EDITOR’S NOTE: While NEPABasketball.com compiles more complete reports, here is a quick recap of Friday’s highlights.
By Tom Robinson, NEPABasketball.com
EASTON – Two blowout victories and three tough losses in close games marked District 2 action Friday night in the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association tournament.
The Dallas boys and Riverside girls pounded opponents. The Scranton Prep and Pittston Area boys as well as the Western Wayne girls all had their seasons end in losses by six points or less.
Dallas flirted with the Mercy Rule against Philadelphia Catholic League member Cardinal O’Hara while Riverside got there late in the third quarter against Palmerton, the District 11 champion that won its first 18 games of the season and came in with the best record in the state Class 3A bracket at 24-2.
Both the Mountaineers and Lady Vikes advanced to Tuesday’s quarterfinals.
Michael Cumbo and Austin Finarelli combined for 19 of their 44 points in the third quarter when Dallas broke open its 75-57 win over Cardinal O’Hara in a Class 4A game at the Easton Middle School.
Riverside never trailed in its 64-28 rout of Palmerton at Hazleton Area High School.
Cumbo scored 10 of his game-high 23 points as the Mountaineers outscored the Lions, 30-13, to turn a one-point game into a 59-41 runaway. They built the lead to 26 twice midway through the fourth quarter.
Finarelli had 9 points in the third quarter and hit his last 7 shots on the way to finishing with 21 points.
Jackson Wydra had made all 3 of his shots while scoring 7 of his 12 points in the third quarter.
Nick Nocito had seven of his nine assists and all three of his steals during the quarter. He finished with 15 points.
Dallas shot 13-for-19 (68.4 percent) in the third quarter and its starters were 21-for-28 (75.0 percent) in the second half before sitting for the night.
The Mountaineers returned to the state quarterfinals for the second time in three years. Their 2019-20 team did not get to finish its state title pursuit because COVID cut the tournament short.
Katie Slaboda had 15 points, 3 rebounds, 3 steals and 2 blocked shots in the first half to help the Lady Vikes break the game open early.
Riverside shot 16-for-25 (64.0 percent) from the floor and 5-for-8 (62.5 percent) on 3-pointers on their way to a 39-17 halftime lead.
Slaboda finished with 18 points to lead four Riverside scorers in double figures.
Kylie Lavelle had 17 points, 12 rebounds and 3 blocked shots.
Lillie Pon scored 15 points.
Paige Olanovich had 10 points and 5 assists.
Scranton Prep made an upset bid against Neumann-Goretti, the Philadelphia power that has won eight state titles since 2010, before falling short, 57-51, in a Class 4A game at Bethlehem Freedom.
The Cavaliers used a 19-12 third quarter to force a 40-40 tie going into the fourth.
Rob Wright went 4-for-5 from the line in the fourth quarter to finish with 22 points for Neumann-Goretti.
Andrew Ferguson scored 15 points and Robert Rossi 13 for Scranton Prep.
Pittston Area lost to Shippensburg, 49-43, in Class 5A at Pottsville’s Martz Hall in what was a one-possession game into the final 30 seconds.
Jeremy Thomas led Shippensburg with 20 points.
Pittston Area was led by Dominic Jannuzzi with 11 points.
Conwell-Egan scored the game’s first 11 points in a 58-55 Class 3A victory in the opener of the doubleheader at Easton.
Lily Milewski led Conwell-Egan with 16 points and 16 rebounds.
Katherine Shepherd made five 3-pointers while leading Western Wayne with 25 points and 7 rebounds.
Kaeli Romanowski scored 16 points and grabbed 9 rebounds for the Lady ‘Cats, who rallied to lead briefly and had a shot at the tying 3-pointer in the last five seconds.
MORE TO COME
This is just the start of the coverage recapping the second round of state play. Return to this website for more.
