The holiday tournaments are over. Much of the nonleague schedule has passed. It’s time to get serious in Lancaster-Lebanon League boys basketball.
The race for league playoff spots is muddled and results are unpredictable on a nightly basis. Many questions remain unanswered.
Here are a few of those questions:
Who wins Section 1?
McCaskey (5-6), Manheim Township (6-4), Cedar Crest (4-5) and Hempfield (3-6) are all 2-1 in league play. No one has separated from the pack.
All we know for certain is home court seems to matter a lot. Only Township, which beat Penn Manor in Millersville, has won on the road so far.
Many of the top players in the section are sophomores, which adds to the volatile nature of the race.
That list includes McCaskey’s DeMere Salisbery (24.4 points per game) and Amir Thompson-Hanson, Lebanon’s Derek Franco (20.6), Township’s trio of Manoli and Yianni Papadimitriou and Dayne Byler and Cedar Crest’s Jemar Pauleus. Brighter days are ahead for the big schools.
Township is the highest-ranked Section One team in District Three Class 6A at No. 13. The other five are slotted between 20-24. If the season ended today, only the Blue Streaks would be in districts.
So, who’s gonna win this thing? Who knows? It’s impossible to know at this point.
Conestoga Valley’s Camryn Bair, from left, Carter Gehman, Sawyer Esbenshade and Josiah Garcia during the boys and girls basketball media day at Penn Medicine Park in Lancaster on Sunday, Nov. 16, 2025.
CHRIS KNIGHT | Staff Photographer
Who gets left out in Section 2?
Conestoga Valley (4-0 L-L, 7-2), Cocalico (2-1, 8-1) and Warwick (1-2, 7-3) are the most likely teams to represent Section Two in the L-L tournament. That’s three contenders for two spots.
CV was undefeated and ranked first in Class 6A before suffering losses to Red Lion and Cedar Cliff this week. The Buckskins already have wins over Warwick and Solanco in their pocket.
Cocalico is the most explosive scoring squad in this bunch. Timmy Hambright is setting the league on fire, averaging 25.7 points per game. The Eagles are loaded with guards, play fast and play well together. They’re tough to defend.
Warwick has pedigree. The Warriors have played in the past two L-L championship games and their two league losses were with all-star Ya’Majesty Washington out of the lineup. He’s back. Austin Clemens, another sophomore, leads the way with 16.1 points per game.
Do you want to bet on seniors? Pick CV. It has a ton of experience. Do you want the best player? Take Cocalico. No one is playing better than Hambright. Do you believe in history? Bet on Warwick. The Warriors haven’t missed the L-L playoffs since 2018.
Solanco and Elizabethtown loom as possible sleepers. The Golden Mules have beaten Warwick and the Bears are 2-0 in league play with wins over Garden Spot and Ephrata.
Octorara’s Vito Vespe (200 takes off after a steal against Manheim Central during first-half action of an L-L League section three boys basketball game at Octorara High School in Atglen on Tuesday Jan. 14, 2025.
CHRIS KNIGHT | Staff Photographer
Can Octorara run the table?
Is it too soon to ask if Octorara can finish the regular season undefeated? Of course it is. But the Braves are the only ones with a chance. They are 11-0 entering January and should be favored in every Section Three game.
The toughest test in league play could come immediately. Octorara (3-0 L-L) makes the trip to Elco Monday. This undefeated talk will seem silly if the Raiders win that one.
Octorara has five players who score in double figures. That’s incredibly rare. Four of them are seniors, led by Vito Vespe at 14.6 points, and all five starters have extensive varsity resumes.
If you’re looking for a chink in the armor, Octorara isn’t real deep. Any injury or foul trouble could present a problem.
Coach Gene Lambert has built one of the league’s most consistent winners. Octorara should reach the L-L playoffs for the fifth consecutive season.
Two firsts are still out there for the Braves, who joined the L-L before the 2018-19 school year. They’ve never won a section title or a league playoff game. They have the talent to do both.
Elco’s Kaden Shultz-Tillison (5) drives to the hoop against Wyomissing during first-half action of a non-league boys basketball game at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia Monday Dec.18, 2023.
CHRIS KNIGHT | Staff Photographer
Who else emerges from Section 3?
Elco (2-1, 7-2) looked like the biggest problem for Octorara before the Raiders lost at Manheim Central before Christmas. The Raiders are still the favorites for a league playoff spot.
Kaden Shultz Tillison is a likely L-L all-star who’s averaging 19.7 points and has made 23 3-pointers. Not many guards can match the 6-3 senior’s size and strength.
Central (2-1, 3-5) has history on its side. The Barons have reached the L-L playoffs for four consecutive seasons. Senior Chase Book, who’s averaging 19.6 points, has been an instrumental figure in one of the school’s greatest hoops eras.
L-S (1-2, 5-5) and Lancaster Catholic (1-2, 2-8) are lurking. The Pioneers won Solanco’s holiday tournament and have three double-digit scorers: Johnny Galarza (14.6), Hayden Martin (13.6) and Brady Zuber (11.7).
The Crusaders played Central and Warwick close recently. They are senior heavy and dangerous on any given night. Colton Hegener leads the charge at 14.9 points.
Elco is trying to reach the league playoffs for the first time since 2022. Chances like this one don’t come along every year.
Elco’s Kaden Shultz-Tillison (5) drives to the hoop against Wyomissing during first-half action of a non-league boys basketball game at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia Monday Dec.18, 2023.
CHRIS KNIGHT | Staff Photographer
Where does Lancaster Mennonite fit?
The race in Section Four is about as predictable as a Hallmark movie. Lancaster Mennonite should capture the title.
A bigger question looms for the Blazers: Can they win the L-L?
Mennonite (2-0, 8-2) has never cut down the nets at the end of the league tournament and hasn’t reached the final since 1991.
Chase Hurst will go down as one of Mennonite’s all-time greats. The 6-0 senior has surpassed 1,000 career points and is averaging 20.5 this season.
The supporting cast is strong, led by sharpshooter Jackson Bare and guard Daulton Nolt, who are both double-digit scorers. Brady Grau is an old-school distributor. Bill Rothwein brings a presence in the paint.
Mennonite has qualified for the L-L tournament 22 times, according to L-LHoops.com. Only McCaskey, Lebanon, Hempfield and Catholic have appeared more often. The Blazers want to change how the tournament ends for them.
Northern Lebanon’s Kael Erdman, from left, Ryan Clemmer and Brannon Hoffer during the boys and girls basketball media day at Penn Medicine Park in Lancaster on Sunday, Nov. 16, 2025.
CHRIS KNIGHT | Staff Photographer
Who gets second in Section 4?
If Section 1 is a mess, good luck figuring out the rest of Section 4. The runner-up spot is up for grabs.
Pequea Valley (2-1, 7-2) holds second place. Owen Fisher (14.9) and Nolan Stoltzfus (11.2) lead the Braves’ offense.
Lancaster Country Day (1-2, 6-3) made its first appearance in the league playoffs last season and has Jordan Ashby, a 1,000 point scorer, leading the bid for a return trip.
Northern Lebanon (2-2, 5-6) has won on LCD’s home court and put up 91 points in a holiday tournament game against Biglerville. The Vikings are a threat.
There are 38 days remaining until the league playoffs. It’s time to answer some of these questions.
Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup.
Error! There was an error processing your request.