Wilkes-Barre Area held Crestwood scoreless for the final 10:40 Wednesday night to take sole possession of third place in Wyoming Valley Conference Division 1 girls basketball with a 43-27, home-court victory.
The win also moved the Wolfpack into the lead in the ratings race for the top seed in the District 2-4 Class 6A playoffs.
Crestwood rallied into a 27-27 tie before Wilkes-Barre Area scored the last 16 points of the game to win going away.
Wilkes-Barre Area took a 15-6 lead after one quarter.
The Lady Comets outscored the Wolfpack, 11-7 in the second quarter, then 10-5 to start the second half, tying the game.
Kate Gallagher worked in the post for six third-quarter points and Keira Dougherty hit a 3-pointer to force the tie.
The Wolfpack then scored the last five points of the third quarter.
Eternity Aiken put Wilkes-Barre Area ahead to stay with two free throws and Diamond Thornton added a 3-pointer for a 32-27 lead going to the fourth.
Emma Krawczeniuk scored 9 of her game-high 11 points in the fourth quarter while the defense was shutting down Crestwood. Thornton added the other two points on free throws.
Dougherty led Crestwood with 10 points.
Wilkes-Barre Area is 5-2 in the division, breaking out of a third-place tie when Hazleton Area lost. That loss by the Lady Cougars also opened the door for the Wolfpack to move ahead in Class 6A.
The division’s top two teams meet Thursday night when unbeaten Pittston Area goes to Wyoming Valley West.
Elsewhere in WVC Division 1 Wednesday night:
Dallas 60, Hazleton Area 54
Molly Walsh scored 18 points and Dallas fought off host Hazleton Area down the stretch.
The Lady Mountaineers scored the game’s last four points to hold on for the win.
Dallas was 6-for-7 from the line in the fourth quarter while Hazleton Area was going 2-for-6.
Elizabeth Viglone hit all four of her free throws in the quarter and all eight in the game while adding 11 points.
Walsh and Victoria Spaciano, who finished with 15 points, had 11 each in the high-scoring first half.
Dallas led 19-13 after one quarter, with Walsh scoring seven, and remained in front 38-34 at halftime.
Sophia Shults had 18 points to lead Hazleton Area while Alexis Reimold added 15.
Dallas is 2-5 and 6-8. Hazleton Area dropped to 4-3 and 11-4.
Tunkhannock 34, Berwick 26
Tunkhannock posted its first division win of the season and reached .500 overall with the victory at Berwick.
Sable Stephens scored 6 of her game-high 14 points in the first quarter to get the Lady Tigers out to a 13-7 lead.
Lexi Corby added 10 points for Tunkhannock (1-6, 7-7).
Berwick (1-6, 2-12) was led by Rachel Whitenight with 11 points.
