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By DOUG PAPE [email protected]
Sunday, February 20, 2000     Page: 1C

WILKES-BARRE – So far this season, the Nanticoke boys basketball team has
had a way of beating Crestwood when it counted the most.
   
A few weeks ago, the Trojans knocked off the Comets in a playoff game for
the Wyoming Valley Conference Division II first-half title.
    On Saturday, led by point guard Luke Malishchak’s 22 points, Nanticoke
downed Crestwood 48-37 to win the WVC Division II title at Wilkes University’s
Marts Center.
   
“The kids have really worked hard all year,” said Trojan coach Ken
Bartuska. “Our division was extremely competitive this year and it’s a
tribute to our kids to come out and get this championship.”
   
Malishchak’s performance included sinking 11-of-11 free throws.
   
Nanticoke (18-8) earned the No. 1 seed in next week’s District 2 Class 3A
playoffs and will play Berwick. Crestwood (20-6), which defeated the Trojans
in both regular season matchups, is the second seed and will play Valley View.
   
Dates, sites and times of district playoffs games will be determined on
Monday.
   
And just how will Nanticoke fare in districts? Well, that might depend on
Malishchak.
   
“In both championship games, he really had great games for us,” Bartuska
said. “He’s a team leader and as far as he can carry us is as far we’re going
to go.”
   
Nanticoke opened the game with a 7-0 run highlighted by a Jeff Bevan
three-pointer. Crestwood answered with a 7-0 run as Scott Gabriel led the way
with two baskets. The Trojans then scored the period’s final six points as
Mike Forgach’s basket just before the buzzer gave his team a 13-7 lead.
   
In the second, Malishchak drained a three-pointer to give his team a 24-13
lead at the 1:50 mark, an advantage the Trojans took into halftime.
   
The Comets looked like a different team after the break.
   
Joe Dorzinsky nailed consecutive three-pointers and Gerald O’Hara added
another as the Comets cut the Trojan deficit to four.
   
“We knew they were going to make a run,” Malishchak said. “They stepped
up their game in the second half.”
   
For the rest of the quarter, Crestwood outhustled Nanticoke in all facets
of the game. A Dan Lemke jumper late in the third gave the Comets a 30-29
advantage going into the fourth.
   
Nanticoke regained the lead on a Matt Titus basket in the beginning of the
period and never trailed again.
   
The Trojans pulled away when Malishchak made a steal, sank a layup and
ensuing free throw for a 39-33 lead with 4:21 left.
   
“We get on his shoulders a lot,” Bartuska said. “He does get a lot of
help, but he’s the one we’re going to look to when the big play has to be made
and he always answers for us.”
   
The Comets’ offense managed only seven points in the fourth quarter.
   
“I don’t know if we expended too much energy, but it seemed like
offensively we got stagnant,” Atherton said. “I think Nanticoke stepped up
defensively. They rose to the challenge.”
   
The Trojans put the game away on the foul line and drained 22-of-26 free
throws on the night.
   
Todd Bargella led the Trojans with 12 rebounds. Bartuska credited Sean
Toole with a standout performance on defense.
   
Gabriel led Crestwood with 10 points.
   
Bartuska is hoping the victory will give his team momentum going into
districts.
   
Call Pape at 829-7227