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MILTON--Jake Hernandez will try sleeping the next few nights. It just might be hard.
A year after Hernandez missed the playoffs, he and his Lewisburg teammates are headed to the District 4 Class AAAA championship. The Green Dragons earned their way there by playing one of their best games at the perfect time and defeating rival Mifflinburg, 70-46 in Wednesday’s semifinals.
Four players scored in double figures, the defense shined, and the offense clicked as Lewisburg (21-5) led from start to finish while earning a spot in Saturday’s championship against Athens.
"It’s amazing. It’s awesome," Hernandez said after scoring a game-high 19 points and grabbing 13 rebounds. "I’m so excited. I’m not going to be able to sleep the next couple days."
Hernandez was unable to play in last year’s postseason after transferring from Shikellamy. Lewisburg had not won a playoff game since 2017 entering the playoffs. Everyone seemingly has a chip on their shoulder and Lewisburg took it out on Mifflinburg (15-9), putting together a dominant second half to turn a close game into a rout by the fourth quarter.
Cam Michaels (16 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists) brilliantly ran the offense, Joey Martin and Forrest Zelechoski each scored 10 points and Khashaun Akins ignited the defense. Add in Henry Harrison, Jack Blough and Noah Pawing shining off the bench and Lewisburg had everything working while earning a spot in the state tournament.
"Mifflinburg is one of our big rivals and it’s playoffs, too. We were really jacked up," Hernandez said. "We lost the past three years in the first round, and we want that championship so bad. We’re fighting for it."
"We came in focused and the thing that happened tonight was we didn’t have any lapses. We’d get a nice lead and then we’d relax in some other games, but tonight they never relaxed, never hung their heads and kept focusing on the next play," Lewisburg coach John Vaji said. "We kept going and kept being aggressive and we were able to increase the lead. It was great to be able to get the lead and maintain it and increase it as the second half went along."
Lewisburg started and finished strong. The Dragons scored the game’s first seven points and the last nine. Mifflinburg has an outstanding team which reached last year’s final, but this was a case of Lewisburg doing so much right, rather than the Wildcats doing things wrong.
The regular-season games between these two were thrillers. Lewisburg won the first in overtime and the second when Michaels hit a runner with 2.3 seconds remaining. Mifflinburg trailed 32-24 at halftime and pulled within six early in the third, as it looked like this script might be renewed.
Instead, Lewisburg wrote a new story and this one featured everyone making big impacts at key times. The Dragons opened a 12-point lead entering the fourth quarter and answered nearly every time Mifflinburg scored. Harrison’s 3-pointer provided the dagger, putting Lewisburg up, 64-46 with 2 minutes, 30 seconds remaining.
"I tip my hat to Cam. The last game they played off him and dared him to shoot, and he knocked down a couple 3s and got out in transition and was able to do some things," Vaji said. "Joey hit some big shots in the second half and Jake and Forrest and Jack were tough inside. Everybody we put on the floor tonight contributed somehow and that’s the nice thing about it being a team game because it takes everybody to win."
Lewisburg moved fast when at times but stayed patient when in the halfcourt. If the post was not open initially, the Dragons worked the ball around again, reposted and frequently scored inside. They also were effective outside with Martin, Michaels, Hernandez and Harrison making six 3-pointers.
It was a matter of picking one’s poison, but for Mifflinburg all Lewisburg’s offensive options proved fatal. The Dragons produced four double-digit scorers for a second straight playoff game.
"That’s what we’re trying to do," Hernandez said. "We have the 3-point shots going and me and Forrest inside, so we feel like we can be tough to match up with."
That showed as different players heated up at different times. Hernandez scored eight first quarter points but did not attempt a second quarter shot. It did not matter either because Michaels scored nine points that quarter and Blough four off the bench as Lewisburg doubled its lead.
Martin hit consecutive 3-pointers in the third quarter which started altering the game’s complexion, giving Lewisburg a 49-35 advantage. Inside and outside Lewisburg was strong, and Hernandez added five points in the third with Harrison scoring seven in the fourth.
The defense was as stifling as the offense was exciting. Lewisburg effectively slowed Cannon Griffith’s dribble-penetration, something it struggled with in the previous games. The Dragons also contested shots hard and held Mifflinburg to nine fourth-quarter points.
It was a stellar collective performance, but Lewisburg is not ready to rest. The work continues and the Dragons face another challenge against an Athens team coming off a blowout win over Milton and thrilling victory against Shamokin.
"We want to be playing our best ball at the of the season. This might have been our best game but hopefully Saturday is going to be an even better game and we can keep it going," Vaji said. "As long as we play together, don’t try too hard and let the game come to us we’re a pretty good team."
Now Lewisburg will try becoming the district’s best Class AAAA team.
MIFFLINBURG (46)
Ethan Bomgardner 6 1-2 13, Tyler Reigel 6 0-0 14, Cannon Griffith 2 0-0 5, Jaret Foster 2 0-0 5, Carter Breed 1 3-6 5, Lane Yoder 0 0-0 0, Eli Troutman 1 1-2 3. Totals 18 6-10 46.
LEWISBURG (70)
Jake Hernandez 8 2-2 19, Joey Martin 4 0-0 10, Cam Michaels 6 2-3 16, Forrest Zelechoski 4 2-2 10, Khashaun Akins 0 0-0 0, Henry Harrison 3 0-1 7, Jack Blough 3 0-0 6, Noah Pawling 0 0-0 0, Will Barrick 1 0-0 2. Totals 29 6-8 70.
Mifflinburg 13 11 13 9--46
Lewisburg 17 15 17 21--70
3-pointers: Mifflinburg 4 (Reigel 2, Griffith, Foster); Lewisburg 6 (Martin 2, Michaels 2, Hernandez, Harrison).
Records: Lewisburg 21-5. Mifflinburg 15-9.