OLD FORGE — Pittston Area took advantage of an extra meeting with Wyoming Area, then beat another neighboring opponent by taking down host Old Forge to win the girls title of the Anthony “Badger” Marseco Memorial Tournament.
The Lady Patriots entered the tournament on a four-game losing streak, but relied on strong defense from the start – they held Wyoming Area scoreless in the first quarter of the Dec. 27 semifinal – while evening their record at 5-5. Pittston Area is allowing just 30 points per game in its wins.
“We played the top three teams in the league to start off,” Pittston Area coach Jeff Gregory said of losses to Hazleton Area, Crestwood and Dallas to begin Wyoming Valley Conference Division 1 play. “We did some good things in that stretch. We did some not-so-good things in that stretch.
“We’re just trying to stack some wins now. We’ll try to get a few in a row, try to get on a little bit of a roll and win as many as we can.”
Pittston Area showed off balance, getting scoring from much of the roster against Wyoming Area, then spreading it across the starting lineup against Old Forge.
Pittston Area 58, Old Forge 31
Leah Drozginski scored 15 points to lead four players in double figures as the Lady Patriots took turns sharing the offensive load in Monday’s championship game victory.
Drozginski had nine in the first quarter to help the Lady Patriots take a 17-13 lead.
Then, while the defense was limiting the Lady Devils to two points in the second quarter, Lili Hintze and Giuliana Latona took over. Hintze had two of her three 3-pointers and eight of her 13 points while Latona had seven points.
All three reached double figures by halftime to put Pittston Area in control 38-15.
Bella Dessoye then scored in double figures in the second half with 10 of her 12 points. She had seven in the third quarter when the lead ballooned to 52-24.
Latona finished with 10 points.
Julia Long, the other starter, added six.
Ava Arnold scored 12 points and Mia Fox eight for Old Forge (3-4). Each hit a pair of 3-pointers.
Wyoming Area 39, Hanover Area 14
Jailyn Park scored a game-high 19 points and Wyoming Area held Hanover Area to a single point in both the first and third quarters on the way to the victory in Monday’s third-place game.
Park had 10 points in the first quarter when the Lady Warriors built a 14-1 lead. She had 15 in the first half.
Wyoming Area led 27-5 at the break and 35-6 going to the fourth quarter.
Lila Price added eight points for the Lady Warriors (4-5). Londyn Sobeck scored six points and grabbed a team-high six rebounds while Addison Gaylord had five rebounds.
Hanover Area (2-6) was led by Symone Mims with eight points.
Pittston Area 52, Wyoming Area 28
Pittston Area forced nine first-quarter turnovers and held Wyoming Area scoreless for 9½ minutes to begin the game.
Julia Long scored 14 points and dished out five assists for Pittston Area, which also got strong all-around performances from Leah Drozginski and Giuliana Latona.
Long had six points in the first quarter, which ended with Pittston Area ahead 15-0.
Drozginski grabbed an offensive rebound and fed Latona for the first basket of the second quarter, giving Latona six points and Pittston Area a 17-0 lead.
“Leah always plays hard,” coach Jeff Gregory said of Drozginski, who finished with 12 points, six rebounds (four of them offensive), four steals, three assists and two blocked shots. “She made some big shots, found some open people. I’m happy with Leah’s game.”
Latona had eight points, a game-high 10 rebounds and four steals.
“Giuliana is doing a great job for us rebounding the ball,” Gregory said. “That’s one thing she’s consistent with every night.”
Dessoye and Lili Hintze also dished out three assists.
Jailyn Park led Wyoming Area with 16 points and five rebounds. Londyn Sobeck added 11 points, eight rebounds, three steals and two assists.
Old Forge 60, Hanover Area 30
Lana Clements scored 29 points for Old Forge in the Dec. 27 semifinal victory.
Mia Fox added 11 points.
The Lady Devils doubled their lead to 43-23 by shutting out the Lady Hawkeyes in the third quarter.
