Tired of ads? Subscribers enjoy a distraction-free reading experience.
Click here to subscribe today or Login.

WILKES-BARRE — A couple of weeks ago, when she saw how quickly her new Wilkes-Barre Area team was coming together, star scorer Allycia Harris made a bold statement.

She delivered on it Monday by making another one.

Harris scored 34 points, pulled down 18 rebounds and led Wilkes-Barre Area’s first-year girls basketball team past Wyoming Area, 65-53 at Coughlin High School — and straight through and unbeaten non-conference schedule.

“Seven and O. I promised it,” Harris said. “We did that.”

Now it’s on to the league season for the Wolfpack, a first-year sports jointure that combines Wilkes-Barre city schools Coughlin, GAR and Meyers. Wilkes-Barre Area will compete in the WVC Division 1, with such traditional league powers Hazleton Area, Nanticoke Area, Wyoming Valley West and Berwick.

“Their confidence is through the roof right now,” Wilkes-Barre Area coach Mary Mushock said. “When we get into the league play, it’s a much different world. We’ve never played those big schools.”

Indeed, only a few Wolfpack players saw action in the league’s Division 1 while playing for Coughlin, which suffered through at least five straight winless WVC seasons before the jointure. Players from Meyers and GAR were part of the league’s old Division 3, which didn’t run into Division 1 teams during the season.

“That’s where the big boys are,” Harris said.

Yet, nobody played bigger Monday than Harris, a 5-foot-11 senior who got started on her monster game by scoring 12 points to go with her six rebounds in the opening quarter as the Wolfpack rolled to a 26-17 lead.

“They have great shooters,” Harris, who attends Meyers, said of the Warriors. “Threes are bigger than twos. So you have to keep making lauyps. I saw I could dominate down low.”

Wyoming Area didn’t stay down for long.

They began the second quarter by scoring nine straight points, and erased Wilkes-Barre’s comfortable lead when Maria Amato made a layup to tie the game at 26-all. The Wolfpack scoring drought lasted more than five minutes of the second quarter, until Gloria Adjayi scored the first two of her 12 points 2:32 from halftime and helped Wilkes-Barre hold a 32-30 edge at the break.

Then it was Wilkes-Barre’s turn to turn up the defensive heat.

The Wolfpack didn’t allow a point through the first five minutes of the second half, until Cassidy Orzel broke the drought with a bucket with 2:33 remaining in the the third quarter.

By then, Harris and her fellow 5-foot-11 forward Adjayi took over. They combined for 14 points in the third quarter and Adjayi, a sophomore, ripped away five of her 15 rebounds.

“They’ve got a lot of athletes,” Wyoming Area coach Chad Lojewski said. “They’ve got two monsters inside. It’s going to be tough to play them.”

Still, the Warriors hung tough.

Cassidy Orzel scored the last 10 of her team-high 23 points in the final quarter, and used two free throws to get Wyoming Area within 53-51 with 4:11 to play.

“For whatever reason, it takes some adversity before we wake up,” Lojewski said. “It is recurring. It’s wonderful to have the resiliency, but I’d like to play from ahead.”

Down the stretch, Harris played as if she were possessed.

She ripped down eight rebounds in the fourth quarter and scored eight points while making three steals over the game’s final four minutes as the Wolfpack scored 12 of the game’s final 14 points to put away another victory.

“She’s always been that leader on the court,” said Mushock, who coached Harris at Meyers for the past three seasons. “She’ll take it in her hands to make sure we don’t lose. Not that I want her to turn it off and on. But when she needs to turn it on, she definitely does.”

Now, the Wolfpack will try to turn its inaugural season into something special.

Wilkes-Barre Area is the only girls basketball team from the WVC to open league play undefeated, and is a fraction of a percentage point behind 5-1 Hazleton Area in the District 2 Class 6A power ratings, .735240 to .735155.

“Scouts (from other teams) are coming to look at us, trying to stop our offense, defense,” Harris said. “We’re getting a lot more attention because we’re all undefeated.

“When you’re looked at and people are trying to beat you rather than you being the underdog, that’s a different feeling.”

Shenendehowa 96, Holy Redeemer 51

Sam Yencha scored 16 points as Holy Redeemer fell to host Shenendehowa.

BOYS BASKETBALL

Wyoming Seminary 60, McLean 41

Ethan Meuser, one of four Blue Knights in double figures, scored 17 points to lead Wyoming Seminary past visiting McLean.

