Boys basketball: Pittston Area clamps down on Crestwood, moves into first-place tie
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Pittston Area’s Logan Booth gets fouled by Crestwood’s Brandon Niemenski (1) while driving to the basket Friday night.
YATESVILLE — It’s becoming mighty crowded at the top and Pittston Area played a big part in it.
The Patriots held Crestwood to its worst offensive performance in its last 48 games Friday night, defeating the Comets 45-34 in a Wyoming Valley Conference Division 1 boys basketball game.
The loss knocked Crestwood (5-1 Div. 1, 11-3) from the unbeaten ranks in the division. Pittston Area improved to 5-1 in the division and 10-4 overall. Add Hazleton Area (5-1 Div. 1, 9-4) being upset by Wilkes-Barre Area and there’s now a three-way tie for first place.
The last time Crestwood was held to fewer points was a 61-25 loss to Dallas on Feb. 6, 2018.
“We didn’t shoot the ball well,” said Crestwood coach Mark Atherton, whose team hosts Hazleton Area on Tuesday. “We were hanging in there and hanging in there, but eventually you got to put the ball in the basket.
“What can I say. I thought in the first half we were getting some pretty good shots and some open looks in the lane and some open looks outside. Eventually you think some of them are going to drop.”
One did with three seconds remaining until halftime, when Jacob Zaleski nailed a 3-pointer for a 19-18 lead. But it would be the third and last time the Comets would be ahead as they surrendered the lead in unusual fashion to end the half. Pittston Area guard Mike George took an inbound pass, made one dribble and launched a desperation 3-pointer from about 60 feet away.
Swish and the Patriots were in front for good 21-19.
“Crestwood is a great basketball program with a great coach,” Pittston Area coach Al Semenza said. “You’re going to have to dig in to beat them and grind and I thought our kids did that.”
Crestwood was within two points twice in the second half, the last with six minutes left in the fourth quarter when Zaleski’s layup sliced the deficit to 33-31. The Comets, though, went cold and didn’t score for over four minutes.
Pittston Area didn’t exactly blow open the game during the Crestwood dry spell, but did enough get the lead up to nine points. Walsh canned a 3-pointer and two free throws, while Logan Booth hit on a pair of free throws.
Booth’s biggest contribution came on the boards, as the 6-foot senior grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds. He missed the last game with an illness. Fellow senior Andrew Krawczyk came up with some key rebounds despite playing on a sore ankle he injured in the game Booth missed.
“Logan was sick and Krawczyk didn’t play after the first play because he turned an ankle,” Semenza said. “(Krawczyk) has been getting treated for two days. Quite honestly, he struggled in the first half. He came down (to the locker room) at halftime and didn’t pout. I thought he played a tremendous second half.”
Joe Cencetti started in Krawczyk’s spot and scored 10 points. Walsh also had 10.
Pittston Area 45, Crestwood 34
CRESTWOOD (34) —Ryan Petrosky 4 0-0 9, Marcus Vieney 2 0-0 4, Paul Feisel 2 0-0 6, Bard Papura 0 0-0 0, Jacob Zaleski 4 0-1 9, Brandon Niemenski 1 0-0 2, Mike Zaleski 1 2-4 4, Don Shaw 0 0-0 0, Nick Ruggeri 0 0-0 0. Totals 14 2-5 34.
PITTSTON AREA (45) — Logan Booth 0 4-5 4, Mike George 1 4-4 7, JJ Walsh 2 4-4 10, Brennan Higgins 3 2-3 8, Joe Cencetti 4 2-3 10, Matt Johnson 0 0-0 0, Andrew Krawczyk 2 2-2 6. Totals 12 18-21 45.
Crestwood`7`12`8`7 — 34
Pittston Area`12`9`10`14 — 45
Three-point goals — CRE 4 (Petrosky, Feisel 2, J.Zaleski). PA 3 (Walsh 2, George).
