By Tom Robinson, NEPABasketball.com
SCRANTON – Austin Finarelli and his Dallas teammates were anxious to get competition started.
“We didn’t play for a while, so we were all so excited to play someone who’s not wearing another Dallas jersey,” Finarelli said after Saturday’s season opener at Scranton Prep.
The Mountaineers turned that excitement into the positive energy they used to produce a 77-58, road victory in a meeting of teams ranked among the best in District 2 going into the season.
Finarelli led the charge with a career-high 35 points, along with 5 rebounds, 3 steals and 2 assists in an effort that earned him the first Brucelli Advertising District 2 Boys Basketball Player of the Week award of the season. The 35 points was also the most scored by a District 2 boy during the first weekend of the season.
The award covers the opening weekend of Dec. 10-12.
Finarelli broke into the starting lineup during his freshman season and has been there since, working alongside close friend Nick Nocito to form one of District 2’s most productive backcourts. Prior to the season, the two, who also played together on the NEPA Elite Coyle 17U AAU team, each committed to stay in state to play at National Collegiate Athletic Association Division III schools. Finarelli is headed to Elizabethtown and Nocito to Ursinus.
“They’re like brothers,” Dallas coach Mark Belenski said. “They’re fun. They go off of each other.”
Finarelli credited Nocito, who had just hit three 3-pointers in less than 2 minutes, for opening the space that allowed him to score 17 points in 5:40 late in the half when the Mountaineers were taking control.
Fearless in his drives to the basket against bigger players, Finarelli also proved during the streak that he can light up the scoreboard from outside. The six straight shots he made during the outburst included four straight 3-pointers.
Belenski was not surprised at the proficiency.
“He’s our best shooter,” Belenski said, “but he likes to go to the rack.”
Finarelli used that combination to average in double figures in scoring each of the last two seasons.
After helping Dallas reach the state Class 4A quarterfinals where the 2020 tournament ended because of COVID, Finarelli was a second-team Wyoming Valley Conference Division 2 all-star choice by NEPABasketball.com during the 2021 season.
The opening night effort included 13-for-20 shooting from the floor, 6-for-11 from 3-point range and 3-for-4 on free throws.
Austin, from Shavertown, is the son of Al and Jenine Finarelli.
North Pocono’s A.J. Nemitz and Holy Redeemer’s Matt Prociak also received consideration for the award for their roles in season-opening wins.
Nemitz scored 20 of his 23 points in the second half when North Pocono pulled away from Nanticoke, 65-41.
Prociak had 23 points in a 56-40 victory over Hunter College High School in New York City.
