First Posted: 1/27/2013
The Warriors took two steps in the right direction this week with a win Tuesday and a much more competitive contest in its rematch with Lake-Lehman Friday.
WA used the crossover game at MMI to post its first Wyoming Valley Conference victory, 58-50, and end an 11-game losing streak overall.
An offense that has often struggled produced two of its three highest-scoring games of the year and its two highest in the last dozen games.
Bart Chupka scored 24 points, grabbed 11 rebounds, made four steals and dished out three assists in the 58-50 win that allowed the Warriors to improve to 2-12 overall.
Chupka, who is normally fighting to keep the Warriors competitive inside against larger opponents, was able to dominate much of the night.
We were looking at the matchups and we did see that MMI was very similar to us, Wyoming Area coach Al Brogna said. They’re not really big, but they’re a quick, scrappy team.
The Warriors shot 48 percent overall.
Mike Carey made his only two 3-point attempts while scoring 11 points. Jordan Zezza added 10 points and five steals.
The Warriors took a five-point halftime lead but led just 36-35 before pulling away in the fourth quarter.
We had three really good quarters where we did the things we’re supposed to do, Brogna said. We had a little hiccup in the third quarter which got them back in thegame a little bit.
We stood our ground and made a nice run.
The Warriors opened the lead to as many as 15 points and were still up 11 until the Preppers hit a 50-footer at the buzzer.
Corey Rodgers led MMI with 16 points.
The Warriors continued their progress with a more competitive effort against a Lake-Lehman team that had defeated them by 25 just two weeks earlier.
Adam Dizbon scored 19 points and Pete Borum added 17 to lead the Black Knights to a 66-55 victory.
Jordan Zezza scored 16 points, Chupka added 13 points and eight rebounds and Carey hit three 3-pointers while scoring 13 points.
The Warriors piled up 26 points in a fast-paced fourth quarter to close the gap from 18 points to eight with two minutes remaining.
We battled really well in the second half, Brogna said. In the fourth quarter, we played probably the best basketball we’ve played all year.
Wyoming Area switched to a press in the fourth quarter and Brogna said it was effective in getting his team to pick up its pace more than it was in disrupting Lake-Lehman.
We needed to try to get up and down the floor a little faster, he said.
James Tobisch scored 19 points and Pittston Area rallied in the fourth quarter to run past Coughlin, 51-38, Tuesday in a Division 1 game.
Mason Gross added 16 points and Tyler McGarry hit three 3-pointers while scoring 11.
Pittston Area led 12-6 after one quarter but Coughlin moved in front 34-33 going into the fourth.
The Patriots won the game with the help of an 18-4, fourth-quarter advantage.
Pittston Area’s Friday home game with Berwick was postponed because of snow and moved back to Saturday afternoon. It was over to late for our deadline.
Tuesday
PA at Hazleton
Northwest at WA
ThursdayDallas at PA
Friday
WA at Nanticoke
Division 1
Valley West … 8-0
Hazleton… 6-2
Pittston Area … 5-2
Crestwood… 4-3
Tunkhannock … 4-4
Berwick… 2-5
Coughlin… 1-7
Dallas… 0-7
Division 2
GAR… 7-0
Nanticoke… 5-2
Lake Lehman … 4-3
Holy Redeemer … 3-4
Wyoming Area … 1-6