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By JOHN ERZAR; Times Leader Sports Writer
Sunday, February 27, 1994 Page: 1C QUICK WORDS: GAR LADY GRENADIERS
WRIGHT TWP. — The GAR Lady Grenadiers had a regular season fragmented by
nagging injuries, untimely illnesses and disappointing performances.
On Saturday night though, if a team ever put all the pieces together it was
GAR.
Four players scored in double figures and GAR cut off a Dallas rally for a
68-42 victory in the Wyoming Valley Conference Division II girls’ basketball
championship game played at Crestwood High School.
“We dug ourselves a big grave and fought our way out of it,” said GAR coach
Gene Skrynski, whose team won the Division II second-half title. “We lost the
first game out in Dallas (which cost GAR the first-half season title), and
then we played the second game of the second half and lost to Seton.
“From there on out, we really had to step it up a notch.”
The Lady Grenadiers did just that.
Center Jeana Kochanski, who scored 18 points, established GAR inside in the
first quarter with eight points. That was something lacking in the
regular-season loss to Dallas (8-8 in league play).
Forward Tanyalee Jones also scored 18 points, firing in shots from the
inside and perimeter. Guard Colleen Cannon added her usual long-range
shooting, hitting three 3-pointers to finish with 15 points.
But the player who really came through was Christa Galella. The freshman
guard replaced her sister Yvonne, who was in foul trouble, and scored a
career-high 11 points.
“The saving grace for us tonight was Christa Galella,” said Skrynski, whose
team improved to 12-4 in Division II play and won its second straight Division
II title.
“She really grew up. We knew coming into the season she had a lot of
athletic ability. She was very nervous competing at the varsity level.”
Cannon agreed that Christa’s play helped make up for the loss of Yvonne
Galella, who runs the team’s offense.
“Yvonne is a main part of our offense,” said Cannon. “Christa did well
taking her place. We really functioned well.”
The victory wasn’t as easy as a 26-point margin would indicate. GAR led by
16 with eight seconds left in the second quarter, but Dallas managed to cut it
to 33-21 by halftime.
The Lady Mountaineers, who won the first-half season championship, made the
comeback behind Kelly Janosky. She hit two free throws with eight seconds
left, then stole an inbounds pass to score at the buzzer.
Janosky opened the third quarter with an outside jumper and a drive to the
basket, moving Dallas within 33-25 at 6:34. But the Lady Mountaineers went
down court a few times and missed chances to cut the deficit to six. They
didn’t score again until 2:11 of the quarter when Adrienne Camp scored inside.
In the meantime, GAR went on a 9-0 run to boost its lead to 42-25. Denise
Seabrook started it with her only basket of the game. Jones hit from the
inside and baseline, while Christa Galella added three points.
Cannon added a 3-pointer and two free throws a bit later and GAR took a
47-28 lead into the fourth quarter.
“I was open a lot,” said Cannon, who finished second in Division II in
3-point baskets with 27.
Kochanski and Jones’ play inside caused that.
“The last time we played them, they didn’t give us anything inside and we
had to try from the outside,” said Skrynski. “We probably missed our first six
or eight shots, and that allowed them to pack it in more and more.”
Defensively, GAR shut down Dallas’ Robin Suda in the second half. Suda, who
leads Division II in scoring, had just eight points, all in the first half.
Janosky led Dallas with 15.
Ironically, Dallas will conclude its regular season on Monday at
Lake-Lehman. The game is a second-half season contest and had no bearing on
Saturday’s title game. After that, the Lady Mountaineers will play in the
District 2 Class AAA tournament. GAR will be in the Class AA tourney.
DALLAS (42)
R.Suda 4 0-0 8, Paxton 0 0-0 0, Janosky 6 3-4 15, S.Suda 1 0-0 2, Baseski 1
0-0 2, Fetterman 0 0-0 0, Barlow 0 0-0 0, Camp 3 0-0 8, Kosakowski 3 1-1 7.
Totals 18 4-5 42.
GAR (68)
Y.Galella 1 0-0 2, Cannon 4 4-4 15, Jones 7 3-4 18, Kochanski 8 2-4 18,
Seabrook 1 0-0 2, C.Galella 4 3-4 11, Klein 0 0-0 0, Dw.McLeod 1 0-0 2. Totals
26 12-16 68.
Dallas 8 13 8 13 –42
GAR 19 14 14 21 –68
Three-point goals: Camp 2, Cannon 3, Jones.