One moment defined Minersville’s 70-49 win over Tamaqua in Thursday night’s Schuylkill League Division 1 boys basketball opener.

Early in the second quarter, Minersville senior guard Shazer Bethea — one of the league’s all-time greats — raced down the floor and threw down a two-handed dunk that blew the game open. The 6-foot-4 guard finished with a game-high 29 points and sparked a run that Tamaqua never recovered from.

It was the kind of play that reminded everyone why Minersville has been chasing a long-awaited division title — and why this might finally be the year.

“He’s such a complete player. He never forces shots,” said first-year Minersville coach Chris George, who succeeded longtime coach Dave Mullaney.

George knows what he has in Bethea, nicknamed “Big Cat,” and in a roster full of shooters. Bethea not only scored, but he also grabbed seven of Minersville’s 31 rebounds. Junior Chase Zimerofsky nearly reached double digits with eight boards.

One of Minersville’s biggest strengths was its perimeter shooting. The Miners hit 24 field goals, including 11 3-pointers. Bethea and junior Connor Bowers each knocked down three.

“They really can shoot the ball,” Tamaqua coach Jim Barron said. “We didn’t help ourselves with 14 first-half turnovers.”

Tamaqua kept things close early behind Jakin Tamagini, Donovan Broadway and two free throws from Gavin Edmonds, trailing just 12-11 with 22 seconds left in the first quarter.

Then the Raiders unraveled.

Zimerofsky opened the second quarter with a corner 3, Bowers sank two free throws, and Bethea added a jumper. Moments later, Bethea delivered his thundering dunk.

“I heard Michigan State coach Tom Izzo once say one of his players was a ‘freaky dunker’ and that his dunks were worth six points,” George said. “Shazer has done that in every game. When he does, it gets the players and the crowd going.”

The momentum carried Minersville to a 36-19 halftime lead. Betha scored 11 in the quarter, Zimerofsky added two 3s, and Bowers contributed five points.

Minersville poured in 22 more in the third, led by Bowers’ 11 points — including three 3-pointers — and Bethea’s five, stretching the lead to 58-37.

“I thought we had some positive signs, but when you dig a hole with turnovers and not protecting the ball, it wears on you,” Barron said.

Tamaqua showed a brief spark late in the third with a 3 from Edmonds, a basket by Gavin Shannon and a triple by Ace Shickram. But Minersville opened the fourth with a 7-0 run from Bowers, Bethea and Zimerofsky, pushing the lead to 65-37.

“This is the first year with this group, and I’ll say it over and over: the principles these guys have were instilled by coaches Jim Toomey and Coach Mullaney,” George said. “They did a great job. We’re just tweaking it a little.”

With Bethea leading the way, those tweaks might make Minersville harder to stop — bad news for the rest of Division 1.

STAT SHEET ... Minersville shot 24-for-59, and had just nine turnovers. Tamaqua shot 16-for-32, but had 18 turnovers.

MINERSVILLE

Bethea 12-2-4-29, Bowers 6-7-8-22, Zimerofsky 3-0-0-8, Fessler 1-2-2-5, Pepin 1-0-0-3, Plesnarski 1-0-0-3, Toth 0-0-0-0, Rogers 0-0-0-0, Adams 0-0-0-0, Mealy 0-0-0-0. TOTALS: 24-11-14-70.

TAMAQUA

Broadway 3-4-5-10, Tamagini 3-1-3-8, Markovec 2-1-2-5, Zimmerman 1-0-0-2, Shannon 1-1-3-3, Edmonds 3-3-3-11, McDowell 2-0-0-5, McCabe 1-0-0-2, Schickram 1-0-0-3, Frohnheiser 0-0-0-0, Wargo 0-0-0-0, Sadusky 0-0-0-0. TOTALS: 17-10-16-49.

Minersville 13 23 22 12 - 70

Tamaqua 11 8 18 12 - 39

Three-pointers: Minersville - Bethea 3, Bowers 3, Zimerofsky 2, Plesnarski 1, Pepin 1; Tamaqua - Tamagini 1, Edmonds 1, McDowell 1.

Records: Minersville (2-0; 1-0); Tamaqua (0-3; 0-1).