Ethan Ghannam and J.J. Walsh rallied Pittston Area at home in the final minute Saturday night, allowing the Patriots to take over the lead in the race for the top seed in the District 2 Class 5A boys playoffs and knock Hazleton Area out of the Wyoming Valley Conference Division 1 lead with a 47-46 victory.

Hazleton Area put together an 11-4 run from late in the third quarter to carry a three-point lead into the final two minutes.

Walsh, who scored 25 points to lead the win, went 8-for-8 from the line in the fourth quarter. He hit two with 1:39 left and again with 33.7 seconds left, drawing fouls on drives and pulling the Patriots within one both times.

Hazleton Area’s Khalid Morrison, who worked his way inside for 13 of his 19 points in the second half, scored in between for a 46-43 lead with 1:03 left.

Pittston Area broke a nine-minute stretch without a field goal when it worked the ball off an in-bounds pass under the basket and found Ghannam in the post. His turnaround shot from the middle of the lane with six seconds left lifted the Patriots to the victory.

The Patriots defense held Hazleton Area guards Josian Guerra and Luke Gennaro, the team’s top two scorers throughout the season, to one second-half field goal each. They each finished with 10 points.

Walsh had eight points in the first quarter for a 16-14 Pittston Area lead.

Hazleton Area led 24-23 at halftime.

Pittston Area had a 14-9 start to the second half, taking a 37-33 lead on an Anthony Cencetti drive with 1:07 left.

Hazleton Area went ahead by scoring the last basket of the third quarter and the first four points of the fourth.

Cencetti finished with seven points for Pittston Area.

Pittston Area has won four straight to improve to 9-3 in the division and 14-4 overall.

Hazleton Area has lost two straight since starting the division 9-0 as part of a 12-game winning streak. The Cougars are 9-2 and 15-4.

Both teams trail Dallas, which is 10-2 in the division with two games left.