Lake-Lehman makes statement in victory over Dunmore

Lake-Lehman came in looking to make a statement against a traditional power in District 2, the Dunmore Lady Bucks. In the end, the Lady Knights defense propelled them to a big 51-40 victory in overtime. The defense only gave up three field goals in the fourth quarter an overtime combined. Ella Wilson had a game high 20 points, Brenna Hunt added 12 and Hailey Kline added 6 for the Lady Knights. Ella Wilson on the big win. "We had a great start but then it got a little rough but in overtime, we just play so well together and we fought hard." Hailey Kline on the victory. "It was a big win. We really wanted it so I'm really happy. We were getting alot of rebounds and not giving them second or third chances."

The game was scoreless for the first two minutes of the game until Tristan Canavan hit a basket to give Dunmore a 2-0 lead. Molly Jenkins then made a three point play to give the Black Knights the 3-2 lead. Lake-Lehman ended up going on a 11-0 run with baskets by Ella Wilson, free throws by Jenkins, another basket by Jenkins and a basket by Breanna Hunt. The Lady Bucks broke the scoreless drought with a basket by Cadie Lewis. Hunt hit another basket to make it 13-4 to end the first quarter.

Lewis hit a pair of three points to cut the Lehman lead to 3. The Lady Knights answered with a three pointer by Wilson. Sophia Talutto hit a three pointer to make Dunmore's deficit down to three. Hailey Kline gave the Black Knights a five point lead with a basket of her own. The Lady Bucks only trailed by one at halftime wih baskets by Canavan and Lucy Monahan.

Hunt gave Lake-Lehman a three point lead but Talutto tied the game up at 20 with another three pointer. Canavan then gave them the lead with a basket. The Lady Knights went on a 5-0 run with a basket by Hunt an a three point play by Wilson. Both teams traded shots in the third quarter and Lake-Lehman led 32-30 at the end of the third quarter.

After Kline hit 1 of 2 free throws, Talutto made a basket to cut Dunmore's deficit to one. The Lady Knights answered back with a 5-0 run with a pair of free throws and a basket by Wilson to make it a five point game with 3:33 to go. Talutto scored four straight point to make it a one point game. Wilson hit a basket with under two minutes to go to make it a two point game. With 20.8 to go, Dunmore tied the game up on a three pointer by Talutto. The Lady Bucks made the defensive stop and got the ball with 5.8 seconds to go. However, they were unable to get a shot off and we went to overtime. Lake-Lehman took the lead and outscored Dunmore 12-1 in overtime to take big victory at home over Dunmore 51-40. Sophia Talutto had a team-high 18 points for the Lady Bucks and Cadie Lewis added 12.

Holy Redeemer stays atop division in home victory over Nanticoke

The Royals knew the team coming in was going to be a physical game. Jeff Kozerski came up big for Holy Redeemer tonight, scoring 15 points and Jacob Hunter had a game-high 18 points as Holy Redeemer took the 57-51 victory at home to take sole possession of first place in Divison 2 of the Wyoming Valley Conference. "We knew if we won the game in the paint, we win the game." Royals senior guard Jacob Hunter said.

Nanticoke started off the game on a 7-2 run but Holy Redeemer proceeded to go on a run as Hunter hit a three pointer, Zach Perta hit a free throw then Jeff Kozerski hit a basket to give the Royals an 8-7 lead but the Trojans retook the lead on a Jaidyn Johnson bucket at 9-8 to end the first quarter.

Kozerski gave Holy Redeemer back the lead early in the second quarter but baskets by Ibn Jordan-Thomas and Liam Mullery gave the Nanticoke a three point lead then the Royals went on a run. Holy Redeemer hit three of four free throws from Hunter and Darryl Wright then Mark Atherton hit a putback to give the Royals the lead. In all, Holy Redeemer went on a 13-2 run as the Royals took a 23-15 lead into halftime.

Liam Mullery cut the Nanticoke deficit to two with a pair of three pointers. However, Kozerski hit back to back baskets, Hunter hit a three pointer and Kozerski hit one of two free throws for an 8-0 run and a ten point lead. They built up a 15 point lead at the end of the third quarter as the Royals outscored the Trojans 17-10.

Kozerski built the lead up to 17 early in the fourth quarter. However, a three point play by Johnson and a three pointer by Mullery with 4:09 remaining in the game cut Nanticoke's deficit to 8. After Holy Redeemer made one of two free throws, Johnson hit a basket to make it a seven point game. However, that was the closest Nanticoke got as the Royals hit their free throws as Holy Redeemer defeated Nanticoke 57-51. Jaidyn Johnson and Liam Mullery each tied the team lead with 17 points and Ibn Jordan-Thomas added 10 for the Trojans.