Also scoring in double figures for Seminary were Jeremy Callahan with 13, Aide Murphy with 11 and Todd Phillips with 10.

McLean was led by Andies Frye with 17 points.

Wyoming Area 53, Forest City 50

Jesse Mikoliczyk scored 17 points to lead Wyoming Area past host Forest City.

Sam Solomon also chipped in 15 points for the Warriors.

Wilkes-Barre Area 64, Williamsport 46

Blake Masker scored 20 points and Cole Walker added 17 as Wilkes-Barre Area defeated visiting Williamsport.

Brandon Hall added 15 for the Wolfpack. Nassir Jones scored 18 to lead Williamsport.

West Scranton 64, Nanticoke 61

Cayden Merrifield scored 19 points to lead West Scranton past Nanticoke.

The Trojans were led by Jake Krupinksi with 19 points.

Dallas 69, Old Forge 50

Austin Finarelli scored 19 points and Jack Farrell added 17 as host Dallas defeated Old Forge.

Old Forge was led by Sean Donovan with 14 points.

GIRLS BASKETBALL

Wilkes-Barre 65, Wyoming Area 53

WYOMING AREA (53) — Nicole Silinskie 4 4-6 15, Halle Kranson 2 1-3 6, Maria Amato 1 0-2 2, Cassidy Orzel 7 8-8 23, Morgan Janeski 2 3-4 7, Mackenzie Nocchi 0 0-0 0, Anna Wisnewski 0 0-0 0, Kaitlyn Slusser 0 0-0 0, Joselyn Williams 0 0-0 0. Totals 16 16-23 53.

WILKES-BARRE (65) — Gloria Adjayi 6 0-0 12, Reagan Holden 1 0-0 2, Hannah Cook 3 1-3 7, Bella Gray 0 0-0 0, Allycia Harris 17 0-0 34, Vanessa Luna 4 0-0 8, Alana Germano 1 0-2 2, Yansel Perez 0 0-0 0, Erin Leonard 0 0-0 0, Arianna Brittingham 0 0-0 0, Emily Engle 0 0-0 0. Totals 32 1-5 65.

Wyoming Area`17`13`8`15 — 53

Wilkes-Barre`26`6`16`17 — 65

Three-point goals — WA 5 (Silinskie 3, Orzel, Kranson).

Shenendehowa 96, Holy Redeemer 51

HOLY REDEEMER (51): Spade 1 2-4 2, Skaranski 1 0-0 2, Sekol 0 1-2 1, Yencha 5 6-6 16, Moore 1 6-6 8, Curley 3 0-0 7, Atherton 0 2-2 0, Pekaravsky 0 0-0 0, Ashton 0 0-0 0, DelBalso 0 3-4 3, Kroptavich 2 0-0 5, Karnes 1 0-0 3. Totals 14 20-24 51.

SHENENDEHOWA (96): J. Huerter 4 5-6 14, Walker 5 0-0 10, Slader 0 0-0 0, Carpenter 3 4-4 11, Carey 3 0-0 9, Wildens 2 1-1 5, Watroski 4 4-4 14, M. Huerter 6 4-4 17, Stuart 2 2-3 6, Lee 1 1-2 3, Flannery 2 0-0 5, Cozzens 0 2-2 2. Totals 32 23-26 96.

Holy Redeemer`14`11`12`14`–51

Shenendehowa`21`26`25`24`–96

Three-point goals: HR 3 (Curley, Kroptavich, Karnes). Shenendehowa 9 (Carey 3, Watroski 2, J. Huerter 1, Carpenter, M. Huerter, Flannery).

BOYS BASKETBALL

Wyoming Seminary 60, McLean 41

McLEAN (41): Frye 7 3-4 17, Gregory 4 0-3 8, Leta 2 0-0 5, Collins 1 1-4 3, Joyner 0 0-0 0, Boynkin 0 0-0 0, Long 3 0-0 8. Totals 17 4-11 41.

WYOMING SEMINARY (60): A. Meuser 2 0-0 4, Phillips 4 0-0 10, Callahan 1 11-12 13, E. Meuser 6 5-7 17, Coates 0 0-0 0, Maddock 1 0-0 3, Flanley 1 0-0 2, Murphy 5 1-4 11, Evan 0 0-0 0, Youngman 0 0-0 0, Lombardo 0 0-0 0. Totals 20 13-17 60.

