EDITOR’S NOTE: The District 2 basketball playoffs got underway Tuesday night. While NEPASportsNation.com compiles more complete reports, here is a quick recap of a night of quarterfinal games.
By Tom Robinson, Paul Gerrity and Ben Magnotta, NEPASportsNation.com
YATESVILLE – Chris Ogden went 11 of 12 from the foul line in the fourth quarter to finish off a 24-point effort Tuesday night as West Scranton ended Pittston Area’s reign as District 2 Class 5A boys basketball champion with a 56-45 victory.
The Invaders were one of three teams to go on the road and beat a higher-seeded opponent as the district playoffs opened with a dozen games.
The North Pocono boys and Holy Cross girls also won on the road.
While teams were trying to advance and keep their seasons alive, two individual milestones were also reached.
Danny Nemitz became Mid Valley’s all-time leading scorer and Frankie Antoniacci reached 1,000 points for his career at Riverside. Both of their teams advanced in the Class 3A boys.
Pittston Area was in a tight battle for the Wyoming Valley Conference Division 1 title before losing its last five games.
Silvio Giardina scored 18 points in the loss.
Zack Price added 14 points for West Scranton.
Both road wins in boys action came in the Class 5A bracket.
Lackawanna League Division 2 champion North Pocono was seeded behind Crestwood, but the fifth-seeded Trojans got 25 points from Chris Walsh in the 53-41 victory.
Giuliana Mazza scored 17 points and Holy Cross held Blue Ridge to one third-quarter point to pull away for a 37-25 victory in Class 2A girls.
Nemitz hit a corner 3-pointer with three seconds left in the first quarter to become Mid Valley’s all-time leading scorer and the Spartans pulled away in the second half to defeat Dunmore, 49-33.
There was plenty of reason for excitement at Riverside before the Vikings emerged with a 48-46 victory over Carbondale.
Antoniacci’s drive with 1:24 left in the third gave the Vikings a 40-30 lead and gave him 1,000 points.
Gerry Rose, a starter last season as a freshman, made his first appearance after missing the entire regular season with an injury. Rose started and scored nine points.
In other Class 3A boys games: Old Forge defeated Lakeland, 63-36, and Holy Redeemer downed Wyoming Seminary, 62-47.
Old Forge was in a tight battle before outscoring Lakeland, 25-3, over the last 5:05.
Matt Kuckla got it started with consecutive 3-pointers and Anthony Mucciolo followed with back-to-back baskets on the way to a game-high 22 points.
Top-seed and defending champion Holy Redeemer got 20 points from Jacob Hunter while winning its 18th straight.
Dallas, the Class 4A champion last season, is back in Class 5A where it handled Wallenpaupack, 56-33.
Old Forge was the site of the night’s only doubleheader.
The Lady Devils forced 8 turnovers before allowing Forest City a shot and 36 total in a 46-26 Class 2A victory.
Valley View ran off 20 straight points during a second-half rally that produced a 56-43 Class 4A victory over Berwick.
Claire Aufiero scored 14 points to lead a balanced attack as Nanticoke avenged an early-season loss to defeat Tunkhannock, 57-40, in another Class 4A girls game.
Delaware Valley made the long trip to Williamsport and lost a District 2-4 Class 6A Subregional quarterfinal, 54-18.
MORE
Tuesday’s scoreboard: Tuesday’s basketball scoreboard – NEPA Sports Nation.
COMING UP
Return to Basketball – NEPA Sports Nation more-detailed reports on Tuesday’s action and in-depth coverage of the entire District 2 tournament.
