Shooters shoot.

Scranton Prep, a team with a host of three-point assassins didn’t waste any time against Northwestern looking to get going from beyond the arc in the first round of the PIAA Class 4A state tournament.

The Cavaliers got hot early, hitting five three-pointers in the first quarter, and they never let up, running away from the Tigers for a 75-48 victory.

Scranton Prep’s shooting barrage helped it to lead 25-10 after one. Brycen Martin hit three triples and Packy Doherty and Brody Martin added one each to help get the Cavaliers offense in rhythm early.

“Doherty and Brycen Martin had it going tonight. This whole group is a fun group to coach. We have all the respect in the world for Northwestern. That’s a tough and athletic team right there,” said Scranton Prep head coach Larry Reagan. “A big part of our offense is trying to play fast. We want to throw the ball ahead. When we struggle, the ball gets a little sticky, but our guys did a great job of sharing the ball and getting it up the floor quickly. I’m really proud of the way our guys played tonight. They played tough.”

As they have many times this season, the Tigers were able to dig themselves out of the 15-point hole, outscoring the Cavaliers 19-11 in the second quarter.

Prep big man Ambrose Rossi needed to head to the bench after getting in foul trouble and Northwestern took advantage playing more aggressive defense on the perimeter, forcing the Cavaliers to take contested shots.

Gavin Nelson was able to spark the Northwestern offense in the second frame scoring seven points to help cut the Tigers’ deficit to seven (36-29) at the half.

After committing nine turnovers in the first, Northwestern was able to force nine Prep turnovers in the second to get back in the game.

“I felt like defensively we were more aggressive in the second quarter and also more disciplined at the same time. We were able to make them take tougher shots and also force their guys to put the ball on the floor and look to dribble drive,” said Northwestern head coach Pat Wanamaker. “The defense was the difference for us in the second, but ultimately we just spotted them too many points. That’s a really good basketball team that you can’t let get a lead like that on you early.

“Then in the third quarter, they made a great defensive play on us where we had a chance to make it a five-point game and they made the play and then went down and hit a three, which started their big run. They made a ton of plays like that throughout the game that swung momentum in their favor.”

Prep went back to dialing it up from long distance in the third quarter, as it went on a huge run, outscoring the Tigers 25-4 to take a commanding 61-33 lead going into the fourth.

Doherty and Martin once again lit it up from deep, combining for 21 points. Doherty would come through with three three-pointers and Martin would add one to put the Cavaliers in control for good.

A three-point play the old fashioned way from Martin made it a 61-31 lead for Prep with around 45 seconds to go in the third to put the game into mercy rule.

Still, even with the loss it was a historic season for the Tigers, who won a Colonial League championship, advanced to the District 11 4A title game and qualified for the state tournament.

“I touched on it with the guys in the locker room about how special of a season we had. These guys worked hard to set the standard,” said Wanamaker. “Our staff has only been here for two years and I think we’ve been able to get some pretty good stuff done.

“And it all starts with the players and the work they put in. Now, we have to continue to build off the standard that they set.”

LEADING SCORERS … Martin scored a game-high 26 points and added nine rebounds. Doherty had a big night as well, scoring 25. For Northwestern, Nelson finished with 18 and Eli Zimmerman added nine.

LEFTY SNIPERS … Prep’s two lefties in Martin and Doherty combine for 10 three-pointers, with each of them hitting five from deep.

24 … Northwestern tied its best win total in program history with 24 wins this season. The Tigers matched the 1998 Northwestern squad, which also won a Colonial League title.

SCRANTON PREP

Maloney 1-0-0-2, Bro. Martin 3-0-0-7, Bry. Martin 10-1-1-26, Doherty 10-0-0-25, Rossi 2-0-0-4, Haggerty 1-2-2-4, C. Ramey 0-0-0-0, J. Skoff 1-0-0-3, W. Ramey 0-0-0-0, Chi. Skoff 0-0-0-0, McGrath 1-0-0-2, Scanlan 0-0-0-0, Cha. Skoff 0-0-2-0, Flanagan 0-0-0-0, Watkins 0-0-0-0, Roberto 0-0-0-0. TOTALS: 30-3-5-75.

NORTHWESTERN

Krimmel 1-0-0-3, Bollinger 2-0-0-4, E. Zimmerman 3-3-5-9, Nelson 6-5-7-18, Marth 1-2-2-5, Wambold 0-0-0-0, Fitch 1-2-2-4, B. Zimmerman 1-0-0-2, Fitzgerald 1-0-0-3, Coleman 0-0-0-0. TOTALS: 16-12-16-48.

Scranton Prep 25 11 25 14 - 75

Northwestern 10 19 4 15 - 48

Three-pointers: Scranton Prep - Doherty 5, Bry. Martin 5, Bro. Martin 1, J. Skoff 1; Northwestern - Marth 1, Nelson 1, Krimmel 1, Fitzgerald 1.

Records: Scranton Prep (19-7); Northwestern (24-4).