Holy Redeemer defeats Nanticoke in overtime classic

Trailing by as much as eight points in the fourth quarter, the Lady Royals defense needed to get some steals and stops to either take the victory or force overtime. Holy Redeemer's defense helped them force overtime and then took the 58-52 victory in overtime at Nanticoke. Jillian DelBalso had a team-high 19 points and Meghan Albrecht added 12 for the Royals.

The Trojanettes started off the first quarter on a 12-2 run but the Royals answered with a free throw by Jillian DelBalso and a basket by Lucy Racicky to make it 12-5 after one quarter. Nanticoke increased the lead to ten points with a pair of free throws by Claire Aufiero an a basket by Caitlyn Majiros. The Royals went on a 6-2 run to end the first half as the Trojanettes lead 18-12.

The Lady Royals came out strong to start the third quarter as Racicky and DelBalso cut the Trojanette lead to 2. Shaylee Heffron hit a three pointer for Nanticoke to increase the lead to five. DelBalso and Meghan Albrecht cut the lead to one with a pair of baskets. Aufiero scored four straight points to get the lead back to five. The Lady Royals tied up the game at 27 apiece on a three pointer by Tessa Cegulka. Sophia Lukowski gave Nanticoke back the lead. After Angelina Corridoni made one of two free throws, Majiros hit a basket and Kate Reed hit a buzzer beating three point play to make it 34-28 at the end of the third quarter.

The fourth quarter started as the third quarter started. The Lady Royals making a push as Albrecht hit a basket and Paige Kroptavich hit a three pointer to cut the deficit to one. However, the Trojanettes went on a 9-2 run to increase the lead to eight. However, the Lady Royals wouldn't go down without a fight. With under a minute left, down by six, DelBalso hit a three pointer with 36.1 to go. Mckenzie Chimoch stole the ball, was fouled and hit one of two free throws to make it a two point game. The Trojanettes were unable to inbound the ball and sent it down the court but was unable to be handled and possession went back to Holy Redeemer. Albrecht ended up being fouled on the possession and made both free throws to tie the game up at 47. The Lady Royals got one last chance as the defense forced a turnover but the Trojanettes got the stop and we went to overtime.

The overtime scoring started with Nevaeh Baran hitting one of two free throws to take a one point lead. Isabella Boylan hit a three pointer to make it a two point Lady Royal lead. Aufiero hit a basket to tie the game up then Kroptavich gave Holy Redeemer the lead then Majiros tied the game back up. Lucie Racicky gave the Lady Royals back the lead with a three point play. The Royals hit three free throws down the stretch to take the 58-52 victory. Claire Aufiero had a game-high 23 points for the Trojanettes and Caitlyn Majiros added 10.

Pittston Area tops Wilkes-Barre Area in battle of unbeatens

Coming into a battle of unbeatens, Pittston Area's Kallie Booth was 20 points away from 1,000 but that did not matter to her. "I wasn't really thinking about it that much, I just wanted to win and staying undefeated." said Booth. Booth scored a team high 14 points and sophomore Daniella Rainelli added 13 to stay undefeated by defeating Wilkes-Barre Area 40-35.

Booth started off by hitting two three pointers to make it 6-2 in favor of the Patriots. However, a basket by Diamond Thorton and a three pointer by Natalia Credle gave the Wolf Pack a 7-6 lead but it was short-lived as Ava Callahan hit a basket then Rainelli hit a three pointer to give Pittston Area an 11-7 lead. Wilkes-Barre Area took back the lead at 12-11 with with a three by Thorton and a basket by Eternity Aiken. The Patriots got baskets from Taylor Baiera and Rainelli to lead 15-12 at the end of the first quarter.

The Wolf Pack went on a 5-0 run to start the second quarter as Katherin Brito hit a basket and Emma Krawczeniuk hit a three pointer to make it 17-15. Rainelli hit a three pointer to take back the lead. Wilkes-Barre Area go their biggest lead of the game at four as Brito and Thorton got baskets and Thorton hit a free throw to make it a four point lead. The Patriots went on a 5-0 run with a Baiera basket and a three pointer by Rowan Lazevnick. The Wolf Pack took back the lead on a three point play by Thorton. However, a 6-0 run by Pittston Area gave the Patriots a 29-25 lead at halftime.

Defense was the story of the third quarter. Aiken and Thorton hit baskets to tie the game at 29 but Booth hit a free throw to make 30-29 at the end of the third quarter. The Wolf Pack defense did not allow a basket in the third quarter. The fourth quarter started with Baiera hitting a basket to make it a three point game. Thorton hit a three point to tie the game up at 32. Rainelli hit a three pointer and Booth made a three point play to increase the Pittston Area lead to six. The Wolf Pack were held without a basket until there was 1:38 left as Krawczeniuk hit a three pointer to cut the lead to three. The Patriots failed to hit the front end of the one and one but each time Pittston Area got the key stop and Ava Callahan clinched the game with a pair of free throws with three seconds left as Pittston Area defeated Wilkes-Barre Area 40-35. For Wilkes-Barre Area, Diamond Thorton had a game-high 16 points and Emma Krawczeniuk added eight points.

