Hazleton Area still has a losing overall record on the boys basketball season, but the host Cougars were able to ruin Pittston Area’s perfect Wyoming Valley Conference Division 1 mark and they left no doubt in doing so.
Dylan Stish and Luis Guzman scored 15 points each to lead a balanced attack that carried Hazleton Area over Pittston Area 76-47 Friday night.
The Cougars entered the week with just a 4-7 record, but beat Nanticoke by 30 points before the 29-point romp over the Patriots. They improved to 3-1 in the division.
Pittston Area fell to 4-1 and 9-5. It is second in the division going into Tuesday’s home game against first-place Dallas.
The Patriots led 13-10 after one quarter.
Hazleton Area pounded Pittston Area 22-5 in the second quarter and continued stretching its lead from there with two more quarters of at least 20 points.
Yohansal Moran scored all 13 of his points in the fourth quarter.
Silvio Giardina hit three 3-pointers and went 6-for-8 from the foul line while leading Pittston Area with 21 points.
Aiden Lynn added nine points.
Pittston Area 65, Wyoming Valley West 58
Pittston Area overcame a seven-point halftime deficit on the road Tuesday night to win the WVC Division 1 game.
The Patriots placed three scorers in double figures and had three others with nine points each.
Pittston Area went 11-for-13 from the line in the second half. They were 6-for-7 in the third quarter while outscoring Hazleton Area 20-7 for a 42-36 lead.
Aiden Lynn led the Patriots with 15 points, including seven in the fourth quarter.
Aiden Clarke scored all 13 of his points in the second half, including 10 in the fourth quarter. He made three 3-pointers.
Paul Jordan McGarry added 10 points.
Silvio Giardina, Lucas Lopresto and Matt Walter scored nine each.
Lemar Weatherspoon made four 3-pointers and scored 20 points for Wyoming Valley West. Kaden Dittus added 11.