WILKES-BARRE — Wyoming Area entered Tuesday night’s game at Holy Redeemer with the top-two scorers and best offense in Division 2.
The Warriors exited the gym the same way.
Wyoming Area used a barrage of 3-pointers in the second quarter to open up a double-digit lead and then held off a couple comeback attempts for a 78-63 victory in Wyoming Valley Conference boys basketball.
Wyoming Area (6-0 Div. 2, 9-4 overall) maintained first place while Redeemer (4-2 Div. 2, 7-7) fell two games off the pace.
The Warriors turned a 23-22 deficit into a 37-23 lead in a matter of three minutes of the second quarter. They did so by hitting 4-of-5 3-pointers, with Anthony DeLucca connecting on three and Lukas Buraskiewicz adding the other. Shane Pepe capped the 15-0 run with another 3-pointer, helping Wyoming Area to a 42-28 halftime lead.
Wyoming Area hit 12 3-pointers in all on the way to a season high in points.
“In our Lakeland game I recall specifically we made 11 or 12 in that game,” Wyoming Area coach Anthony Macario said. “So we have the ability to do it, but it’s not like it happens very often.”
Division 2 leading scorer Luke Kopetchny scored 25 points, nearly five over his season average. Burakewicz, the division’s second-leading scorer, netted a season-high 29 as he continued to make up for lost time. He played just four games last season before a season-ending injury.
“He’s one of the best players in the conference, there’s not a question about it, and he proved it tonight,” Macario said. “So having him back as a four-year guy with us and as our point guard is huge because he does it on both ends of the floor for us.”
Redeemer made some inroads in the third quarter, moving within 48-40 with 2:40 left as Wyoming Area cooled off a bit from the field. Burakiewicz, though, closed the third with a 3-pointer and Kopetchny opened the fourth with another to put the Warriors back in control.
Cody Quaglia led Redeemer with 12 followed by David Popson and Logan Shrader with 11 each. Quron Drayton had 10 as Redeemer scored a season high in points.
“First half, three quarters (Wyoming Area) shot the ball really well,” Redeemer coach Paul Guido said. “Some of that was our fault because early on we weren’t out as far and we let them see the ball go through the rim. Some of that was a credit to them when we were on them very tight and extended our defense.”
Wyoming Area 78, Holy Redeemer 63
WYOMING AREA (78) — Shane Pepe 1 0-0 3, Anthony DeLucca 5 3-4 17, Lukas Burakiewicz 10 5-6 29, Luke Kopetchny 8 6-7 25, John Turner 0 0-0 0, Drew Keating 0 0-0 0, Mitchell Rusinchak 1 0-0 2, Bruno Pizzano 1 0-0 2. Totals 26 14-17 78.
HOLY REDEEMER (63) — Cody Quaglia 4 1-2 12, Logan Sekol 0 0-0 0, Kyaire McLean 1 2-4 5, Evan Licari 2 1-2 5, Jack Hurst 0 0-0 0, Logan Shrader 5 0-1 11, Brayden Sock 3 1-2 9, Quron Drayton 4 0-0 10, Matthew Stilip 0 0-0 0, David Popson 4 3-5 11. Totals 23 8-16 63.
Wyoming Area`17`24`17`20 — 78
Holy Redeemer`14`14`14`21 — 63
Three-point goals: WA 12 (Pepe, DeLucca 5, Burakiewicz 4, Kopetchny 2). HR 9 (Quaglia 3, McLean, Shrader, Sock 2, Drayton 3).