District 2 Boys Recap (North Pocono at Dallas)

Written by: Jon K on December 17, 2023

December 14, 2023

Big Third Period Gives Mounts Win Over Trojans

Dallas 56, North Pocono 46

By Jon K.

DALLAS – The Mountaineers used a combination of hustle, tight defense, and an intense focus on making the extra pass inside to rally from a halftime deficit and defeat North Pocono, 56-46, on Thursday evening in their home opener.  Despite graduating a pair of double-digit playmakers from last year, Dallas seems poised to make another serious division championship run in Wyoming Valley Conference Division 1 play.  North Pocono, showed that they will also be a strong competitor in Lackawanna League Division 2 action.  The Trojans exhibited fantastic teamwork benefitting from a tenacious, scrappy effort. 

Dallas jumped out to a 5-0 lead via a layup by Nick Williams and triple by Zach Paczewski.  Matt Seidita countered with a pair of inside scores (part of his 8-point first period barrage) to trim it to 5-4.  The Mounts then cashed in on a few Trojan turnovers to go up 10-5 following a layup by Jude Nocito.  North Pocono got layups by Cole West and Noah West wrapped around a layup by Williams to cut it to a one-point deficit, 12-11.  Dallas would then go on 9-2 run in the final two minutes of the period that was bookended by triples from Michael Cumbo and Nocito.

After expanding their lead to eight points to start the second period as Cumbo make a great fed into Nocito for the layup (23-15), the Trojans rallied with a 10-1 spurt to take their first lead of the game (25-24).  The Trojans got balance scoring throughout the period including treys from Max Gentile and Noah West.  The advantage was brief, however, as Nocito nailed another triple to put Dallas back up.  NP finished first half play with scores by Noah West and Dylan O’Neil to go into the locker room leading 31-29. 

They say that good teams make key halftime adjustments.  After getting outscored 18-8 in the second quarter, Dallas came out playing intense defense and using their hustle to grab offensive rebounds.  It paid dividends as they flipped the scoreboard back in their favor, outscoring the Trojans 14-5.  Paczewski got things going with a triple.  After Noah West tied things up at 32 with a pair of free throws, the Mounts used more defensive pressure to create a pair of turnovers.  Cumbo hit a baseline drive followed by a nifty Nocito reverse layup.  Nocito then added a shot in the lane after a Dallas blocked shot for a 38-32 lead.  NP didn’t get flustered as the crowd voiced their approval as Josh Staples connected on a triple.  The period ended on a bit of a controversial tone as one second was added to the clock with Dallas in possession.  That was more than enough time for Nocito to take the inbounds pass and launch a long-triple to give Dallas a 43-36 advantage.

The Trojans kept the game within reach through the first half of the final stanza.  But every time NP made a critical score, the Mounts had an answer.  A Gentile trey cut it to 43-39, but Cumbo responded with a floater at the other end.  After the teams traded a pair of free throws, Nocito dazzled with a spinning drive down the lane.  Seidita scored in the lane cutting it to 49-44 and NP then got the ball back, but they turned it over with 4:34 remaining.  From that point on, Dallas outscored the Trojans 7-2 to secure the 56-46 victory.

Dallas placed three players into double figures – Jude Nocito (18 points with 3 triples), Michael Cumbo (13 points), and Nick Williams (13 points).  Zach Paczewski, Nick Farell, and Jack Karosa combined for 12 points.  The Mounts hit 6 triples.  In what may have been the only statistical concern of the game, Dallas only converted 12 f 24 opportunities from the charity stripe.

North Pocono was led by Matt Seidita with 12 points.  Cole West and Noah West each added 9 points while Max Gentile added 7 points.  Josh Stables, Evan Wolff, Anthony Santaniello, and Dylan O’Neil combined for 9 points.  The Trojans hit 4 triples and converted 6 of 10 free throws.     

Home opener for the Mounts. @ThrashPhillip pic.twitter.com/QhY4gMjEDj

— LLHoops Neast Beat (@LLHoopsNEPbeat) December 15, 2023

Jude Nocito triple St the buzzer. pic.twitter.com/yWMdyH09qR

— LLHoops Neast Beat (@LLHoopsNEPbeat) December 15, 2023

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