Once defending champion Holy Redeemer earned a split of their season series, Wyoming Area needed four straight wins to force a playoff for the Wyoming Valley Conference Division 2 boys basketball title.
That playoff will take place Monday at Wilkes-Barre Area at 7 because the Warriors came up with the four wins they needed, including three in the last five days – two of those against Hanover Area.
Wyoming Area and Holy Redeemer each finished 11-1 in Division 2 with the only losses coming against each other.
Wyoming Area 73, Hanover Area 52
HANOVER TWP. — Even though Saturday afternoon’s game was on the road, Wyoming Area had an easier time than in Tuesday’s two-point, home-court win.
Brady Noone scored 10 points as Wyoming Area hit its shots early to take a 26-7 lead after one quarter. The Warriors extended that lead to 45-24 at halftime.
Wyoming Area had four players score in double figures, led by Dane Schutter with 19.
Noone had 18, Matt Rusinchak 15 and Anthony DeLucca 11.
Tyler Sciandra had all eight of his points in the first half.
Noah Dewey finished with 13 points for the Hawkeyes, but he had just two in the first half.
Hanover Area rallied briefly early in the second quarter, but Schutter, who had scored seven in the first quarter, and Sciandra had six points each in the quarter to keep Wyoming Area in control.
Rusinchak then scored eight points and Schutter went 4-for-4 from the line while adding six in the third quarter to hold a 60-42 lead.
Wyoming Area 65, Wyoming Seminary 36
Dane Schutter scored 24 points to lead Wyoming Area to Thursday’s win at Wyoming Seminary.
The Warriors trailed 14-11 after one quarter, but outscored the Blue Knights by at least nine points in each of the three remaining quarters.
Tyler Sciandra added 10 points in the win.
Jack Novelli led Wyoming Seminary with 14 points.
Pittston Area 52, Wyoming Valley West 42
Silvio Giardina poured in 22 points in Thursday night’s home game to lift Pittston Area to its third straight victory and second straight in WVC Division 1.
The Patriots are 4-9 in the division and 8-13 overall going into Monday’s regular-season finale when they will honor Ciaran Bilbow on Senior Night against Tunkhannock. Bilbow is the only senior on the team.
Giardina made four 3-pointers while scoring 14 points in the first half, then went 4-for-4 from the line while scoring six points in the fourth quarter.
“He means a lot to us,” Pittston Area coach Al Semenza said after Giardina made his return to the starting lineup five days earlier after missing most of the season because of a knee injury. “He calms us down. He can help us handle the ball, so obviously he’s a key guy out on the court for us.”
Giardina made three 3-pointers in the second quarter when the Patriots built the lead from 12-10 to 26-20.
Bilbow scored eight of his 10 points in the second half. Paul Jordan McGarry and Lucas Lopresto added eight points each.
Lemar Weatherspoon led the Spartans with 12 points.
Wyoming Area 60, Hanover Area 58
Dane Schutter scored 23 points, 13 in the second half, to help Wyoming Area hold off Hanover Area Tuesday night.
The Warriors outscored the Hawkeyes 22-19 in the third quarter to take a 52-46 lead into the final eight minutes.
Anthony DeLucca hit four 3-pointers in the middle quarters and finished with 15 points. Brady Noone added 13.
Noah Dewey led Hanover Area with 23 points.
Pittston Area 52, Tunkhannock 37
Matt Walter scored 20 points to lead Pittston Area to Tuesday’s road win.
Paul Jordan McGarry added 15 in the win.
Ethan Ergott led Tunkhannock with 10 points.
