Brennan Higgins turned in a repeat performance, in the process assuring Pittston Area of another victory in its annual boys basketball series with Wyoming Area.
Higgins scored 18 points Monday night during a 74-41 victory over host Wyoming Area in the 15th annual Eugene R. DeMinico Memorial Game and earned his team’s Most Valuable Player Award in the game for the second straight season.
“It’s nice to get it back-to-back years,” Higgins said. “It’s definitely a big deal for me – a rivalry game and to come up and show everybody what you’re about.”
J.J. Walsh added 16 points in the win while Mike George had eight and Joe Cencetti and Andrew Krawczyk each chipped in with seven.
Jake Greenfield led Wyoming Area with 14 points. He made four 3-pointers and was his team’s MVP.
Greenfield and Evan Melberger each hit two 3-pointers in the first quarter.
Pittston Area also made two shots from behind the arc in the first quarter.
Higgins hit two 3-pointers late in his 12-point first quarter and George also made two.
“The first 3(-pointer) I hit felt real good,” Higgins said. “After I hit another one, I knew it was going to be a good night.
“Everyone was finding me and I was finding my teammates, so everything kind of fell into place.”
Higgins helped Pittston Area overcome a slow start and take a 22-14 lead after one quarter.
“Brennan’s a leader,” Pittston Area coach Al Semenza said. “He’s our guy who we look to. He’s a penetrator, he’ll find the open guy. He’s strong; we can put him on the block.
“He’s a good on-the-ball defender. He’s very versatile. He’s just a team leader. Everybody looks up to him.”
The Patriots stretched their advantage to 34-20 at halftime with the help of two 3-pointers by Walsh.
“They had us early,” Higgins said. “They were hitting a bunch of shots, but we came back and stepped up our defense in the second quarter.”
Sammy Solomon finished with nine points for the Warriors.
