Daniella Ranieli scored a game-high 26 points and Pittston Area limited Wilkes-Barre Area to eight first-half points Friday afternoon on the way to a 52-37, home-court victory in the make-up of a postponed Wyoming Valley Conference Division 1 girls basketball game.
Both teams are 1-1 in the division.
Pittston Area improved to 7-1 and maintained its lead in the power ratings race for the top seed in the District 2 Class 5A playoffs. Wilkes-Barre Area is 5-4 overall.
Ranieli scored eight points while Lili Hintze and Maddie Karp added five each as the Lady Patriots took an 18-6 lead after one quarter.
Pittston Area then held Wilkes-Barre Area to two points in the second quarter and Ranieli again outscored the Wolfpack by herself with seven more points.
Karp went 4-for-6 from the line in the first half when she scored eight of her nine points to help Pittston Area to a 33-8 lead at the break.
The Lady Patriots overcame 17 second-half points by Jaida Underwood, who finished with 19 in the game.
Underwood, however, missed all five of her free throws as part of a 1-for-7 effort from the line by the Wolfpack.
Diamond Thornton added 10 points for Wilkes-Barre Area.
Pittston Area carried a 45-24 advantage into the fourth quarter.
Hintze hit a 3-pointer in each of the first three quarters while scoring 11 points.
Ranieli scored all seven fourth-quarter Pittston Area points to help close out the victory.
