YATESVILLE – Nothing rattled Pittston Area sophomore guard J.J. Walsh Friday night.

Not the big crowd. Not the numerous cameras televising the game locally. Not an opponent riding a seven-game winning streak.

Walsh blocked all of it out as he nailed eight 3-pointers as part of his 33-point performance as Pittston Area defeated Dallas, 66-59, in the Wyoming Valley Conference Division 1 boys basketball opener for both teams.

“I made my first two and my teammates kept giving me the ball,” said Walsh, who benefited from couple passes by senior Brennan Higgins in the third quarter that allowed the Patriots some space. “I kept making them and kept shooting them.”

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Pittston Area improved to 6-3 overall, with one loss by a point and another by three points. However, first-year coach Al Semenza remained cautious despite the solid start.

“But we also won a two-point game and a one-point game,” said Semenza, a veteran coach with stops at Old Forge, Wyoming Area and Western Wayne. “Everybody tells me that, but I look at the other side of it. I think every night in this division is going to be just like it was tonight. You got to make the plays down the stretch and we didn’t play too smart down the stretch.”

Pittston Area saw an 11-point lead with 1:34 left dwindle to 63-56 with just under a minute left after Dallas’ Austin Finarelli hit two technical free throws. The Mountaineers, though, couldn’t capitalize on their next possession and Pittston Area scored four consecutive points to seal the win.

Plus, the Patriots looked shaky to start the second half, fouling Dallas’ Jack Farrell on a 3-point shot. Farrell knocked down all three free throws to give the Mountaineers a 31-27 lead and the momentum.

Pittston Area recovered a few minutes later when Walsh tied the score 35-35 with a 3-pointer and Higgins connected on a drive to give his team the lead for good. Walsh and Higgins then teamed up twice as part of the 12-2 run.

Higgins found Walsh cutting on the baseline for an inside basket and a kickout pass to Walsh for another 3-pointer boosted the lead to 44-37.

“You’ve got to be five as one to beat a great team line that,” Walsh said. “That’s what we did tonight. They knew I had the hot hand and they kept on finding me.”

Dallas (7-2) cut the deficit to 46-43 entering the fourth, but Pittston Area put on another burst capped by Mike George’s spin move to the hoop at 5:08. The Patriots maintained a lead of at least nine points for the next four minutes.

Farrell led Dallas with 28 points.

BOYS BASKETBALL

Holy Redeemer 67

Wyoming Area 43

Justice Shoats scored 26 points and Mason Mendygral tossed in 20 more as the Royals won Friday’s WVC Division 2 opener at Wyoming Area.

Shoats hit all of his points by the end of the third quarter, leading Holy Redeemer to a 53-23 advantage. Mendygral swished four of his six 3-point field goals in the opening quarter as the Royals stormed out to a 22-10 lead after the opening eight minutes.

Sammy Solomon led Wyoming Area with 17 points.

Wyoming Area 53

Forest City 50

Wyoming Area used the Monday non-league road game to post its third win, surpassing last season’s total.

Jesse Mikoliczyk scored 15 of his 17 points in the second half after Sammy Solomon had 10 of his 15 in the first half.

Mikoliczyk went 7-for-7 from the line in the fourth quarter while scoring 11.

Cole Coolbaugh, who finished with 10 points, and Jake Greenfield each hit a pair of 3-pointer sin the second half.

Delaware Valley 54

Wyoming Area 43

Tournament Most Valuable Player Jackson Shafer scored 30 points to help host Delaware Valley finish 2-0 in the Milford-Matamoras Rotary Tournament with the Dec. 27 victory.

Jake Greenfield led the Warriors with 13 points. Cole Coolbaugh and Sammy Solomon added 11 each.

Greenfield and Coolbaugh each made three 3-pointers.

GIRLS BASKETBALL

Holy Redeemer 66

Wyoming Area 44

Livia Moore scored 20 points and Sam Yencha added 18 as Holy Redeemer opened defense of its WVC Division 2 title with a victory at home Thursday.

Cassidy Orzel and Mackenzie Nocchi scored 10 points each for Wyoming Area.

Wilkes-Barre Area 65

Wyoming Area 53

Allycia Harris scored 32 points and grabbed 18 rebounds to lead unbeaten Wilkes-Barre Area to Monday’s home win.

