Pittston Area freshman Lucas Lopresto (1) looks to get by the Warriors Anthony DeLucca (1) to score on a lay up.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
After rehabbing an injury for the last eight-months, Slivio Giardina (2) hits a three-point first half shot for Pittston Area. Giardina was the winning team’s MVP.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
Warrior senior Dane Schutter (23) scores 2 of his team-high 14 points against Pittston Area during the Eugene R. DeMinico II Memorial Basketball game at Wyoming Area.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
WEST PITTSTON – The return of Silvio Giardina and the continued emergence of freshman Lucas Lopresto gave Pittston Area a different look as it headed into the stretch run of the season.
Giardina turned in a team Most Valuable Player performance in his first start of the season and Lopresto led the Patriots in the fourth quarter as they completed a rally to defeated host Wyoming Area 51-44 Feb. 4 in the 19th annual Eugene R. DeMinico II Memorial Game.
Pittston Area came in with losses in 10 of its previous 11 games, all but one of which was played without Giardina. Wyoming Area had won eight out of nine.
Giardina, an all-star guard and the team scoring leader last season as a sophomore, had come off the bench in just two games all season, during the Badger Marseco Tournament in Old Forge the week between Christmas and New Year’s. That proved to be too soon in his recovery from June surgery after dislocating his kneecap last spring.
“He played maybe 7-8 minutes then, but his knee just didn’t react the way we had hoped,” Pittston Area coach Al Semenza said. “So, he took some more time out and got himself ready.”
Giardina certainly looked ready. He hit a pair of 3-pointers, scored 10 points, grabbed four defensive rebounds, dished out four assists and made four steals.
“It felt great,” he said. “It was a long 8-9 months.
“This was awesome.”
Since Giardina’s return, the Patriots have now won three straight to improve to 8-13.
“I think emotionally everyone was waiting for him to get back,” Semenza said. “ … The guys wanted him on the floor. He’s been at practice every single day since he’s been hurt. He’s been accountable.
“It’s just good to have him back. Hopefully we can get ourselves a couple more wins going into the playoffs.”
The DeMinico Game served as a time for Giardina and the new-look Patriots to test themselves going into the last two weeks of the regular season.
“I was looking to get ready as early as possible and this happened to be the first game I was able to come back,” Giardina said. “What a night. It was amazing to be able to play in this game. Our rival. It’s always a fun time playing here.
“We knew coming in this was going to be a great competition.”
The Warriors took a step away from their pursuit of a Wyoming Valley Conference Division 2 title to take shot at the Patriots, who have dominated the series.
Wyoming Area led by as many as 10 in the first half and carried a lead into the fourth quarter.
Lopresto did not miss a shot while scoring eight points in the fourth quarter. He finished with 14 points, five steals, four assists and four rebounds.
“Lucas Lopresto is one of the best players I’ve ever played with,” Giardina said. “He’s a great kid on and off the court. He’s got a great attitude. He always keeps his composure.
“That could go for so many kids on this team.”
Giardina opened the fourth quarter by erasing the last deficit Pittston Area faced. His deep 3-pointer with 5:47 left accounted for the first of Pittston Area’s 21 fourth-quarter points and he immediately followed it up with a back-court steal and layup for a 35-32 lead.
Tyler Sciandra and Dane Schutter worked inside to lift the Warriors into ties.
Ciaran Bilbow broke the last tie with 2:21 remaining, converting a feed from Lopresto into a reverse layup and three-point play for a 42-39 lead.
Lopresto, who had scored earlier in the quarter off a Giardina feed, took it from there.
After Anthony DeLucca’s 3-pointer brought Wyoming Area within two for the last time with 1:05 left, he scored the next four points.
Lopresto hit two free throws, then turned a steal into a back-breaking, breakaway for a 48-42 lead with 42 seconds left.
“He’s tough,” Semenza said. “For a freshman, he plays as tough as anyone I know. He’ll go toe-to-toe with you in other sports and also in this one.
“He’s got a bright future.”
The Patriots were 6-for-7 from the line in the fourth quarter, including two by Paul Jordan McGarry with 1:16 left and one of two by Bilbow with 22.2 to go.
Wyoming Area had the ball, down five, with 14.7 seconds left.
Giardina’s third steal of the quarter and assist set up one last breakaway for Lopresto to close the scoring.
Schutter repeated as Wyoming Area’s DeMinico MVP with 14 points, six rebounds, three assists and two blocked shots. DeLucca added 12 points, five rebounds and three assists.
The game honors the memory of DeMinico, a Pittston Township police officer and decorated veteran for his service in Iraq, who was killed in a motorcycle accident in November, 2005. Proceeds of the game benefit local police force K-9 units.
