams in the playoff field this season losing only to Keystone.

Otto-Eldred won the North Tier League title this season but like Clarion Area the Terrors are seeded below to teams they finished above in the league standings: Cameron County and Coudersport. Otto-Eldred is led by Brian Hobbs, Eric Brown (26 three-pointers) and Aaron Fusco (22 three-pointers). Otto-Eldred will host A-C Valley in a first-round game at 7 p.m. Tuesday night with the winner of that game traveling to Coudersport Thursday night. The Terrors lost to Clarion-Limestone in the first round of the playoff last year and have never won a D-9 title. They were 5-2 against playoff teams this season.

DuBois Central Christian finished third in the Allegheny Mountain League this season behind Elk County Christian and Kane. But the Cardinals have some tough losses including one-point losses to ECC and Clarion Area and 12-point loses to ECC and North Clarion. DCC will host Bradford Central Christian in the first round of the playoffs at 7 p.m. Tuesday at DuBois Middle School. The winner of that game will play at North Clarion Thursday night. Mike Milliron leads the Cardinals with 16.7 ppg and 35 three-pointers, while Mike Klebacha (11.5 ppg) and Kevin Barber (9.2 ppg) also help out. The Cardinals beat First Baptist in the first round of the playoffs last season before dropping a hard-fought battle at Keystone in round two. DCC has won one D-( title in 1975-76 and went 0-4 against D-9 playoff teams this season.

This will be an emotional playoffs for Bradford C.C., as the school is closing in June. The Ramblers are led by Frank McAndrew’s 20.2 ppg, while Ryan Brennan is scoring 14.5 ppg. Bradford C.C. will travel to DuBois Middle School to play DCC in the first round at 7 p.m. Tuesday night. The winner of that game will play at North Clarion Thursday night. Last season, Bradford C.C. won a first-round playoff game before taking North Clarion to overtime but losing in the second round. The school has never won a D-9 title and is 0-4 against playoff teams this season.

This team is probably the surprise of the year, as the KSAC Review never thought the Falcons would be playing in the postseason, and they are the only team in the 11-team field that didn’t go to the playoffs last season. But a balanced attack led by senior Keith Lukasavich (17.1 ppg) and Pat Moore (13.8 ppg) have A-C Valley in the playoffs. Also helping the Falcons cause are Corey Jackson (9.6 ppg), Dan King (7.6 ppg) and Chris Marron (6.9 ppg). A-C Valley will travel to Otto-Eldred for a first round game at 7 p.m. Tuesday with the winner of that game going to Coudersport Thursday night. A-C Valley has won three D-9 titles last winning in 1972-73. The Falcons were 0-6 against playoff teams this season.

DuBois First Baptist Academy, meanwhile, won the Allegheny Christian Athletic Association title but are an 11^th seed because many of its wins are over non-PIAA schools. First Baptist is led by center Barry Chamberlin, who many consider to be the best player in the district. Chamberlin is scoring 23.8 ppg. Two other Eagles are also scoring in double digits, as guard Steve Snyder is averaging 22.98 ppg and guard Ben DeLarme is scoring 12.9 ppg. First Baptist will travel to Clarion Area for a first round game Tuesday night with Tip-off slated for 7 p.m. The winner of that game will travel to Elk County Christian Thursday night. First Baptist lost in the first round of last year’s playoffs to DuBois Central Christian and have never won a D-9 title. The Eagles only played on D-9 Class A playoff team this season losing at North Clarion back in December.