Championship weekend is finally here in the Fall Exposure League presented by NEPA Hoops, and it’s shaping up to be one for the history books.
Yellow and Dark Blue will battle for the league title, while Grey, Red, Light Blue, and Pink fight for the consolation trophy.
The FXL playoffs have already delivered upsets, standout performances, and plenty of drama.
Here’s a look at the teams, the players to watch, and everything you need to know heading into the weekend.
Championship Match: Team Yellow vs Team Dark Blue (11:35 AM, Court 1)
Yellow
After finishing the regular season with a 6–4 overall record and a 3–3 mark in the North Division, Team Yellow entered the postseason as the No. 2 North seed. From there, Yellow cruised past Purple in the quarterfinals, 77–61.
Senior Jimmy Clark (Dunmore) provided a much-needed spark, recording 23 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, and a block — earning his first standout honor of the league.
Equally important was junior Dylan Stish (Hazleton Area), a four-time standout selection, who posted 19 points and 9 rebounds.
Senior guard Myles Harris (Bethlehem Christian) controlled the tempo as usual, finishing with 16 points and continuing to prove he can score in bunches. His 39-point explosion in a 92–90 Week 4 win over Dark Blue showed just how dangerous he can be in the championship.
In the semifinals, Yellow faced a dangerous Red squad led by sophomore standout Nico Antoniacci, the No. 4 North seed. Despite Antoniacci’s 38-point effort, Yellow’s balanced attack held strong for an 84–83 win to advance to the FXL title game.
Stish once again led the charge with 24 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals, and a block. Clark added 17 points, while Harris stayed steady with 15 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 steals.
When the dust settled, all three (Stish, Clark, Harris) landed on Week 6’s scoring leaderboard at 5th (21.5 PPG), 7th (20.0 PPG), and 11th (15.5 PPG), respectively.
Stish also tied for 6th in overall defensive impact (REB + STL + BLK = 9.5), while senior Isaac Shrager (Northern Valley Old Toppan) showed his two-way growth, finishing 15th in the same category despite being known primarily as a shooter.
Yellow’s depth has also been key. Sophomore Joey Nocito (Week 1 standout) provides valuable playmaking and energy off the bench, while fellow Dallas teammate junior Chris Flanagan adds a reliable inside presence — attacking the rim with purpose and protecting it on the other end.
With tip-off scheduled for 11:35 a.m. on Court 1, Yellow will look to cap off its postseason surge with one final statement when it battles Dark Blue for the FXL championship.
Dark Blue
As for Dark Blue, they entered the postseason as the No. 1 South seed after going 7–3 overall and 5–1 in the South Division.
They opened their title quest with a dominant 86–67 quarterfinal win over sophomore Nolyn Proudfoot and Green (No. 4 South).
Senior guard David Jannuzzi (Wilkes-Barre Area) led the charge with 21 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, and 5 steals. Jannuzzi has done a little bit of everything for Dark Blue this season, recognized for his contributions with three standout honors.
Jordan Shaffer (Abington Heights) nearly dropped a triple-double — 19 points, 7 rebounds, and 7 assists. As consistent as any FXL player this fall, Shaffer heads into the championship weekend with four standout selections.
Junior forward Shawn Remplet (Binghampton) used every bit of his 6’7” frame, adding 15 points and 14 rebounds. Remplet has earned two standout selections during the FXL.
Just like the North semifinal, Dark Blue’s South Division semifinal came down to the wire, with Dark Blue edging Light Blue, 72–69.
Shaffer left no doubt, hitting 13 of 14 from the line for 28 points and 9 boards. Remplet added 12 points and 6 rebounds in the semifinal win.
Senior Kyler Stevenson (Corning P.P.) chipped in 10 points and 9 rebounds. Stevenson was featured on “Matt’s Top 5 to Watch” in Week 4 before earning his first and only standout honor that same week.
Team Yellow isn’t the only team that has a great supporting cast.
