Wyoming Area’s Luke Kopetchny (3) scores two of his game-high 21-points in a losing effort to Dallas Area in a PIAA D2 playoff semi-final game at Hazleton Area on Thursday night.
Tony Callaio | For Times Leader
HAZLE TWP. — Dallas buried 10 shots from beyond the arc Thursday night before allowing Wyoming Area its only 3-pointer of the Wyoming Valley Conference Basketball Tournament boys semifinal at Hazleton Area’s McGeehan Gymnasium.
That ability to defend and score on 3-pointers was the largest of the many differences between the teams as Dallas rolled into its fourth straight WVC Tournament championship game with a 69-42 romp.
Dallas went 11-for-26 (42.3 percent) on 3-pointers while Wyoming Area was 1-for-13 (7.7 percent).
The Mountaineers sent the game into the running clock of the Mercy Rule on their 10th 3-pointer with 6:50 left in the third quarter. They had their biggest lead at 56-23 before Mitchell Rusinchak came in off the Wyoming Area bench and connected from the right corner with 3:35 remaining in the third.
“We knew we had to get out to a quick start because they shoot the three well, then they actually hold the ball and they break you down,” Dallas coach Mark Belenski said. “They’re a good team and for a team that shoots the three, we held them to one today. Kudos to our defense.”
The Mountaineers got their quick start. They outscored the Warriors 21-9 in each of the first two quarters, then opened the second half with an 8-2 run over the first 1:10 to make it 50-20.
Jack Dale started 4-for-5 on 3-pointers and led the way with 20 points. He added seven rebounds and four assists.
Jude Nocito hit three straight 3-point attempts, two late in the first half and the other to cap the fast start in the third. He finished with 19 points and five assists.
Kael Berry came off the bench to go 3-for-3 from long distance and add 11 points.
Their efforts were more than enough to offset a game-high 21 points by Wyoming Area’s Luke Kopetchny.
Kopetchny was 7-for-13 from the floor and 7-for-9 from the foul line.
Drew Keating had seven rebounds, Lukas Burakiewicz three assists and Kopetchny two blocked shots for the Warriors.
Dallas led 25-9 before Kopetchny scored eight points in less than five minutes in the middle of the second quarter, but even then the Mountaineers were adding to their lead.
The loss was the third in the last four games for WVC Division 2 champion Wyoming Area, which was 9-1 in the calendar year prior to that.
