Pittston Area’s Silvio Giardina (2) hits a 3-point shot against Hazleton Area.
                                 Tony Callaio | For Times Leader

Pittston Area’s Silvio Giardina (2) hits a 3-point shot against Hazleton Area.

Tony Callaio | For Times Leader

<p>Hazleton Area’s Gavin Perkosky hits one of his three 3-pointers against Pittston Area.</p>
                                 <p>Tony Callaio | For Times Leader</p>

Hazleton Area’s Gavin Perkosky hits one of his three 3-pointers against Pittston Area.

Tony Callaio | For Times Leader

<p>Pittston Area’s Paul Jordan McGarry (23) and Matt Walter (14) hit the boards for a rebound against Hazleton Area.</p>
                                 <p>Tony Callaio | For Times Leader</p>

Pittston Area’s Paul Jordan McGarry (23) and Matt Walter (14) hit the boards for a rebound against Hazleton Area.

Tony Callaio | For Times Leader

<p>Hazleton Area’s Angel Saladin goes over Pittston Area defenders to score two points.</p>
                                 <p>Tony Callaio | For Times Leader</p>

Hazleton Area’s Angel Saladin goes over Pittston Area defenders to score two points.

Tony Callaio | For Times Leader

<p>Pittston Area’s Matt Walter scores on a fastbreak layup against Hazleton Area.</p>
                                 <p>Tony Callaio | For Times Leader</p>

Pittston Area’s Matt Walter scores on a fastbreak layup against Hazleton Area.

Tony Callaio | For Times Leader

YATESVILLE — Pittston Area showed that projecting the past into the present can be dangerous.

Hammered by Hazleton Area three weeks ago, Pittston Area exacted revenge on Friday night by surviving an intense fourth quarter for a 53-50 victory in a Wyoming Valley Conference Division 1 boys basketball game.

Pittston Area (8-3 Div. 1, 13-7 overall) stayed on the tail of first-place Dallas (7-2 Div. 1, 13-6), which plays Nanticoke Area on Saturday afternoon. Pittston Area plays at Dallas on Tuesday.

Back on Jan. 10, Hazleton Area (6-4 Div. 1, 9-11) defeated Pittston Area 76-47, handing the Patriots their worst loss of the season.

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“I’ve been coaching a long time, and I’m just so proud of what they did tonight,” Pittston Area coach Al Semenza said. “Two weeks ago, we were really in trouble. We’ve had streaks of three-game losing streaks, we’ve bounced back and to come here tonight and beat them after what they did to us down there is a reflection of the fight in these kids.”

Aiden Lynn sank a free throw after missing his first with 1.2 seconds remaining for the game’s final points. Hazleton Area launched a long pass across midcourt in an attempt to get a 3-point shot, but Pittston Area’s Silvio Giardina slapped the ball away and the Patriots celebrated their win for a second time.

Yes, a second time.

Pittston Area appeared to seal the win when the Patriots’ Lucas Lopresto pulled down a defensive rebound with six seconds left and passed to Lynn outside the 3-point line. Lynn was fouled as the buzzer sounded, but the officials conferred and put 1.2 seconds on the clock. Video showed it was the correct call.

“They outrebounded us, they outhustled us for two-and-a-half quarters,” Hazleton Area coach Pat Brogan said. “They threw good, crisp two-hand chest passes the entire game. They finished drives. They just played harder for two, almost three quarters.”

Giardina led Pittston Area with 21 points, but there were contributions elsewhere. Paul Jordan McGarry continued his hot streak behind the arc, including banking in a contested 3-pointer to end the third quarter. He finished with 13 points and eight rebounds.

Matt Walter battled often against bigger players for eight points and six rebounds. Sophomore Lucas Lopresto, a two-time Times Leader All-WVC football selection, flashed his athletic ability on both ends of the court.

Hazleton Area’s Luis Guzman, who missed Tuesday’s game with Nanticoke Area with an injury, finished with 12 points and 13 rebounds. Sharpshooter Dylan Stish had 10. The duo was averaging a combined 34.8 points entering the game.

Hazleton Area lost the lead at the end of the second quarter but finally caught Pittston Area early in the third as Angel Saladin’s transition basket tied the score 27-27. The Patriots answered with an 11-1 run.

Pittston Area 53, Hazleton Area 50

HAZLETON AREA (50) — Franklin Ritz 0 0-0 0, Dylan Stish 3 2-4 10, Angel Saladin 2 5-6 9, Estarling Melenciano 1 0-0 2, Yohansel Moran 4 0-0 8, Ryan Staffin 0 0-0 0, Luis Guzman 5 2-2 12, Gavin Perkosky 3 0-0 9. Totals 18 9-12 50.

PITTSTON AREA (53) — Silvio Giardina 8 1-1 21, Lucas Lopresto 2 3-4 7, Paul Jordan McGarry 4 2-4 13, Matt Walter 4 0-0 8, Aiden Lynn 1 2-4 4, John Jadus 0 0-0 0. Totals 19 8-13 53.

Hazleton Area`14`9`14`13 — 50

Pittston Area`16`11`16`10 — 53

Three-point goals: HA 5 (Stish 2, Perkosky 3). PA 7 (Giardina 4, McGarry 3).