DALLAS TWP. — At first glance, the 33 points by Dallas’ Jude Nocito were the biggest factor on Thursday night.
The performance certainly was, but inside the Mountaineers’ win were some smaller ones of significance.
The sum added up to a 72-66 win over Hazleton Area in a battle for first place in Division 1 of Wyoming Valley Conference boys basketball.
Dallas (6-0 Div. 1, 12-4 overall) went up two games in the loss column as Hazleton Area fell to 4-2 in the division and 7-8 overall.
“Our defense is what got us (the win),” Dallas coach Mark Belenski said. “We’d stop them, get out in transition. We like to go fast. We’re better in that type of basketball game rather than a physical one.”
Nocito finished off the victory by hitting three of four free throws in the final minute to give the Mountaineers a 70-66 lead. Dallas was in that position thanks to a 3-pointer by Jack Dale. Dale’s only basket of the game resulted in a 67-64 advantage with 1:24 remaining. It was also the 11th and final lead change.
“Jack said to me early in the second quarter, ‘I can’t make nothing,’ ” Belenski said. “I told him, ‘You’ll make it when it counts.’ ”
Nocito also hit consecutive 3-pointers in the third quarter, erasing a 48-43 deficit. Pat Flanagan, though, helped curtail Hazleton Area’s rebounding edge by crashing the boards. He finished with a team-high seven rebounds.
And when Dallas was a tad shaky in the second quarter as Hazleton Area built a 32-23 lead, former starter Kael Berry entered the game to score all eight of his points. His 3-pointer with 2:17 until halftime gave Dallas its first lead, 37-36, since the opening minutes.
Hazleton Area’s offense was top heavy with Dylan Stish and Luis Guzman doing the majority of the damage.
Stish finished with 26 points and 10 rebounds. He shot the Cougars to a 58-55 lead to start the fourth with a 3-pointer. He also tied the game twice in the quarter with baskets and moved Hazleton Area within 67-66 with a pair of free throws with 1:03 left.
Guzman dominated in the first half, scoring 17 of his 21 points. He was also very active on the boards with nine rebounds. However, he and his teammates didn’t find the same success underneath in the second half.
“We missed about four or five layups in the third quarter,” Hazleton Area coach Pat Brogan said. “That changed the pace of the game as well. You have to make layups and you can’t miss assignments.”
Dallas 72, Hazleton Area 66
HAZLETON AREA (66) — Mike Smith 0 0-0 0, Franklin Ruiz 1 0-0 2, Dylan Stish 10 2-2 26, Angel Saladin 3 0-0 6, Eastarling Melenciano 0 0-0 0, Yohansel Moran 2 0-0 6, Ryan Staffin 0 0-0 0, Luis Guzman 10 0-2 21, Gavin Petrosky 2 0-0 5. Totals 28 2-4 66.
DALLAS (72) — Jude Nocito 11 8-9 33, Joey Nocito 3 2-2 9, Jack Dale 1 0-0 3, Pat Flanagan 5 1-1 11, Tyce Mason 2 2-2 8, Kael Berry 3 0-0 8, Chris Flanagan 0 0-0 0. Totals 25 13-14 72.
Hazleton Area`25`19`11`11 — 66
Dallas`21`18`16`17 — 72
Three-point goals: HA 8 (Stish 4, Guzman, Petrosky, Moran 2). DAL 9 (Ju.Nocito 3, Jo.Nocito 2, Dale, Mason, Berry).