McLean`13`6`10`12`–41

Wyoming Seminary`14`20`10`16`–60

Three-point goals: McLean 3 (Long 2, Leta). WS 3 (Phillips 2, Maddock).

Wyoming Area 53, Forest City 50

WYOMIMG AREA (53): Coolbaugh 4 0-0 10, Greenfield 2 0-0 6, Mikoliczyk 5 7-7 17, Solomon 7 1-5 15, Wiedl 0 0-0 0, Melberger 3 0-0 5, Braccini 0 0-0 0, Sorick 0 0-0 0. Totals 19 8-12 53.

FOREST CITY (50): Holsinger 1 0-2 2, Sassani 0 2-2 2, Zukosky 0 0-0 0, Lipko 5 0-2 10, Burleigh 0 3-4 3, Hartman 4 0-2 9, Heath 0 0-0 0, Bezek 1 0-0 2, Daniels 2 2-4 6, Piatak 0 0-0 0, D’Antonio 5 4-4 16.

Totals 18 11-20 50.

Wyoming Area`8`8`20`17`–53

Forest City`9`23`9`9`–50

Three-point goals: WA 4 (Coolbaugh 2, Greenfield 2). FC 3 (D’Antonio 2, Hartman).

Wilkes-Barre Area 64, Williamsport 46

WILLIAMSPORT (46): Ellzy 4 2-2 12, Jones 5 8-8 18, Nyman 0 0-0 0, Evans McQUay 0 0-0 0, Jason 1 0-0 2, Brown 0 0-0 0, Fausnaught 3 0-0 7, Taylor 1 0-0 2, Johnson 2 0-0 5. Totals 16 10-10 46.

WBA (64): Portee 1 1-2 4, Walker 6 4-6 17, Egidio 3 0-0 8, Hall 7 1-4 15, Valenzuela 0 0-0 0, Masker 9 2-2 20, Gilgallon 0 0-0 0.

Totals 26 9-14 64.

Williamsport`10`11`10`15`–46

WBA`18`21`10`15`–64

Three-point goals:

Williamsport 4 (Ellzy 2, Fausnaught 1, Johnson 1). WBA 3 (Egidio 2, Portee).

West Scranton 64, Nanticoke 61

WEST SCRANTON (64): Fernandez 5 1-1 11, Merrifield 7 4-6 19, Wright 4 6-6 16, Forsette 1 2-2 4, Barnes 6 1-3 14, Miller 0 0-0 0, Burnside 0 0-0 0. Totals 23 14-18 64.

NANTICOKE (61): Shiloh 4 3-7 11, Myers 1 0-0 3, Bielecki 3 0-0 8, Butczynski 3 2-2 9, Brown 1 2-2 4, Krupinski 9 0-1 19, Kozlofski 1 2-3 5, Fox 1 0-0 2.

Totals 23 9-15 61.

West Scranton`21`17`8`18`–64

Nanticoke`10`10`19`22`–61

Three-point goals: WS 4 (Wright 2, Fernandez, Barnes). Nanticoke 6 (Bielecki 2, Myers, Butczynski, Krupinski, Kozlofski).

Dallas 69, Old Forge 50

OLD FORGE (50): Davitt 3 0-0 8, Pepsin 0 1-2 1, Holzman 1 0-3 2, Donovan 5 0-0 14, Giglio 1 0-1 2, Domiano 2 1-3 7, Cole 0 0-0 0, DiGregorio 3 0-2 6, Samony 3 2-2 10. Totals 16 4-13 50.

DALLAS (69): Farrell 6 5-6 17, Finarelli 7 2-3 19, N. Nocito 1 0-0 3, S. Nocito 2 3-3 7, Wallace 0 0-0 0, Schuster 3 0-0 7, Dickson 1 0-0 2, Alhashemi 0 0-0 0, Llojewski 0 0-0 0, Conrad 0 0-0 0, Matushek 0 0-0 0, DelGaudio 3 0-4 6, Zarola 0 1-2 1, Bufalino 2 0-0 5, Evanosky 1 0-0 2.

Totals 26 11-18 69.

Old Forge`9`9`15`17`–50

Dallas`20`21`20`8`–69

Three-point goals:

OF 10 (Donovan 4, Davitt 2, Domiano 2, Samony 2). Dallas 6 (Finarelli 3, Schuster 2, Dickson, N. Nocito).

https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/web1_Basketball-3.jpg.optimal.jpg

By Paul Sokoloski

[email protected]