YATESVILLE — Hazleton Area fired up 24 shots in the first quarter Wednesday night, and that meant two things.
First, the Cougars weren’t hitting many. And when that happens, they can’t get into their smothering, fullcourt press.
The situation changed early in the second quarter and so did the complexion of the game as unbeaten Hazleton Area went on to a 78-50 victory over Pittston Area in a Wyoming Valley Conference Division 1 girls basketball game.
Hazleton Area (3-0 Div. 1, 12-0 overall) scored at least 70 points for the seventh time this season as sophomore guard Kaitlyn Bindas netted a season-high 30 points. Alexis Reimold added 17 and Sophia Benyo had 14 to go along with 12 rebounds. Sophia Shults also had 12 boards. No one on Pittston Area (3-2 Div. 1, 11-2) had more than five rebounds.
Yet, after the first quarter Hazleton Area led only 18-12 and needed an 8-0 run to close out the period to take the lead.
“We missed a lot of layups and didn’t get us into (the press),” said Hazleton Area coach Joe Gavio, who returned all five starters from last season’s 24-5 team. “And then they made a couple shots. We’re saying, ‘How many peepers are we going to miss?’ We missed a lot of easy shots and we could have made it easy on ourselves.”
The Cougars made it a lot easier on themselves early in the second quarter. After Benyo made a free throw, they got a turnover off the press that resulted in a 3-pointer by Bindas. Then another turnover and another three by Bindas.
An 8-0 run a bit later, ending with a 3-pointer by Reimold off a turnover, put Hazleton Area in control. The Cougars forced nine turnovers in the second quarter, resulting in many of their 24 points and a 42-24 halftime lead.
“That’s their style. It’s always been so you know what you’re getting,” Pittston Area coach Jeff Gregory said. “I thought we did a good job early trying to stay with the pace, but they create possessions and you have to capitalize when you get numbers. At times we did, at times we didn’t.
“They make the game very chaotic.”
Gavio felt tempo was “too chaotic” at times, perhaps due to a week layoff. Hazleton Area had its game against Berwick on Monday postponed because of weather.
Pittston Area senior guard Daniella Ranieli, a three-time Times Leader All-WVC selection, entered the game averaging 22.9 points. She finished with 22 despite constant harassment from the Hazleton Area defense.
Dallas 60, Berwick 55
The Mountaineers trailed by a point heading into the final quarter but finished strongly to beat Berwick.
Odessa Kanton led Dallas with 24 points. Mia DelGaudio added 14 and Brianna Casey chipped in 12 points.
Abby Calarco finished with 17 points to lead Berwick.
Hazleton Area 78, Pittston Area 50
HAZLETON AREA (78) — Sophia Benyo 5 2-3 12, Kaitlyn Bindas 11 1-2 30, Kayla Lagowy 3 0-0 9, Alexis Reimold 7 0-0 17, Sophia Shults 2 2-4 6, Mariah Marolo 0 2-2 2, Olivia Williams 1 0-0 2, Evelyn Shults 0 0-0 0, Jayla Eberts 0 0-0 0, Juliana Silva 0 0-0 0, Sofia Rodgers 0 0-0 0, Miranda Chipula 0 0-0 0. Totals 29 7-11 78.
PITTSTON AREA (50) — Daniella Ranieli 8 2-2 22, Julia Long 3 1-1 7, Lili Hintze 3 0-0 7, Grace Callahan 0 1-2 1, Maddie Karp 1 2-4 5, Nora Callahan 1 0-0 2, Leah Drozginski 0 0-0 0, Carlena Lizza 0 0-0 0, Bella Dessoye 0 0-0 0, Giulianna Latona 2 1-2 5, Haley Pointek 0 1-2 1. Totals 18 8-13 50.
Hazleton Area`18`24`19`17 — 78
Pitttston Area`12`14`14`10 — 50
Three-point goals: HA 13 (Bindas 7, Lagowy 3, Reimold 3). PA 6 (Ranieli 4, Karp, Hintze).
Dallas 60, Berwick 55
DALLAS (60) — Izzy Evans 1 0-0 2, Caitlyn Mizzer 2 2-2 6, Mia DelGaudio 4 4-8 14, Malaysia Shaw 0 0-0 0, Odessa Kanton 10 3-5 24, Lucy Brunn 1 0-0 2, Brianna Casey 3 4-4 12. Totals 21 13-19 60.
BERWICK (55) — Abby Calarco 6 0-0 17, Addy Zanoline 1 2-4 4, Lily Nespoli 2 0-0 6, Carly Post 4 3-3 13, Ashlyn Zakrewsky 3 2-2 10, Grace Robbins 2 1-4 5. Totals 18 8-13 55.
Dallas`14`16`20`9 — 59
Berwick`14`6`10`15 — 45
Three-point goals: DAL 5 (DelGaudio 2, Casey 2, Kanton), BER 11 (Calarco 5, Nespoli 2, Post 2, Zakrewsky 2).