Pittston Area struggled through most of the first quarter Friday night in its Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association Class 5A boys basketball playoff opener at Souderton.
The Patriots, however, kept coming back until they used Andrew Krawczyk’s three-point play with 16.8 seconds remaining to turn back Penncrest, 42-40, for the first state tournament win in the program’s history.
After trading the lead several times throughout the fourth quarter, Pittston Area called timeout with 43.7 seconds left, trailing, 40-39.
The Patriots worked the ball around the perimeter until Logan Booth, the game’s top scorer with 17 points, spotted an opening.
Booth drove hard down the left side of the lane, drew defensive help and slipped a pass across the lane to Krawczyk.
Krawczyk converted from close range while drawing the foul. He made the free throw for the game’s final point.
After Pittston Area missed at the line with 6.1 seconds left, Penncrest got a good look at the potential tying basket, but Marquis Tomlin’s driving layup rolled out and Joe Cencetti grabbed the rebound as time expired.
Tomlin led Penncrest with 12 points, including seven in the first quarter.
Booth made Pittston Area’s first shot, but the Patriots did not score again in the quarter while falling behind, 14-2.
Booth had eight points and Krawczyk six of his 11 during the second quarter when the Patriots rallied into a 19-19 tie.
Penncrest regained the lead, 26-24, going to the fourth quarter by holding Pittston Area to five points in the third, all by Booth.
Mike George and Brennan Higgins, both scoreless through three quarters, hit 3-pointers in the fourth quarter.
Higgins and Krawczyk each had five points in the fourth quarter when Pittston Area outscored Penncrest, 18-14, to pull out the win.
Penncrest, the third-place team from District 1 (Philadelphia suburbs), finished 20-7.
Pittston Area came into the game 0-6 in previous state tournament appearances, beginning with a 52-50 loss to Norristown in Class 3A in 1976.
The Patriots were back in 1978 when they lost to Coatesville, 77-68 in Class 3A.
Pittston Area lost to Williamsport, 81-59, in Class 4A in 1987; Glen Mills, 96-49, in Class 4A in 1992; Mifflinburg, 68-59, in overtime in 3A in 2002; and Harrisburg Bishop McDevitt, 77-42, in 3A in 2014.
Three of the six previous losses came to District 1 teams – Norristown, Coatesville and Glen Mills.
Archbishop Wood, which is the top-ranked Class 5A team in the state, according to the Sunbury Daily Item, advanced with a 72-45 victory over Strath Haven.
Old Forge girls advance
Olivia Ciullo scored 23 points and Lindsey Welsh added 21 Friday night as Old Forge advanced in the PIAA Class 2A girls basketball tournament with a 56-42 victory over Moravian Academy at Dunmore High School.
The District 2 champion Lady Devils, who reached the state quarterfinals last season, improved to 19-6. They will face District 3 runner-up Steelton-Highspire, a 74-36 winner over Parkway Northwest, Tuesday at a site and time to be announced.
Steelton-Highspire is 15-8.