Across both games, sophomore AJ Brown (Valley Central) dropped 21 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists. Brown, who landed on “Matt’s Top 5 to Watch” in Week 5 is more than capable of changing the game for Dark Blue.
Just as Yellow did, Dark Blue also had their three top guys on the Week 6 scoring leaderboard — Shaffer (4th, 23.5 PPG), Jannuzzi (T12th, 14.5 PPG), Remplet (14th, 13.5 PPG).
It’s definitely true — defense does win championships. If Week 6 is indication, Dark Blue should be liking their chances, having three players on last week’s overall defensive impact leaderboard. Remplet tied for 2nd with a score of 10.5, Stevenson tied for 11th with a score of 8.5, and Shaffer tied for 13th with a score of 8.
Dark Blue enters the title game battle-tested, looking to grind out one more win and capture the FXL championship. The action all starts at 11:35 a.m. on Court 1.
Consolation Semifinal: Team Light Blue vs Team Grey (10:30 AM, Court 1)
Grey
Not many could’ve predicted this matchup.
With Grey sitting at 9–1 overall and 6–0 in the North Division at the end of the regular season, all signs pointed to a championship run.
The problem? They ran into a scorching-hot Nico Antoniacci and the No. 4 North seed Red in the quarterfinals, falling 61–58 in a thriller.
Junior Xaivier Jackson (Selinsgrove Area) — a four-time standout selection — posted 20 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, and a block, while senior sharpshooter Trey Keating (Nativity BVM) knocked down three triples en route to 13 points. Keating is a three-time standout selection.
Arguably the league’s top interior presence, senior Logan Fanning (Old Forge) — another four-time standout winner — contributed 5 points, 14 rebounds, and 2 assists. Fanning has also topped the league’s overall defensive impact leaderboard three separate times.
Grey bounced back in the consolation quarterfinals with an 88–77 win over Purple, led by Jackson’s 33-point explosion. He added 2 rebounds, an assist, and a steal, while Keating hit five more threes to finish with 19 points.
Senior Shazier Bethea (Minersville), a two-time “Matt’s Top 5 to Watch” player and one-time standout selection, chipped in 13 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists in the win.
When these two teams met back in Week 2, Grey rolled to a 70–61 victory with five players scoring in double figures.
Grey aims to keep its momentum rolling and secure a spot in the consolation championship as they take on Light Blue at 10:30 a.m. on Court 1.
Light Blue
After finishing the regular season even at 5–5 overall and 3–3 in the South Division, the No. 2 South seed Light Blue opened bracket play against No. 4 South seed Pink.
In a wire-to-wire 78–54 victory, Light Blue advanced to the South semifinals behind a complete team effort.
Senior guard Tyeirre Meade (Blue Mountain) erupted for his first 20-point game of the season, adding 5 rebounds, an assist, 4 steals, and a block. Heading into the weekend, Meade was listed on “Matt’s Top 5 to Watch”, which he backed up by earning standout honors.
Senior forward Ayden Agapito (Crestwood) continued to be the team’s go-to option, finishing with 12 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, and a block. After last week’s standout nod, Agapito’s total now sits at three on the season.
Light Blue has no shortage of high-impact players with nonstop motors. Senior guard Brian Dempsey (Seton Catholic Central) and junior guard Walker Swann (Blair) both scored 11 points in the win.
While Light Blue’s balanced effort was enough to take down Pink, they came up just short of reaching the title game — falling to Dark Blue 72–69 in the South semifinals.
Agapito led the way with 21 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, and 3 blocks, while Meade followed with 14 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals.
A one-time standout, senior Nate Aviles (Dunmore) didn’t post big scoring numbers, but his defensive work and floor spacing proved vital across both games.
And don’t forget about junior Pat Flanagan (Dallas) — a one-time standout who suited up for both Light Blue and Red last weekend. Flanagan claimed the No. 1 spot on the Week 1 overall defensive impact leaderboard and continues to be one of the league’s most versatile contributors.
