NTL BOYS BASKETBALL: ROUGH SHOOTING NIGHT HURTS NEB AGAINST SUSQUEHANNA (March 7, 2026)

Northern Tier Sports Report
ROME — It was a packed house as NEB boys hoops hosted their first state game, but a poor shooting night put a damper on the afternoon as they fell to Susquehanna, 55-41, during the opening round of the PIAA, Class AA Boys Basketball Championships Saturday.

“Today was a great day of high school basketball.  Super crowd, packed gym, just what you'd hope for a state playoff game,” said NEB coach Paul Burgert. “I thought we prepared as well as we could have this week, but we just didn't have it today. Hats off to Susqy they played well. Our defense wasn't quite to our standard,  but the missed shots had a lot to do with it. As the misses piled up,  it fueled them in transition and prevented us from getting set up. It seemed we were on our heels all day. But when you shoot 11-30 from two, 2-21 from three, and 11-24 from the foul line, it's hard to overcome that. The boys fought to the end, and I’m super proud of their effort.” 

Nate Gross had 10 points to lead NEB, with Eli Stanton adding nine points, and three steals.

Clay Wilks had eight points to go with 11 boards, as Cooper Brown and Dayton Russell scored six points apiece. Russell also had eight boards. 

Mac Burgert rounded out the scoring with six points.

The Panthers won the turnover battle, 13-9, and the two teams were even on the offensive boards.

Griffin Fisk led the Sabres with 21 points as Mason Keyes added 16.

Susquehanna led 14-10 after the first quarter behind six points from Fisk, while Stanton and Wilks had three points apiece for NEB.

The Sabres opened things up a little more in the second, out scoring the Panthers 16-11 as they hit three 3-balls in the frame.

Keyes had seven points to lead a 17-point third quarter from Susquehanna as they built a 45-28 lead going into the fourth.

NEB had their best offensive quarter in the fourth, netting 13 points behind five from Gross, but were too far in a hole to dig out.

“Our three seniors, what can I say: We love them, and they've been awesome,” Burgert said. “They helped raise the bar for our program and we will miss them dearly. They are three terrific young men.”

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PHOTOS BY TINA MAYNARD

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