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By TOM HOUSENICK; Times Leader Sports Writer
Wednesday, December 23, 1998     Page: 1B

PLYMOUTH- Wyoming Valley West and Crestwood came into Tuesday’s boys
basketball game with the numbers in the right places.
   
The Spartans and Comets were a combined 4-0 in Wyoming Valley Conference
regular-season action.
    But, the crossover contest provided figures that would be expected of teams
struggling for victories. The teams combined for 36 turnovers, 46 fouls and 65
missed shots.
   
When it counted, Valley West made fewer mistakes.
   
Matt Hopple’s three-pointer started a 7-0 run in overtime and the Spartans
went on to a 57-52 victory.
   
“This was an early Christmas present,” Valley West coach John Rosick said.
   
Crestwood coach Mark Atherton was equally unimpressed with his club’s
performance.
   
“This was no moral victory, playing Valley West tough,” the Comet coach
said. “We felt we could come here and win. We didn’t get it done.”
   
Valley West, which owned an eight-point lead in the second quarter, scored
the first seven points of overtime to take control. After Hopple’s
three-pointer, Tim Needle made two free throws and Brian Mattes scored off a
nice Phil Bonczewski feed for a 52-45 Spartan advantage.
   
Crestwood went the first three minutes of overtime without scoring and
never got closer than three points again.
   
“We took a couple of bad shots and the kids panicked a bit,” Atherton
admitted. “We rushed some shots and didn’t take advantage of some
opportunities.”
   
Crestwood held the ball for the last shot in the final 30 seconds of
regulation, but could do no better than a 35-foot heave by John Weyrauch.
   
The Spartans’ inside duo of 6-foot-7 Bonczewski (19 points, 12 rebounds,
five blocked shots and four assists) and 6-foot-5 Mattes (14 points and nine
boards) did most of the damage, but Rosick says there is plenty of room for
improvement.
   
“We’re not putting the ball in the basket,” Rosick said. “Our inside guys
are getting it done, but outside, we’re not making shots. We’re getting good
looks. We’re making the good passes. But, we’re not finishing.”
   
Weyrauch had 14 points, eight rebounds, six assists and three steals to
lead the smaller Comets, who were further hampered by foul trouble.
   
Joe Dorzinsky, Crestwood’s one low-post threat, fouled out with 7:57 left
in the fourth quarter. He had 10 points and three rebounds.
   
Trailing 21-13, the Comets made a run late in the second quarter. Jared
Morgart, who had 11 points, hit a three-pointer and Weyrauch added a steal and
three-point play as Crestwood got within 27-26 by halftime.
   
The Comets took their first lead of the game (28-27) on Dan Lemke’s basket
at the 5:55 mark of the third quarter.
   
The biggest lead by either team until overtime was three points. Both clubs
committed eight turnovers in the third quarter.
   
The Spartans got to overtime despite having only four field goals in the
third and fourth quarters.
   
CRESTWOOD (52)
   
Weyrauch 5-18 3-4 14, Tucker 3-8 0-0 6, Morgart 3-12 2-3 11, Dorzinsky 4-6
2-2 10, Lemke 2-4 0-0 4, Kline 0-3 0-0 0, Ostrowski 2-3 3-6 7, Gabriel 0-0 0-0
0. Totals 19-54 12-15 52.
   
VALLEY WEST (57)
   
Needle 0-3 5-8 5, McGeer 1-5 6-6 8, Bonczewski 4-11 11-14 19, Mattes 6-9
2-3 14, Pieczynski 1-1 0-1 3, Hopple 2-9 2-4 7,