By Tom Robinson, NEPABasketball.com.
WILKES-BARRE TWP. – Al Semenza was treated to a sneak preview.
Then, his Pittston Area boys team unveiled an awesome offensive show for the largest audience of championship weekend at the Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza.
Jack Locker scored 14 of his 20 points in the second half to lead a Patriots attack that shot 64.1 percent from the floor while committing just 7 turnovers as they ran away from North Pocono, 59-26, for the District 2 Class 5A championship.
“Wednesday night, we just had a tremendous practice,” said Semenza, who was so convinced that his team was ready that he shortened his planned Thursday practice. “We shot the ball tremendous at our place.
“We were shooting unbelievable. We did everything right. I just sat there saying, ‘oh my God are we good tonight’.”
Playing a team they struggled to beat, 36-33, in the Conference Challenge in Scranton in December, the Patriots opened an eight-point lead on Locker’s 3-pointer in the first minute of the second quarter, then fought out of the last Trojans challenge to maintain it into halftime.
They were just getting started.
Pittston Area stormed North Pocono, 24-4, while missing just two shots in the third quarter, then added five more points in the first minute of the fourth quarter to make it a Mercy Rule game at 55-22.
“That’s one of the better performances I’ve seen in a district championship game out of a team in a while,” Semenza said. “I thought we were really good.”
Few could argue.
Locker went 3-for-4 on 3-pointers while scoring 11 points in the third quarter, then added a three-point play early in the fourth.
“This is the best feeling I ever felt in my life,” Locker said. “These are my best friends since I was 12 years old.
“We played together through the whole time. I love these guys; they’re my brothers.”
After making its first four shots of the fourth quarter, Pittston Area was done scoring with a 35-point lead and 4:25 left. From there, the Patriots ran time off the clock and turned the game over to their reserves.
Locker had plenty of help in leading Pittston Area to its first district title since 1978.
Dominic Jannuzzi went 7-for-9 from the floor while adding 14 points, dishing out 5 assists and making 3 steals.
Anthony Cencetti was 6-for-9 while scoring 13 points and grabbing 5 rebounds.
Ethan Ghannam had six rebounds to lead the team to a 27-12 dominance on the boards. He also made his first three shots, before missing once late, for six points.
J.J. Walsh had a game-high six assists along with six points, five rebounds and two steals.
Ghannam had two early baskets in an eight-point streak to an 11-4 lead.
Efficient offense was on display as the teams combined to start 12-for-13 from inside the arc.
Nearly matching Pittston Area, North Pocono stayed within 20-17 until 4:38 left in the half.
That’s when the Patriots began shutting down the Trojans, starting a stretch in which they outscored North Pocono, 35-5, for the next 13:53.
The win was the 10th straight for Pittston Area, which improved to 20-4.
North Pocono (18-6) was led by Ryan Ruddy, who scored 11 points and assisted on 4 of the team’s other 7 baskets.
MORE CLASS 5A BOYS COVERAGE
Video highlights: https://www.instagram.com/p/CatcNGOj9De/.
Audio broadcast: https://www.meridix.com/event/209919.
Photos: https://nepasportsnation.com/district-2-class-5a-boys-photo-gallery/.
Statistics: https://nepabasketball.com/2021-22/Playoffs/5ABoysBoxscore.
