EDITOR’S NOTE: While NEPABasketball.com compiles more complete reports, here is a quick recap of Wednesday’s highlights.
By Ben Magnotta and Tom Robinson, NEPABasketball.com
CLARKS SUMMIT – Jamison Bessoir scored 24 points and Matt Show led Abington Heights down the stretch Wednesday night when the Comets defeated visiting Dallas, 75-69, in a non-league game between two of the top three boys teams in the My City Mortgage Super Six Power Rankings of District 2 teams.
Show scored 11 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter with the help of 4-for-5 foul shooting. That was part of a 14-for-19 effort from the free throw line by Abington Heights in the quarter.
Ryan Nealon went 5-for-6 from the line in the quarter and 8-for-10 in the game. He finished with 16 points, 7 of which came in the fourth.
No. 3 Abington Heights overcame a dozen 3-pointers by Dallas to improve to 3-2. The second-ranked Mountaineers fell to 1-1.
Austin Finarelli (18), Michael Cumbo (17) and Jude Nocito (14) scored in double figures for Dallas.
Nocito hit four 3-pointers while Cumbo and Zach Paczewski had three each. Cumbo’s three came in the third quarter, then Nocito hit three in the fourth.
Dallas led 40-32 before being held scoreless for more than five minutes through the middle of the third quarter.
Abington Heights went ahead to stay by running off 14 straight points during that time, including 7 by Bessoir.
Two other ranked Big School teams joined Abington Heights in producing impressive victories.
Visiting Pittston Area ran over rival Wyoming Area, 57-32, in the 17th annual Eugene R. DeMinico II Memorial Game.
North Pocono won a game between ranked teams, 53-34, over visiting Elk Lake.
Dominic Jannuzzi scored 12 of his 14 points in the first half and was named as his team’s Most Valuable Player in Pittston Area’s win.
Jack Locker added 12 points while Ethan Ghannam had 10 points and 10 rebounds. J.J. Walsh had seven assists.
Pittston Area blew the game open early with the last 12 points of the first quarter followed by Locker scoring the first 5 of the second quarter for a 25-4 lead.
Evan Melberger was selected as Wyoming Area’s MVP. He had eight points and three assists.
Dane Schutter had nine points, nine rebounds and four blocked shots for the Warriors.
Ryan Ruddy scored 18 points and A.J. Nemetz had 15 for fifth-ranked North Pocono.
Ruddy had eight points and Nemetz hit two 3-pointers during a 20-10 second quarter to open a 31-18 halftime lead.
Elk Lake, the No. 6 Small School, was led by Matt Mowry with 15 points.
In other boys games: West Scranton defeated Lakeland, 64-55; Berwick edged Central Columbia, 37-34; Crestwood topped Hanover Area, 45-31; Valley View downed Wyoming Valley West, 51-44; Wilkes-Barre Area defeated Nanticoke, 58-52; Riverside ripped Montrose, 58-29; Stroudsburg handled Honesdale, 58-41; Pine Grove defeated Wyoming Seminary, 39-30; and Schuylkill Haven shut down MMI Prep, 45-15.
West Scranton outscored Lakeland in each of the first three quarters to build a 51-40 lead.
Antonio Torres led the Invaders with 21 points while Tristan Lee added 19 and Evan Laybourn-Boddie had 16.
Antonio Hazelton led Lakeland with 15 points. Joey Dunstone added 12 and Nathan Hunt had 8.
Berwick shut out Central Columbia in the fourth quarter to rally from eight down and defeat the Blue Jays.
Sean Murphy went 7-for-7 from the line while leading the Bulldogs with 13 points.
Tahsjee Taylor added 12 points.
Miles Doll scored five of his seven points in the fourth quarter.
Zayne Dunsmuir scored 15 points to lead Crestwood. Tyler Oresick added 10.
Elijah Noe led Hanover Area with 13 points.
Eli Yusavage hit three first-quarter 3-pointers to lead Valley View with 16 points and the Cougars shot 11-for-14 from the foul line in the fourth quarter.
Zach Konopke led Wyoming Valley West with 15 points.
Caroline Murray hit five, first-half 3-pointers and Abington Heights held Holy Cross to nine second-half points for a 56-40, road victory in the only girls game between ranked teams.
Murray had 17 of her 21 points in the first half for Abington Heights, the No. 5 Big School.
Anna Scoblick added 17 points.
All 17 of Kaci Kranson’s points came in the first half for No. 3 Small School Holy Cross.
In girls games: Wilkes-Barre Area routed West Scranton, 68-28; Central Columbia routed Berwick, 47-20; Northeast Bradford topped Elk Lake, 45-38; and Northwest defeated Forest City, 38-31.
Wilkes-Barre Area ran out to a 31-5 lead after one quarter.
Danayjha Moore led the Wolfpack with 17 points. Gloria Adjayi added 12 and Shelby Ardo-Boyko had 11.
Olivia Dougher led West Scranton with 12 points.
Berwick was plagued by 38 turnovers in its loss.
Gabby Starr led the Lady Bulldogs with 7 points.
MORE TO COME
Return to this website for more-detailed reports on Wednesday’s games.