Light Blue will look to bounce back and finish the season on a high note when they meet Grey in the consolation semifinals with tip-off set for 10:30 a.m. on Court 1.
Consolation Semifinal: Team Pink vs Team Red (10:30 AM, Court 2)
Pink
An unfortunate end to meaningful play, Pink’s title hopes came to a harsh conclusion last Sunday in Light Blue’s 78–54 win.
The No. 3 South seed entered the South quarterfinal round with a 4–6 overall record and a 3–3 South Division mark.
Along with senior guard Landon Pratt (Mid Valley), fellow senior guard Michael Keating (Wilkes-Barre Area) were the only two players to eclipse the 10-point mark in the loss.
One-time standout junior Packy Doherty (Scranton Prep) was unavailable for the game — a major factor behind the team’s offensive struggles. Doherty got off to a blazing start back in Week 1, when he led the FXL in scoring with a 31.5 points-per-game average.
Senior guard Tyler Lombardo (Delaware Valley) continued to showcase his all-around game, tying for second on Week 6’s overall defensive impact leaderboard with a score of 10.5. Lombardo tallied 7 points, 5 rebounds, and a steal in the loss.
Senior guard Cameron Parker (Old Forge) added 9 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 steals. Back in Week 3, Parker tied for seventh on the scoring leaderboard, averaging 17 points per game.
In the consolation quarterfinal showdown between Pink and No. 4 South seed Green, Pink bounced back with a 60–47 win to advance to the consolation semifinal round.
Once again, Keating led the way with 11 points, 4 rebounds, an assist, and a steal, while juniors Carter Proudfoot (Corning P.P.) and Cameron Henriquez (Valley Central) each added 10 points.
Lombardo dominated the glass, pulling down a game-high 15 rebounds to go with 7 points and 3 assists.
Pink looks to build on its bounce-back win over Green and close out the season strong when it faces Red in the consolation semifinals at 10:30 a.m. on Court 2.
Red
So close, yet so far from the Cinderella story continuing for Red.
With a 2–8 overall record — nearly 1–9 if Riverside sophomore Nico Antoniacci hadn’t exploded for 61 points in the regular-season finale, Red entered the postseason with nothing to lose.
Then came the upset of the FXL.
Red stunned No. 1 North seed Grey in a thrilling 61–58 finish to advance to the North semifinals behind Antoniacci’s 27-point night, which included five triples. He added 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks. Antoniacci wrapped up Week 6 with four total standout selections, earning his most recent one that week.
Junior guard Malik Wimberly (Seton Catholic Central) caught fire from downtown, converting four threes during his 24-point night. He finished the week tied for 12th on the scoring leaderboard at 14.5 points per game, also adding 4 rebounds and 2 assists.
Junior guard Carter Sload (Dunmore) didn’t post big scoring numbers but was everywhere defensively and as a playmaker. He tallied 4 points, a rebound, 5 assists, 5 steals, and 2 blocks. Although Sload never recorded a standout honor, he’s certainly made his presence known after being featured on the inaugural “Matt’s Top 5 to Watch” list.
In a North semifinal that came down to the final shot, Red fell just short in a heartbreaking 84–83 loss to Yellow.
It wasn’t for lack of production from Antoniacci. He couldn’t be stopped, pouring in 38 points on nine triples, along with 5 rebounds and 2 assists. His 32.5 points per game led the weekly scoring leaderboard.
Temporary addition junior Pat Flanagan (Dallas) brought unmatched energy, logging a 10-point, 10-rebound double-double.
Junior forward Max McGrath picked up where he left off in Week 5, when he topped the overall defensive impact leaderboard with a score of 13. Sload once again delivered on both ends, recording 11 points, 2 rebounds, 4 assists, 4 steals, and 3 blocks.
Red looks to keep its postseason magic alive, aiming to follow up its near-upset of No. 2 North seed Yellow with another big performance against Pink at 10:30 a.m. on Court 2.
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- Matt Mascarenhas — NEPA Hoops Reporter
MATT SPORTS MEDIA 
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