Crestwood ended January on a six-game losing streak, making it clear the hopes of defending a Wyoming Conference Division 1 boys title were over.
The Comets have started February with three straight wins, giving hope of being stronger when it comes time to try to defend their District 2 Class 5A championship.
Crestwood posted the most impressive of the three February wins Tuesday night when it went on the road and was in control throughout the second half of a 57-42 victory over Wilkes-Barre Area.
Drew Sechleer scored 16 points to help the Comets improve to 5-7 in WVC Division 1, moving them into sole possession of fifth place in the eight-team division. They moved into sixth in the nine-team race for eight Class 5A playoff berths with a 9-10 overall record.
Zayne Dunsmuir and Bryce Vieney added 10 points each in the win.
Sechleer had two of his four 3-pointers and scored eight points in the second quarter when Crestwood moved in front.
Vieney also had six points in the quarter when the Comets turned an 8-7 deficit into a 25-21 halftime lead.
Sechleer had five more points in the third quarter when the lead grew to 41-29.
Crestwood closed out the win by shooting 8-for-12 from the line in the fourth quarter. Dunsmuir made all four of his attempts while scoring six points.
Brandon Benjamin scored 11 points and Markell Parnell had 10 for Wilkes-Barre Area.
The Wolfpack is headed in the opposite direction, dropping four straight to fall out of division title contention at 7-6 and 10-10.
In other Tuesday boys games:
Dallas 90, Tunkhannock 57
Austin Finarelli scored 27 points and Michael Cumbo added 23 as visiting Dallas won its 10th straight and maintained a half-game lead in WVC Division 1.
Ben Chilson scored 17 of his 22 points in the first half when the Tigers remained within 51-44 in the fast-paced game.
Cumbo had 15 points and Finarelli 13 in the first half for Dallas.
Finarelli, who finished with four 3-pointers, scored 10 points in the third quarter when the Mountaineers broke the game open by outscoring the Tigers, 23-7.
Nick Nocito added 13 points and Jackson Wydra 10 for Dallas.
Shane Macko scored 11 for Tunkhannock.
Hazleton Area 58, Berwick 44
Hazleton Area bounced back from its first two WVC Division 1 losses to win at home.
Josian Guerra and Khalied Morrieson scored 14 points each in the win.
Guerra had seven points when the Cougars jumped out to a 17-2 lead after one quarter.
Luke Gennaro added 12 points in the win.
Sean Murphy led Berwick with 19 points.
Hazleton Area is 10-2 in the division, a half-game behind Dallas.
Pittston Area 61, Wyoming Valley West 41
J.J. Walsh scored 30 points to lead Pittston Area past host Wyoming Valley in a WVC Division 1 game.
The Patriots won their fifth straight to improve 9-3 and 15-4. They trail Hazleton Area by 1½ games.
Walsh went 7-for-7 from the line while scoring 11 points in the first quarter when the Patriots took a 17-10 lead. He had 16 points in the second half to keep Pittston Area ahead comfortably.
Ethan Ghannam and Dom Jannuzzi added 10 points each.
Jonathan Mann scored 13 points and Ryan Sullivan 12 for Wyoming Valley West.
Nanticoke 55, Lake-Lehman 28
Jaidyn Johnson scored 14 of his 19 points in the third quarter as Nanticoke ran away from visiting Lakeland in a WVC Division 2 game.
Payton Kepp scored all 10 of his points in the first half when the Trojans built a 30-10 lead.
Johnson scored all but one basket in the third quarter when Nanticoke stretched its advantage to 46-14.
The Trojans won their fourth straight to lock up second place in the division by improving to 9-2 on a night when Holy Redeemer clinched first place.
Cole Morio had nine points to lead Lake-Lehman.
Hanover Area 57, MMI Prep 42
Hanover Area hit seven 3-pointers over the final three quarters to gradually pull away from a tie game after one quarter and post the WVC Division 2 victory.
Mike Merth made four of the 3-pointers and finished with 15 points.
Elijah Noe had 13 points and Jake Zola 10.
David Popson scored all eight of his points in the fourth quarter when the Hawkeyes expanded a nine-point lead.
Third-place Hanover Area has won seven out of eight and is 10-3 since starting 1-7.
Brendan Brobst hit four second-half 3-pointers and finished with 20 points for the Preppers.
Blue Ridge 61, Lackawanna Trail 48
Connor Cranage scored 25 points and grabbed 9 rebounds as visiting Blue Ridge defeated winless Lackawanna Trail in a Lackawanna League Division 4 game.
Carson Gallagher added 16 points in the win.
J.J. Rosa had 7 points and 10 assists. James Barbour grabbed nine rebounds.
Blue Ridge improved to 8-2 and 12-6 and moved within a half-game of first-place Elk Lake.
Lackawanna Trail was led by Brycen Decker with 24 points.
MORE TUESDAY BOYS COVERAGE
Holy Redeemer-Wyoming Area game story: https://nepabasketball.com/2021-22/HSGames/BoysRedeemerWA.
