Holy Redeemer’s Jacob Hunter pulls up for a 10-foot jump shot between Wyoming Area’s Matt Little (3) and Anthony DeLucca (1). Hunter had a game high 23-points.
Tony Callaio | For Times Leader
Wyoming Area’s Dane Schutter (23) attempts to block a shot by Holy Redeemer’s Jeff Kozerski (32) in the first half.
Tony Callaio | For Times Leader
EXETER — Take away the first quarter Tuesday night and, perhaps, the game ends differently.
Because those eight minutes were incredible for Holy Redeemer and disastrous in the long run for Wyoming Area.
Redeemer jumped to a 25-point lead late in the first quarter and then held off a Wyoming Area comeback attempt for a 62-47 victory in a Wyoming Valley Conference Division 2 boys basketball game.
Redeemer improved to 3-0 in the division, remaining a half-game behind Nanticoke Area in the standings, and 11-2 overall. Wyoming Area dropped to 2-1 in the division and 6-7 overall.
“We probably got a little complacent and started going through the motions there a little bit,” said Redeemer coach Paul Guido, who saw the lead trimmed to seven early in the fourth quarter. “Credit to Wyoming Area. They didn’t quit, played hard and started to hit some shots.”
The Royals used the hot shooting of Zach Perta to race out to a 27-2 lead with just under two minutes left in the first quarter. Perta hit on all five of his shots, including three 3-pointers, while Jacob Hunter added 10 more points.
Wyoming Area closed the quarter with 3-pointers from Matt Little and Matt Rusinchak, but a couple quick baskets by Redeemer to start the second quarter appeared to put the Royals back into control.
Then things changed. Wyoming Area kept pecking at the deficit. Down to 17 at halftime. Down to 11 with 5:12 left in the third quarter.
“We were focused,” Wyoming Area coach Anthony Macario said. “Honestly, our team was confident coming into the game like we could play with these guys. With a team as talented as they are, you pin yourself in a hole that deep, it’s extremely difficult to crawl all the way back from.”
Wyoming Area nearly did.
If not for a handful of empty possessions late in the third period while down 14, the Warriors would have likely been closer. Instead, they managed to shave just two points off Redeemer’s lead as Little canned another 3-pointer to make it 50-35 Royals entering the final eight minutes.
Little’s trey, though, triggered a run as Wyoming Area opened the fourth quarter with eight consecutive points to move within 50-43. The final two points in the 11-0 run came when Dane Schutter blocked a shot and outletted a pass to Brady Noone for a fastbreak.
The Warriors, though, then didn’t score on three more possessions. Redeemer was able to hit on some free throws to get its lead to 56-43 with 3:19 remaining. The Royals’ first field goal didn’t come until the 2:06 mark.
Hunter led Redeemer with 23 points. Perta had 18. George Sabatini came off the bench to nabbed a game-high 10 rebounds while Jeff Kozerski added nine boards.
Schutter scored 17 and had seven rebounds for Wyoming Area. Tyler Sciandra had 14 points and six rebounds.
Holy Redeemer 62, Wyoming Area 47
HOLY REDEEMER (62) — Perta 6 2-3 18, Lussi 2 1-2 5, Hunter 7 7-8 23, Atherton 1 2-2 4, Kozerski 1 2-4 4, Sabatini 2 0-0 4, Ha 1 0-0 3, Spiccioli 0 0-0 0, Dubaskas 0 0-0 0. Totals 20 14-19 62.
WYOMING AREA (47) — Sciandra 5 3-6 14, DeLucca 2 0-0 5, Little 1 0-0 3, Noone 2 1-4 5, Schutter 5 6-9 17, Golden 0 0-0 0, Rusinchak 1 0-0 3. Totals 16 10-19 47.
Holy Redeemer`27`12`11`12 — 62
Wyoming Area`8`14`13`12 — 47
Three-point goals — HR 8 (Perta 4, Lussi, Hunter 2, Ha). WA 5 (Sciandra, DeLucca, Little, Schutter, Rusinchak).
