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KINGSTON — The victory was huge, no doubt.
But Wyoming Seminary knows the 58-51 win over Holy Redeemer on Tuesday night was just a step toward the goal of a Wyoming Valley Conference Division 3 boys basketball championship.
“We’ll see,” Seminary coach C.J. Kersey said. “I just said to the guys our No.1 goal this year, our first goal, was to win the division and we haven’t done that yet. Enjoy tonight and I was going to say get back at it tomorrow. But with the weather, get back at it Thursday.
“And this group has done a nice job after some big wins of getting back to work and putting the wins behind us, which is an important quality for our team.”
Seminary (11-2 Div. 3, 16-3 overall) took a two-game lead over Redeemer (9-4 Div. 3, 13-5) with three games to play. Dimitri Gnall scored 16 points to lead a quartet of Blue Knights in double figures. Jeremy Callahan had 14 and Jake Koretz and Nick Ganter scored 12 apiece.
Seminary has MMI Prep on Friday, then finishes with Lake-Lehman and Hanover Area next week. Redeemer has Hanover Area on Friday followed by Northwest and Lake-Lehman next week. Any combination of Seminary wins and Redeemer losses equalling two will give the Blue Knights their first divisional title since 2009-10.
“We have MMI, Lake-Lehman and Hanover,” Callahan said. “Hanover, we were close with them last time so we still need to keep our focus and keep it rolling into districts. We don’t want to let down and lose one game we shouldn’t. We’re keeping our focus. Day by day, we do the same thing whether we win or whether we lose and we just go from there.”
Callahan hit an off-balance 3-pointer to end the first half, giving Seminary a 30-26 lead. The Blue Knights then opened the third quarter with an 8-0 run, building its advantage to 38-26.
The double-digit lead lasted less than a minute. Redeemer rallied with a layup and 3-pointer from Sean Wills, who finished with a team-high 15 points. A 3-pointer by Joey Judge and a basket by Collin Cook moved the Royals within 43-41 late in the third.
Redeemer cut the deficit to 52-51 when Derek Answini hit a corner 3-pointer at 2:52 of the fourth, but the offense stalled and Seminary finished off the game with six consecutive points.
NOTE: The game also had ramifications in the District 2 Class 3A playoffs, where Seminary stayed atop the standings ahead of second-place Redeemer.
Wyoming Area 52, Meyers 50
Sam Greenfield erupted for 30 ponts, with his final two coming on a shot at the buzzer to win it.
Greenfield scored his last 14 points in the fourth quarter to hold off a Mohawks comeback.
Kendall Brewster led Meyers with 21 points.
Hazleton Area 74, Valley West 46
Jeff Planutis scored 19 points and Da’Mir Faison added 16 as the Cougars rolled to victory.
Hazleton Area run up a 45-15 halftime lead boosted it to 40 points by the end of the third quarter. Josh Samec finished with 10 points in the victory.
Draig Ruff led the Spartans with 11 points.
Lake-Lehman 47, MMI Prep 32
Danny Kutz scored 11 of his 14 points in the second half and the Black Knights held MMI to three baskets and eight total points over the first two quarters.
Donald Thompson chipped in with 12 points and Max Paczewski finished with 11 for Lehman.
Mike Badamo and Matt Marchetti both scored 10 points for the Preppers.
Lake-Lehman 47, MMI Prep 32
Danny Kutz led three Lake-Lehman players who scored in double figures with 14 points.
Matt Marchetti paced MMI Prep with 12 points.
Tunkhannock 60, GAR 55
Tunkhannock’s Tyler Fawx sparked the Tigers with 27 points.
Will Johnson and Kahlil White combined for 42 points for the Grenadiers.
Dallas 61, Crestwood 25
Matt Mathers led the Mountaineers with 18 points.
Jake Antosh had six points for Crestwood.
Nanticoke 52, Berwick 42
The Trojans were led by Trahjan Krupinski’s 23-point performance.
Ken Marshman led all Berwick scorers with 16 points.
Hanover Area 51, Northwest 43
Mike Piscotty knocked down four three-pointers to lead Hanover Area with 22 points.
Jaxson Yaple led Northwest with 10 points.
Wyoming Seminary 58, Holy Redeemer 51
HOLY REDEEMER (51) — Bryce Yencha 0 0-3 0, Derek Answini 1 0-0 3, Joey Judge 3 5-6 12, Tucker Ell 1 0-0 3, JD Turosky 3 0-0 6, Collin Cook 5 0-0 12, Sean Wills 7 0-0 15. Totals 20 5-9 51.
