Lili Hintze (21) is on her way to scoring two of her 15 first-half points against Crestwood at home.
Tony Callaio | For Times Leader
Jackie Gallagher had a hot hand, hitting a three-point shot against Pittston Area, scoring 21 first-half points.
Tony Callaio | For Times Leader
Patriot Leah Drozginski (4) fouls Crestwood’s Charlie Hiller (10) on her way to a layup at Pittston Area.
Tony Callaio | For Times Leader
Charlie Hiller (10), of Crestwood, out-rebounds Pittston Area’s Arianna McGarry (23) in first-half action.
Tony Callaio | For Times Leader
Crestwood’s Jordan Andrews (14) looks to drive the baseline as she gets past Pittston Area’s Bella Dessoye (12).
Tony Callaio | For Times Leader
Pittston Area began its Wyoming Valley Conference Division 1 schedule with losses to the two teams that share District 2’s best record at 8-0, while Wyoming Area lost its Division 2 opener to the team with the third-best record.
The Lady Patriots had a 1-3 week to fall to 0-2 in the division and 3-4 overall.
The Lady Warriors are 0-1 and 2-4 after Friday’s scheduled trip to Tunkhannock was postponed to Jan. 3.
Dallas 37, Pittston Area 27
Molly Walsh scored 19 points Friday night, including all of the Dallas scoring when the Lady Mounts moved ahead in the second quarter of the Division 1 game.
Dallas improved to 8-0 overall.
Pittston Area led 8-6 after one quarter when Lili Hintze scored all five of her points, including hitting a 3-pointer.
Walsh scored 11 in the second quarter when Dallas took a 17-12 halftime lead.
Mia DelGaudio added 10 points, and Odessa Kanton had all eight of her points in the second half.
Bella Dessoye led the Lady Patriots with eight points. Leah Drozginski added seven.
Crestwood 62, Pittston Area 35
YATESVILLE – The Crestwood Lady Comets showed why they are one of only two unbeaten girls’ basketball teams in District 2.
Just when Pittston Area crept a little closer late in the second quarter, Crestwood put on a burst to end the half. The Lady Comets continued pouring in points to start the third quarter on the way to a 62-35 win in the Division 1 opener for both teams.
Crestwood improved to 8-0 by placing three players in double figures, headed by Jackie Gallagher with 23. Fellow 6-footer Charlie Hiller added 15 and a game-high nine rebounds. Jordan Andrews had 11.
Pittston Area used the 3-point shooting of Lili Hintze to trail 15-11 after one quarter. Her shooting behind the arc kept the Patriots within striking distance throughout most of the second quarter. A rebound basket by Bella Dessoye cut Crestwood’s lead to 31-24 with two minutes left until halftime.
“To be honest, we usually come out with a lot more energy than we did today,” Crestwood coach Mary Mushock-Namey said. “We usually put our foot down and step up defensively, but I think our first-quarter defense wasn’t the best. Once we realized we were letting them stay in it. we had to step on the gas a little bit.
“The defense had to pick it up. We had those two steals right before half that really helped.”
Gallagher and Andrews finished off the second quarter with layups to start a 15-0 run that extended until midway through the third.
Cameron Vieney, who was the first player off the bench during last season’s District 2 Class 5A title run, opened the third with a 3-pointer. All five starters contributed offensively before Pittston Area broke the run with a free throw by Julia Long.
Long had Pittston Area’s only field goal of the second half with 1:07 left in the third quarter. By that time, Hiller had taken over the majority of the scoring chores as Crestwood led 56-27 heading into the fourth quarter.
Hintze, who made four 3-pointers, led Pittston Area with 15 points. She also had eight rebounds, but no other Patriot had more than three. Crestwood had six players with at least four rebounds.
Nanticoke 46, Wyoming Area 15
Nanticoke held host Wyoming Area to five field goals, just one in each of the last three quarters, in Tuesday’s Division 2 opener.
Neveah Baran scored 13 points to lead the Trojanettes, who won their sixth straight to improve to 7-1 overall.
Kate Reed added 10 points for Nanticoke.
Jailyn Park was Wyoming Area’s top scorer with five points.
Londyn Sobeck grabbed a team-high nine rebounds while Addison Gaylord had six.
Wallenpaupack 39, Pittston Area 35
Host Wallenpaupack rallied in the fourth quarter to win Monday’s non-league game.
The Lady Patriots led after each of the first three quarters before the Lady Buckhorns outscored them 12-3 in the fourth.
Ashley Vanderputten scored 12 points, and Lily Mancino had 10 for Wallenpaupack.
Julia Long went 5-for-6 from the line and led Pittston Area with 11 points. Lili Hintze added 10.
Pittston Area 43, Honesdale 19
Pittston Area used a strong start and extreme offensive balance to defeat visiting Honesdale in the non-league game on Dec. 13.
The Lady Patriots led 20-3 after one quarter and held Honesdale to three points again in the fourth quarter.
Julia Long and Lili Hintze scored 10 points each, Leah Drozginski had nine, and Bella Dessoye and Giuliana Latona had seven each.
Drozginski scored six in the first quarter when Long and Latona had five, and Hintze had four.
