Boys Basketball – Hornets quest for first league championship since 2012 begins Friday with first-round matchup vs young Liberty squad. PREVIEW:

Matchup: No. 8 seed Liberty (10-6/14-8) vs No. 1 seed Emmaus (14-2/18-4)

When/Where: Friday 7 p.m./Emmaus HS

Coverage: LIVE www.easternpasportsnetwork.com (Pregame: 6:40 p.m.)

What’s on the line: A berth in the EPC Semis on Tuesday at PPL Center at 8 pm vs winner of No.4 CCHS/No.5 Freedom

Coaches: Liberty – Nigel Long (3rd season); Emmaus – Steve Yoder (15th season)

Head to Head – Teams did not meet

Probable starters – Liberty: Fresh. Blake Hargrove (11.2 ppg), Fresh. Jake Pukszyn (10.2), Soph. Dwayne Chess (13.3), Jr., Sr. Axcel Kamanga (3.7), Sr. Nate Rivera (9.1). Others: Sr. Ziego Goodman (2.2), Jr. Caden Vermuelen (2.8)

Emmaus: Jr. Will Barber (18.1 ppg), Sr. Dylan Darville (12.4), Jr. Jametric Harris (12.1), Sr. Jake Fotta (6.9), Sr. Chase Muckey (3.4). Others: Jr. Teague McCourt (2.5), Soph. Jack Csensits (2.3), So. Mike Ekenyere (6), Sr. Jackson Lake

GAME NOTES: Emmaus’ second season begins on Friday with a quarterfinal round matchup vs Liberty. The two teams did not meet during the regular-season. They last met back in the 2020-21 season when the Hornets won at Liberty 60-55 in the opening-round of the District XI playoffs …Emmaus enters on a four-game win streak and were unbeaten at home during the regular-season (10-0) … …The last time the Hornets won a league championship was back in 2012 when they defeated Freedom 47-44. In 2018-19, Emmaus reached the finals before falling to Becahi 46-44 … Parkland is the defending EPC champs after beating Nazareth last year in the championship game.