Nanticoke takes road victory over rival Hanover Area

It looked like momentum was going towards Hanover Area. They took an early lead in the third but Liam Mullery's shot for three went and bounced and bounced and bounced and then it went in, it was all Nanticoke from there as Mullery hit another three and Nanticoke took control in the second half as they took a 51-40 victory at Hanover Area. "It's Hanover/Nanticoke, I talked to coach before the game, everyone's getting ready for that game. It was a fun game, great atmosphere. Late in the game, I think we got a bit more movement and got our shots to fall in." Nanticoke Head Coach Zach Pientka said.

In the first quarter, Elijah Noe and Brayden Sock gave the Hawkeyes a 6-3 lead but the Trojans tied the game up at 7 when Ibn Jordan-Thomas scored four points and took the lead at 9-7 on a Jaidyn Johnson basket. It was a back and forth first quarter and Luis McCoy gave Hanover Area a 16-15 lead at the end of the first quarter with a pair of free throws.

The Trojans started the scoring with a basket by Jordan-Thomas then a free throw by Caleb Butczynski followed by a pair of free throws by Johnson to build a 20-16 lead. However, Dewey scored four straight points to tie the game at 20 then Sedrick Beasley gave the Hawkeyes the lead at 22-20. Johnson hit three of four free throws to make it 23-22 but Dewey hit another basket to give Hanover Area a 24-23 lead at the break.

The Hawkeyes scored back to back baskets from Dewey and Beasley to make it a five point game. However, the Trojans went on a 6-0 run to make it 29-28. Hanover Area took back the lead on a Dewey bucket. Liam Mullery then took a three that bounced around a few times and went in to give Nanticoke a 34-32 lead. Mullery hit another three pointer to make it a five point game. Johnson hit a pair of free throws. David Popson ended the scoring for Hanover Area with a jump shot before the buzzer sounded to make 41-34 at the end of the third quarter. The Trojans cruised from there to take a 51-40 victory over the Hawkeyes. Jaidyn Johnson had a game-high 21 points and Liam Mullery added nine for the Trojans. For the Hawkeyes, Noah Dewey had a team-high 14 points and Sedrick Beasley added 11.

Booth leads Pittston Area to a road victory at Hazleton Area

To start the fourth quarter, the momentum looked like it was all Hazleton Area's. However, Kallie Booth had other plans as she recorded consectuive steals that lead to Lady Patriots points. Booth had a game high 19 points and Daniella Ranielli added 16 as Pittston Area defeated Hazleton Area on the road 44-37.

The game started off with both teams playing good defense as the game was scoreless about halfway until the first quarter. The Lady Patriots then scored six straight points with baskets by Booth and Taylor Baiera along with a pair of free throws by Baiera and they lead 8-2 after one quarter of play.

Booth started off the scoring to make it 10-2 then the Lady Cougars went on an 8-0 run to tie the game at 10. Pittston Area took the lead on a pair of Ava Callahan free throws but Brianna Kennedy tied it up on a basket then Hazleton Area took the lead on a basket by Lynzee Buglio. The Lady Patriot's Daniella Ranielli answered with six straight points to make it a four point Lady Patriot lead and took a 20-18 lead into halftime.

After a free throw by Booth, Alexis Reimold cut the lead to one. Booth answered with a basket of her own. The Lady Cougars tied the game up at 23 with a three pointer by Olivia Williams. Both teams traded a free throw each then Baiera gave Pittston Area the lead on a basket. Buglia tied the game on a steal and jumper. Sophia Schults then gave the Lady Cougars the lead at 28-26 but was short lived as Booth scored. Reimold gave the Lady Cougars back the lead then Brianna Kennedy hit a basket as the third quarter buzzer was about to sound.

The Cougars held the ball for quite a bit intent on holding their four point. However, Booth came up with consecutive steals and the Lady Patriots got a three pointer from Ava Callahan and a basket by Rainelli to give Pittston Area a 33-32 lead. Schults gave the Lady Cougars back the lead with a three pointer. Booth tied the game up with a basket then Rainelli scored to give the Lady Patriots a 37-35 lead. Booth hit one of two free throws to make it a three point game. In the final 40 seconds of the game, Rainelli went four for four on the free throw line and recorded two steals as Pittston Area defeated Hazleton Area 44-37.