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HAZLE TWP. – Dallas fought back from three down in the first overtime and four down to take a lead into the final minute of the second overtime before its most successful boys basketball playoff run in the past 27 years came to an end Tuesday night at Hazleton Area High School.

Chad Kratzer came off the bench to hit five out of six foul shots in the second overtime and lift Allentown Central Catholic to a 61-59 victory in the second round of the PIAA Class 5A state tournament.

“They’re unbelievable kids,” Dallas coach Mark Belenski said. “I thank them for the ride they put me on.

“They’re a great bunch of kids. I’m going to miss them. I miss them already.”

Alex Charlton hit eight straight free throws in the fourth quarter and overtimes for Dallas. He hit two with 1:53 left, then Jay Bittner gave Dallas its final lead of the season on a 22-footer for three points with 1:09 left.

The Vikings went ahead on a strong move in the lane by Keeshawn Kellman with 35 seconds left, starting a decisive 6-1 run before Jack Farrell scored on a putback at the buzzer for the Mountaineers.

Kellman finished with 14 points and 10 rebounds.

Matt Mathers and Bittner each had 13 points while Charlton added 12 for Dallas.

District 11 champion Allentown Central Catholic improved to 25-4 and moved into Friday’s state quarterfinals and will play District 12 champion Bonner-Prendergast, which defeated William Penn 93-73.

Dallas, which finished second in both Division 1 of the Wyoming Valley Conference and District 2 Class 5A, finished 21-6.

“I’m very proud of the season they had,” Belenski said. “I think they put Dallas basketball back on the map.”

Jordan McChristian’s 3-pointer for Allentown Central Catholic with 32 seconds left in regulation forced the first overtime at 44-44.

Nick Kocher hit one of two free throws for Dallas with 33.8 seconds left in the first overtime.

Dallas had a shot at the winner to end regulation and Allentown Central Catholic had a similar chance to end the first overtime.

Defense kept Dallas in the game in the first half.

The Mountaineers forced 11 first-half turnovers, with the help of two steals by Mathers, and held the Vikings scoreless for the first four minutes of the second quarter.

Neither team led by more than four points in the half, which featured four ties and three lead changes.

Dallas used the first five points of the second quarter for a 16-12 lead. Allentown Central Catholic used two 3-pointers to spark an 11-3 run to a 23-19 lead going into the final minute of the half.

Mathers hit a 17-footer from the left baseline and Bittner hit a floater in the lane in transition following a turnover, tying the game at 23-23 at the break.

Bittner scored nine points in the half without missing a shot.

Jay Vaughan was 3-for-4 from 3-point range to lead a 5-for-11 effort by Allentown Central Catholic, accounting for all but eight of its first-half points. Vaughan had 11 in the half and finished with 14.

Dallas took the game’s only two five-point leads at 28-23 and 30-25 in the first 2:38 of the second half.

Dallas’ Matt Mathers gets around Allentown Central Catholic’s Nick Filchner in a PIAA Class 5A boys basketball second-round game at Hazleton Area High School on Tuesday. Bill Tarutis | For Times Leader
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/web1_TTL031418HSBB-Dallas-ACC_2.jpg.optimal.jpgDallas’ Matt Mathers gets around Allentown Central Catholic’s Nick Filchner in a PIAA Class 5A boys basketball second-round game at Hazleton Area High School on Tuesday. Bill Tarutis | For Times Leader Bill Tarutis | For Times Leader

Dallas’ Jay Bittner, right, has the ball stripped by Allentown Central Catholic’s Samuel Vaughan in a PIAA Class 5A boys basketball second-round game at Hazleton Area High School on Tuesday.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/web1_TTL031418HSBB-Dallas-ACC_3.jpg.optimal.jpgDallas’ Jay Bittner, right, has the ball stripped by Allentown Central Catholic’s Samuel Vaughan in a PIAA Class 5A boys basketball second-round game at Hazleton Area High School on Tuesday. Bill Tarutis | For Times Leader

Dallas’ Joey Parsons takes a shot against Allentown Central Catholic defender Keeshawn Kellman in a PIAA Class 5A second-round boys basketball game at Hazleton Area High School on Tuesday.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/web1_TTL031418HSBB-Dallas-ACC_1.jpg.optimal.jpgDallas’ Joey Parsons takes a shot against Allentown Central Catholic defender Keeshawn Kellman in a PIAA Class 5A second-round boys basketball game at Hazleton Area High School on Tuesday. Bill Tarutis | For Times Leader

By Tom Robinson

For Times Leader

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