Pictured above: Zach Perta
EDITOR’S NOTE: The Wyoming Valley Conference boys basketball regular season concluded Thursday night while the Lackawanna League girls title races continued. While NEPASportsNation.com compiles more complete reports, here is a quick recap of the night’s most important developments.
By Tom Robinson, NEPASportsNation.com
NANTICOKE – Zach Perta scored 17 of the 19 straight third-quarter points Holy Redeemer used to erase a halftime deficit and take control on the way to a 48-33 victory over host Nanticoke to lock up a repeat of its Wyoming Valley Conference Division 2 boys basketball championship.
Nanticoke entered the final night of the WVC regular-season schedule with a chance to force a first-place tie and championship playoff. Instead, the Royals completed a perfect season in the division, finishing 12-0.
Despite battling significant foul issues, the Trojans led by as many as eight in the first half and were up 24-17 when Ibn Jordan-Thomas opened the second-half scoring.
Nanticoke did not score again for 7:31 and Perta fired in his 17 points in a span of 6:28 for a 36-24 lead.
Perta finished with 24 points.
Darryl Wright had six assists in the 19-0 run and finished with seven.
Jordan-Thomas, who was taken out of the gym on a stretcher after suffering a fourth-quarter injury on a fall while attempting to block a shot, led Nanticoke with 11 points and 14 rebounds.
Both teams advance to the WVC Tournament, which open Feb. 16 at Wilkes-Barre Area with three of the four teams coming off losses in the finales.
WVC Division 1 champion Dallas fell, 55-51, to Hazleton Area.
Chris Catrone scored 14 of his 16 points in the first half when the Cougars were taking a 35-21 lead.
Pittston Area won a second-place tiebreaker over Hazleton Area despite being upset by Wyoming Valley West, 57-45. The Patriots beat the Cougars in both of their head-to-head meetings for the tie-breaker advantage.
Zach Konopke led Wyoming Valley West with 24 points.
While the WVC boys were wrapping up their entire season, Lackawanna League girls teams saw mixed results in their title pursuits.
Dunmore clinched at least a tie for first place in Lackawanna Division 3 while two-time defending champion Montrose missed a chance to secure an outright title in Division 4.
The Lady Bucks, who are closing in on their 10th straight title in Division 3, routed host Holy Cross, 63-30.
Second-place Mid Valley kept its slim title hopes alive by posting a 45-38 victory at Riverside.
Elk Lake avenged two earlier losses this season and ended visiting Montrose’s 37-game Division 4 winning streak, 43-36.
The Lady Warriors trailed by one at halftime before taking control with a 17-4 third quarter.
Sydney Upright led the way with 10 points.
Wallenpaupack moved to within a half-game of Lackawanna Division 2 leader North Pocono with a 45-28 win over visiting Abington Heights in a crossover game matching second-place teams.
MORE
Thursday’s scoreboard: Thursday’s basketball scoreboard – NEPA Sports Nation.
COMING UP
Return to Basketball – NEPA Sports Nation more-detailed reports on Wednesday’s action.