WYO. SEMINARY (58) — Tyler Maddock 0 0-0 0, Jake Koretz 4 1-2 12, Todd Phillips 1 2-2 4, Jeremy Callahan 4 5-6 14, Dimitri Gnall 7 2-2 16, Nick Ganter 6 0-0 12, Ethan Meuser 0 0-0 0, Nic Bufalino 0 0-0 0. Totals 22 10-12 58.
Holy Redeemer`14`12`16`9 — 51
Wyo. Seminary`13`17`15`13 — 58
Three-point goals — HR 6 (Answini, Judge, Ell, Cook 2, Wills). WS 4 (Koretz 3, Callahan).
Hazleton Area 74, Valley West 46
VALLEY WEST (46) — Issac Sosa 2 0-0 4, Sam McNeil 1 1-2 4, Justus Simpson 2 0-0 4, Draig Ruff 4 2-5 11, Roland Hamad 1 0-0 2, Jumir Johnson 0 0-0 0, Devion Rhodes 3 0-0 6, Austin Sinkewicz 2 0-0 4, Tyler Gillespie 0 0-0 0, Danny Gibbons 0 0-0 0, Mason Mendygral 2 0-0 6, Sammy Solomon 2 1-3 5. Totals 19 4-10 46.
HAZLETON AREA (74) — Josh Samec 5 0-0 10, Andrew Vayda 1 0-0 2, Sparky Wolk 1 0-0 3, Jeff Planutis 9 1-1 19, Alex D’Angelo 0 1-2 1, Kyle Franek 0 0-0 0, Joey Grula 2 1-2 6, Jecxander Moronta 0 0-0 0, Adrian Otero 4 0-0 8, Scotty Shamany 1 0-0 2, Nikolas Norman 0 0-0 0, Ramddy Melendez 1 0-0 3, Da’Mir Faison 8 0-1 16, Warren Seigendall 2 0-0 4. Totals 34 3-6 74.
Valley West`8`7`12`19 — 46
Hazleton Area`21`24`22`7 — 74
Three-point goals — WVW 4 (Mendygral 2, McNiel, Ruff); HAZ 3 (Wolk, Grula, Melendez).
Lake-Lehman 47, MMI Prep 32
LAKE-LEHMAN (47) — Donald Thompson 4 3-4 12, Max Paczewski 4 2-4 11, Nate Salus 0 2-4 2, Andrew Martin 0 0-0 0, Alex Magdalinski 1 0-1 2, Danny Kutz 5 1-2 14, Sean Sabaluski 0 0-0 0, C.J. Cercone 1 4-5 6. Totals 15 12-20 47.
MMI PREP (32) — Matt Marchetti 4 2-3 10, George Palermo 2 0-0 4, Marcus Kassick 1 3-7 5, Mike Badamo 4 0-1 10, Dave Antolick 0 0-0 0, Keefer Hoover 0 0-0 0, John Debelis 1 0-0 2, Pete Walko 0 0-0 0, Robert Rinaldi 0 0-0 0. Totals 12 5-11 32.
Lake-Lehman`5`17`12“13 — 47
MMI Prep`3`5`13`11 — 32
Three-point goals — LL 5 (Kutz 3, Paczewski, Thompson); MMI 3 (Badamo 3).
Lake-Lehman 47, MMI Prep 32
MMI PREP (32) — Matt Marchetti 5 2-3 12, Mike Badamo 3 0-1 9, Marcus Kassick 1 3-7 5, George Palermo 2 0-0 4, John Debelis 1 0-0 2, Dave Antolick 0 0-0 0, Keefer Hoover 0 0-0 0, Pete Walko 0 0-0 0, Robert Rinaldi 0 0-0 0. Totals 12 5-11 32.
LAKE-LEHMAN (47) — Danny Kutz 5 1-2 14, Max Paczewski 4 3-5 12, Donald Thompson 4 3-4 12, CJ Cercone 1 3-4 5, Alex Magdalinski 1 0-1 2, Nate Salus 0 2-4 2, Andrew Martin 0 0-0 0, Sean Sabaluski 0 0-0 0. Totals 15 12-20 47.
MMI Prep`3`5`13`11 — 32
Lake-Lehman`5`17`12`13 — 47
Three-point goals — MMI 3 (Badamo 3); LL 5 (Paczewski, Thompson, Kutz 3).
