YATESVILLE — It’s becoming mighty crowded at the top and Pittston Area played a big part in it.
The Patriots held Crestwood to its worst offensive performance in its last 48 games Friday night, defeating the Comets 45-34 in a Wyoming Valley Conference Division 1 boys basketball game.
The loss knocked Crestwood (5-1 in the division, 11-3 overall) from the unbeaten ranks in the division. Pittston Area improved to 5-1 in the division and 10-4 overall. Add Hazleton Area (5-1 and 9-4) being upset by Wilkes-Barre Area and there’s now a three-way tie for first place.
The last time Crestwood was held to fewer points was a 61-25 loss to Dallas on Feb. 6, 2018.
“We didn’t shoot the ball well,” said Crestwood coach Mark Atherton, whose team hosts Hazleton Area Tuesday. “We’re hanging in there and hanging in there, but eventually you’ve got to put the ball in the basket.”
One time the Comets did was with three seconds left in the half when Jacob Zaleski nailed a 3-pointer for a 19-18 lead.
But that was the last time the Comets were ahead.
Pittston Area point guard Mike George took the in-bounds pass, dribbled once and launched a shot from 60 feet away.
Swish, three points and the Patriots were in front for good, 21-19.
“Crestwood is a great basketball program with a great coach,” first-year Patriots coach Al Semenza said. “You’re going to have to dig in to beat them and grind and I thought our kids did that.”
Crestwood was within two points twice in the second half, the last with six minutes left in the fourth quarter when Zaleski’s layup made it 33-31.
The Patriots, however, held the Comets then scoreless for more than four minutes.
Pittston Area didn’t exactly blow the game open during the Crestwood dry spell, but it did enough to get the lead to nine points. J.J. Walsh canned a 3-pointer and two free throws while Logan Booth also hit a pair of free throws.
Booth’s biggest contribution came on the boards. The 6-foot senior grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds after missing the last game with an illness.
Fellow senior Andrew Krawczyk came up with some key rebounds while playing on a sore ankle he injured in the game Booth missed.
“Logan was sick and Krawczyk didn’t play after the first play because he turned an ankle,” Semenza said. “(Krawczyk) has been getting treated for two days. Quite honestly, he struggle in the first half. He came down (to the locker room) at halftime and didn’t pout.
“I thought he played a tremendous second half.”
Joe Cencetti, who started in Krawczyk’s spot, and Walsh scored 10 points each.
Ryan Petrosky and Zaleski led Crestwood with nine points each.
Pittston Area is 10-4 overall.
Pittston Area 46, Berwick 40
Brennan Higgins led Pittston Area to the road victory Tuesday with 19 points.
J.J. Walsh added 13 points and Joe Cencetti had nine.
Hazleton Area 60, Berwick 56
Hazleton Area went 11-for-12 from the line in the fourth quarter Jan. 11 to break a tie and win on the road.
Pittston Area also shot well from the line, going 19-for-15 total.
Logan Booth was 9-for-11 while scoring 15 points.
Mike George, J.J. Walsh and Brennan Higgins scored 10 points each.