Gloria Adjayi helped the Wolfpack dominate inside by adding 14 points and 18 rebounds.

Cassidy Orzel went 8-for-8 from the line for Wyoming Area. She scored nine in the first and 10 in the fourth to finish with 23 points.

Nicole Silinskie made three 3-pointers and finished with 15 points.

WRESTLING

Tunkhannock Kiwanis Tournament

Wyoming Area’s Jaden Pepe, at 106 pounds, and Pittston Area’s A.J. Gorto, at 160 pounds, each won individual titles in the 28-team tournament.

The Warriors placed 16th and the Patriots 18th in the two-day event, which concluded Dec. 28.

West Scranton scored 205 points to edge Canton by 3 ½ points and the host Tigers by five.

Wyoming Area had 87 ½ points and Pittston Area had 73.

Pepe defeated Brandon Grogan from Abington Heights, 10-1, in the semifinals, then decisioned South Williamsport’s Robert Gardner, 12-5, for the title.

Connor Wrobleski was third at 170. After losing 4-1 to Canton’s Timothy Ward in the semifinals, he came back with two wins, including 6-4 over South Williamsport’s Lane Lusk in the consolation final.

Nasir Condry placed fifth with a 5-1 decision over Pocono Mountain East in his final match. Before dropping the consolation semifinal, Condry got into the top six by getting through an overtime bout and a one-pointer to win two straight close decisions in the consolation rounds.

Gorto got past Scranton Prep’s Joe Monahan, 5-1, in the semifinals to reach the final where he pinned West Scranton’s Garrett Walsh in 5:32.

James Spindler was fifth at 145 pounds where he split a pair of 2-1 decisions in the last two bouts. After losing a decision to Tunkhannock’s Gavin D’Amato in the semifinals, he lost in overtime to South Williamsport’s Landon Lorson. Spindler recovered to defeat Oliver Egan from Scranton Prep in the fifth-place match.

Pittston Area’s Mike George (No. 10) goes up for a shot against Dallas’ Michael Bufalino Friday night.
https://www.psdispatch.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/web1_TTL010420DALLASPABBALL1-1.jpg.optimal.jpgPittston Area’s Mike George (No. 10) goes up for a shot against Dallas’ Michael Bufalino Friday night. Zachary Allen | For Sunday Dispatch

Pittston Area’s JJ Walsh watches as he makes a basket during Friday’s game against Dallas.
https://www.psdispatch.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/web1_TTL010420DALLASPABBALL2-1.jpg.optimal.jpgPittston Area’s JJ Walsh watches as he makes a basket during Friday’s game against Dallas. Zachary Allen | For Sunday Dispatch

Pittston Area’s Joe Cencetti (No. 23) shoots against Dallas’ Luke DelGaudio (No. 23) Friday night.
https://www.psdispatch.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/web1_TTL010420DALLASPABBALL3-1.jpg.optimal.jpgPittston Area’s Joe Cencetti (No. 23) shoots against Dallas’ Luke DelGaudio (No. 23) Friday night. Zachary Allen | For Sunday Dispatch

PIttston Area’s Andrew Krawczyk (No. 32) grabs a rebound during Friday’s game against Dallas.
https://www.psdispatch.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/web1_TTL010420DALLASPABBALL5-1.jpg.optimal.jpgPIttston Area’s Andrew Krawczyk (No. 32) grabs a rebound during Friday’s game against Dallas. Zachary Allen | For Sunday Dispatch

PIttston Area’s Andrew Krawczyk (No. 32) and Dallas’ Luke DelGaudio (No. 23) jump during tip off on Friday night.
https://www.psdispatch.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/web1_TTL010420DALLASPABBALL8-1.jpg.optimal.jpgPIttston Area’s Andrew Krawczyk (No. 32) and Dallas’ Luke DelGaudio (No. 23) jump during tip off on Friday night. Zachary Allen | For Sunday Dispatch

By John Erzar

jerzar@timesleader.com

and Tom Robinson

For Sunday Dispatch

Reach the Sunday Dispatch newsroom at 570-991-6405 or by email at sd@psdispatch.com.