Tunkhannock 60, GAR 55
TUNKHANNOCK (60) — Tyler Fawx 8 5-6 27, Sean Harder 4 2-3 11, Matt Goodwin 2 0-0 6, Jack Chilson 2 1-1 5, Avery Billings 2 0-0 4, Evan Turner 1 2-2 4, Ryan Harder 1 0-0 3. Totals 20 10-12 60.
GAR (55) — Will Johnson 8 4-4 21, Kahlil White 8 0-0 21, Mufee Burney 2 0-0 6, Tyler Young 1 0-0 3, Anthony Hawk 1 0-0 2, Jared O’Day 1 0-0 2, Simon Peter 0 0-0 0. Totals 21 4-4 55.
Tunkhannock`18`9`16`17 — 60
GAR`11`18`17`9 — 55
Three-point goals — TUN 10 (R. Harder, S. Harder. Goodwin 2, Fawx 6); GAR 9 (O’Day, Peter. Green 2, White 5).
Dallas 61, Crestwood 25
CRESTWOOD (25) — Jake Antosh 2 0-0 6, Mike Palmiero 2 0-0 4, Evan Knapp 1 2-7 4, Ryan Petrosky 0 3-4 3, Kevin Klusewitz 1 0-0 2, Sean Murphy 1 0-0 2, Camden Boris 1 0-0 2, Corey Chalk 1 0-3 2, Frank Casarella 0 0-0 0, Adam Gegaris 0 0-0 0, Jimmy Curry 0 0-0 0, Connor Olenginski 0 0-0 0. Totals 9 5-14 25.
DALLAS (61) — Matt Mathers 6 6-6 18, Joey Parsons 5 4-5 15, Jay Bittner 2 4-6 6, Alex Charlton 2 0-0 5, Luke DeGaudio 2 1-1 5, Brody Strickland 2 0-0 4, Jack Farrell 2 0-0 4, Eric Berley 1 0-2 2, Nick Kocher 0 2-2 2, Ben O’Connell 0 0-0 0, Sam Nocito 0 0-0 0, Andrew Kovalick 0 0-0 0, Justin Finarelli 0 0-0 0, Logan Evanosky 0 0-0 0. Totals 22 16-21 61.
Crestwood`6`2`9`8 — 25
Dallas`15`17`25`4 — 61
Three-point goals — CRE 2 (Antosh 2); DAL 2 (Charlton, Parsons).
Nanticoke 52, Berwick 42
NANTICOKE (52) — Trahjan Krupinski 9 4-6 23, Nate Kreitzer 6 3-5 17, Colby Butczynski 2 4-4 8, Joe Bielecki 1 1-1 3, Dylan Szychowski 0 3-4 3, Jake Krupinski 1 0-2 2, Andy Kozlofski 0 0-0 0, Collin Brown 0 0-0 0. Totals 19 15-22 56.
BERWICK (42) — Ken Marshman 5 5-5 16, Damon Beckhorn 3 2-3 9, Alec Markle 3 0-0 6, Connor Hanson 2 0-0 5, Kevin Tanribilir 1 0-0 2, Joe Norce 1 0-0 2, Blane Cleaver 1 0-0 2, Denver Knorr 0 0-0 0, Jarret Groshek 0 0-0 0. Totals 16 7-8 42.
Nanticoke`9`17`12`18 — 56
Berwick`8`9`16`9 — 42
Three-point goals — NAN 3 (T. Krupinski, Kreitzer 2); BER 3 (Marshman, Beckhorn, Hanson).
Hanover Area 51, Northwest 43
NORTHWEST (43) — Jaxson Yaple 4 0-0 10, Bryce Koser 5 0-1 10, Matt Saxe 2 2-4 8, Sam Saxe 1 5-7 8, Tyler Stevens 3 0-0 7. Totals 15 7-12 43.
HANOVER AREA (51) — Mike Piscotty 7 4-6 22, Tyler Thomas 3 2-5 9, Evan Materna 3 1-2 8, Desmond Cannon 2 0-0 6, Asad Whitehead 1 0-0 2, Lamarr Nelson 1 0-0 2, Devin Senk 0 2-2 2. Totals 17 9-15 51.
Northwest`8`8`15`12 — 43
Hanover Area`12`12`5`22 — 51
Three-point goals — NW 6 (S. Saxe, Stevens, M. Saxe 2, Yaple 2); HA 8 (Materna, Nelson, Cannon 2, Piscotty 4).
