Nanticoke handed Lake-Lehman its first overall loss of the season and, in the process, jumbled the Wyoming Valley Conference Division 2 girls basketball race Thursday night.
Freshman Claire Aufiere scored 12 points, including the winning basket, to lead the Trojanettes to the 30-29 road victory that knocked Lake-Lehman out of a share of the division lead and lifted Nanticoke into that spot.
The Trojanettes and Wyoming Area are tied for the division lead with 3-0 records.
Lake-Lehman, the fourth-ranked Big School in the My City Mortgage Super Six Power Rankings, had a potential go-ahead, 3-pointer with a minute left ruled no basket after it bounced high off the cable holding the backboard up before falling through the rim.
Aufiere, who hit two of the team’s six 3-pointers in the game, was fouled on a 3-point attempt with 2:26 left. She made two of the three attempts for a 28-25 lead.
Lake-Lehman scored the next four points to take the lead.
All-star center Lauren Casey, who was limited to less than half the game after missing the previous game and part of the one before that with an ankle injury, grabbed an offensive rebound, but was unable to score. Aufiere rebounded her shot and scored the winning points on a reverse layup with about 1:20 remaining.
The Trojanettes twice missed free throws with a chance to add to the lead late, but they kept the Lady Knights from scoring on the other end.
Claire Dougherty led Lake-Lehman with 12 points. Chase Purdy added 10.
Nanticoke opened a 13-4 lead, but Lake-Lehman gradually fought back to tie game, 21-21, after holding Nanticoke to three points in the third quarter.
The Trojanettes scored the first five points of the fourth for a 26-21 lead, then fought off another Lady Knights comeback. Lake-Lehman took the lead with an 8-2 run.
Nanticoke has won four straight overall since an 0-3 start.
“We’re on a nice roll,” Nanticoke coach Ed Grant said. “This is clearly the best we’ve played.
“We’re starting to mesh well. It’s a credit to the girls.”
Lake-Lehman is 3-1 in the division and 6-1 overall.
Elsewhere Thursday:
Carbondale 34, Lakeland 24
Carbondale shut out visiting Lakeland in the third quarter of their Lackawanna League Division 3 game to post its first win of the season.
The Chargerettes ran off 15 points during the quarter to turn a one-point halftime deficit into a 28-14 lead.
Deana Mancuso led Carbondale with 17 points. She hit two 3-pointers and also had three assists.
Sarah Tolerico went 7-for-9 from the line while scoring 11 points and grabbing 5 rebounds.
Alyvia Schiavone had six rebounds and five steals along with four points.
Giana Arnese had a team-high 10 rebounds and was the only other Chargerette to score with one basket.
Both teams come out of the game with 1-5 records. One Carbondale loss came in non-league play while all of Lakeland’s games have been in Division 3.
Wallenpaupack 45, West Scranton 36
Wallenpaupack broke through for its first victory, winning on the road in the Lackawanna Division 1-2 crossover game.
Devon Kiesendahl led the Lady Buckhorns with 17 points.
Olivia Dougher led West Scranton, also with 17 points.
Both teams entered the game with 0-3 records.
Mountain View 39, Blue Ridge 31
Mountain View scored the game’s first 15 points before needing to fight off a comeback by host Blue Ridge in the meeting of winless Lackawanna Division 4 teams.
Regan Cameron led the way for the Lady Eagles with 15 points.
Lilly Bleck led Blue Ridge with 17 points.
Abington Heights 56, Western Wayne 33
Clair Marion scored 14 points when Abington Heights knocked Western Wayne out of the Division 2 lead in the Lackawanna Division 1-2 crossover game.
Rachel McDonald added 13 points and Allison Dammer 12 for the host Lady Comets.
Abington Heights is ranked third among Big Schools in the Super Six while Western Wayne is fourth in Small Schools.
Skylar Long led the Lady Wildcats with 10 points.
Honesdale 38, Delaware Valley 27
Rowan Murray led the way with 18 points and Honesdale took advantage of Western Wayne’s loss by winning on the road to move into the Lackawanna Division 2 lead by percentage points.
The Lady Hornets are 2-1 with all their games in league play.
Brooke Acoveno led Delaware Valley with 13 points.
Elk Lake 48, Susquehanna 32
Tamara Voda scored 15 points to lead Elk Lake to the home-court win and into sole possession of the Lackawanna Division 4 lead.
The Lady Warriors have won four straight division games, by an average of 32 points, since losing their non-league opener. They are a half-game in front of Lackawanna Trail (3-0 in division) and a full game in front of Montrose (2-0).
Krista Jones scored all 9 of Elk Lake’s fourth-quarter points to finish with 12 points.
Kerstin Dooley led Susquehanna with seven points.
Holy Cross 59, Lackawanna Trail 23
Kaci Kranson scored 24 points and Abbey Lentowski added 23 as Holy Cross handed host Lackawanna Trail its first loss of the season in a crossover game that is not part of the Lackawanna League standings.
Montrose 54, Forest City 14
Montrose is off to a 2-0 start in Lackawanna Division 4, winning its first two games by 41 and 40 points.
Hayley Pompey scored 12 points in the win. Tangi Smith, who had 8 assists, and Mia Snyder scored 11 each.
The Lady Meteors led 33-6 at halftime.
Scranton Prep 75, Scranton 22
Scranton Prep, the top-ranked Big School in the Super Six, now also has the best overall record in District 2 after Lake-Lehman’s loss and the Classics’ rout in the Lackawanna Division 1 home game.
Rachael Rose led the way with 24 points. Cecelia Collins added 14.
Scranton Prep, the division lead with a 5-0 league record, led 42-9 at halftime.
Dunmore 65, Old Forge 27
Moriah Murray scored 23 points and fueled another fast start by Dunmore, the second-ranked Big School in the Super Six.
Ciera Toomey added 14 points for the Lady Bucks, who are 5-0 in the division and 6-1 overall.
Dunmore scored the first 12 points in the opening 2:33 of the second quarter for a 35-4 lead.
Riverside 50, Mid Valley 9
Riverside’s romp at Mid Valley allowed the Lady Vikes, the top-ranked Small School in the Super Six, to take sole possession of second place in Lackawanna Division 3, following Old Forge’s loss.
Emily Taylor hit four 3-pointers while scoring all 14 of her points in the first half.
Kayla Rose also scored 14 points.
The Lady Vikes (4-1 and 10-1) led 36-2 midway through the third quarter.
MORE
Valley View-North Pocono game story: https://nepabasketball.com/2020-21/articles/VVNPGGame.
