DALLAS TWP. – Pittston Area has been plagued by turnovers more than once this season.
In fact, Patriots coach Alan Kiesinger began Friday night’s postgame interview referring to recordings of earlier comments lamenting the team’s turnovers.
The Patriots’ offensive woes, however, were even more complicated this time around.
Shooting troubles combined with the turnovers to keep Pittston Area scoreless for 6:41 as Dallas scored the game’s first 15 points on the way to a 57-35 Wyoming Valley Conference Division 1 boys basketball romp.
“Of course, it was the turnovers, but also some shots that we would normally make,” Kiesinger said. “It was like the perfect storm.
“Shots that we normally make don’t go in and they shot the ball really well tonight.”
As a result, the Patriots made just one basket in the first 10:21 and two in the first 14:49 while falling behind 24-5 late in the first half.
Pittston Area did not reach double figures until Matt McGlynn hit a 3-pointer from the right corner with 4:45 left in the third quarter to cut into a 30-9 deficit.
The Patriots played the Mountaineers on near even terms the rest of the way, but the damage had been done.
“They’re a good team,” Kiesinger said. “They’re long; they’re athletic; they’re well-coached.”
Dallas hit six of its 10 shots from 3-point range. The starting lineup shot 19-for-34 (55.9 percent) from the floor overall and 4-for-5 (80 percent) on 3-pointers, then got defensive and rebounding help from a deep bench.
Joey Parsons led the way with 16 points and nine rebounds, while Jay Bittner had six assists and four steals for the Mountaineers.
Ben Donahue added eight points and four steals to lead a bench that provided 14 of the rebounds to a 35-21 advantage on the boards.
“This is (Class) 5A basketball,” Kiesinger said. “This is what we’re going to see night in and night out and we need to be ready for it.”
Keeping pace with the other 5A teams in the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association’s new six-class system has been difficult on the Patriots so far.
Pittston Area is 1-2 in the WVC and 4-5 overall. It is 2-4 against other 5A teams and ranks eighth out of the nine teams competing for eight district berths, but does have a sizable lead on Coughlin in the new District 2 Power Ratings Formula that will determine those spots.
Dallas is 2-1 in the WVC, 6-3 overall and ranked third of the nine 5A teams.
McGlynn hit another 3-pointer in the third quarter and finished with a team-high eight points.
Patrick Mitchell led the Patriots in rebounds (five) and blocked shots (two) while Alex McAndrew led in assists (four) and steals (three).
Wyoming Area 53
Wyoming Seminary 36
Kyre Zielinski scored 14 points to help Wyoming Area remain undefeated with a WVC Division 2-3 crossover victory.
Zielinski had 10 of his points in the first half to get the Warriors out to a 25-16 halftime lead.
Sam Greenfield, who did all his scoring in the second half, and Ryan Shuleski added 10 points each in the win.
The Warriors are tied with four of the other five Division 2 teams – Berwick, GAR, Meyers and Nanticoke – for the division lead at 3-0 after those teams dominated the crossovers with Division 3.
Wyoming Area is 8-0 overall and second to only fellow unbeaten Berwick in power ratings among the 12 teams chasing eight District 2 Class 4A playoff berths.
Pittston Area 50
Coughlin 48
Chris Klein scored eight of his 13 points in the fourth quarter to help Pittston Area hang on for its first WVC Division 1 victory Wednesday night at Coughlin.
Matt McGlynn and Alex McAndrew added 11 points each in what was also an important win for the team in District 2 Class 5A.
Klein and McGlynn each had three of the team’s seven 3-pointers.
McAndrew went 9-for-13 from the line, including 3-for-4 in the fourth quarter and hitting two key free throws late.
Coughlin was led by Charles Cobb with 18 points.
Wyoming Area 80
Lake-Lehman 32
Sam Greenfield scored 17 points as visiting Wyoming Area remained unbeaten with a rout in the WVC Division 2-3 crossover game.
Matt Wright added 10 points.
The Warriors took leads of 20-3 after one quarter, 44-14 at halftime and 65-26 after three quarters.
Greenfield hit three of the team’s 10 baskets from 3-point range. Anthony Nardell and Kyle Musto, who was playing for the first time this season after receiving clearance from an injury, each hit two.
The week ahead
Wyoming Area has three WVC games and Pittston Area has two.
The Warriors are at MMI Prep Tuesday, home with Hanover Area Thursday and at Holy Redeemer Saturday.
The Patriots are at Hazleton Area Tuesday and home with Wyoming Valley West Friday.
