YATESVILLE — The difference was the little things.
Pittston Area didn’t always do them in the first half Tuesday night. The Patriots did so over the final two quarters, resulting in a 67-65 victory over Wilkes-Barre Area in a Wyoming Valley Conference Division 1 boys basketball game.
Perhaps the biggest of the small things was Aiden Lynn’s rebound off a WBA miss with 11.5 seconds left. He hit the first of two free throws, making it a two-possession game.
WBA managed to get a basket with a few ticks remaining, but that only resulted in the Wolfpack losing by two points to Pittston Area for the second time this season.
“We couldn’t put together stops,” said WBA coach Jim Lavan, whose team fell to 5-3 in the division and 9-8 overall. “Every time we’d make a run or have some baskets scored, we’d give up some stuff down the other way whether it was an open three or rotation we missed.
“I though tonight they did all the little things better than us.”
That was evident late in the third quarter and early in the fourth.
Pittston Area guard Silvio Giardina, who led all scorers with 26, drove the lane and dished off to Lynn and Chris Scavo for baskets in the final 1:38 of the third. The Patriots missed similar shots in the first half.
Lucas Lopresto finished off the quarter with a steal which led to two free throws to give Pittston Area a 49-43 lead.
“In the first half, we left some points off the board with some missed opportunities with layups,” said Pittston Area coach Al Semenza, whose team improved to 5-3 in the division and 10-7 overall. “I thought (WBA) got some second shots in the first half that hurt us, so we did a better job there.
“I think overall we played better basketball than we’ve been playing. I’ve been waiting for this team to put it together and I’m hoping now we’re going to.”
After WBA’s Tahir Bolden opened the fourth with five points to cut the deficit to 49-48, Pittston Area’s Paul Jordan McGarry nailed a 3-pointer. He did the same later with two minutes remaining after the Wolfpack worked within one point. He finished with a season-high five 3-pointers.
The Wolfpack tied the score 61-61 on a 3-pointer by Jacob Johnson with 1:11 left, but Giardina hit three of four free throws in a 25-second span.
WBA’s David Jannuzzi, who came in the Division 1 scoring leader with a 19.9 average, finished with 18 points. Mike Keating added 10.
Pittston Area 67, Wilkes-Barre Area 65
WBA (65) — Quran Brooks 0 0-0 0, David Jannuzzi 6 6-7 18, Mike Keating 2 6-6 10, Jacob Johnson 3 0-0 9, Achilles Fuentes 4 0-0 8, Tahir Bolden 4 2-2 12, Jordany Rodriguez 4 0-1 8. Totals 23 14-16 65.
PITTSTON AREA (67) — Silvio Giardina 8 8-9 26, Lucas Lopresto 4 5-5 13, Matt Walter 2 0-0 4, Paul Jordan McGarry 6 0-0 17, Aiden Lynn 2 1-2 5, Aidan Clarke 0 0-0 0, John Jadus 0 0-0 0, Chris Scavo 1 0-0 2. Totals 23 14-16 67.
Wilkes-Barre Area`13`18`12`22 — 65
Pittston Area`10`18`21`18 — 67
Three-point goals: WBA 5 (Johnson 3, Bolden 2). PA 7 (Giardina 2, McGarry 5).
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