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District 2 Girls Game Recap (Pittston Area 49, Hazleton Area 47)
 

District 2 Girls Game Recap (Pittston Area 49, Hazleton Area 47)

Written by: Jon K on January 26, 2023

 

 

January 26, 2023

 

Ranieli, Booth Spark Pittston Area to Victory

 

Pittston Area 49, Hazleton Area 47

 

by Jon K.

YATESVILLE – After taking a double-digit lead to begin the fourth quarter, 39-28, Pittston Area decided to slow things down a bit.  That strategy almost backfired on the Lady Patriots as Hazleton Area turned up their defense and got their offense in gear, using a 15-3 run to re-take the lead, 43-42, in the closing minutes of the game.  After PA got a free throw from Kallie Booth with 21 seconds left, Hazleton Area would get a chance for the victory, but the corner triple bounced off the front of the rim, securing a pulsating 49-47 victory that keeps the Lady Pats in first place in the Wyoming Valley Conference Division 1 race.

 

Hazleton Area took a 5-0 lead through the middle of the first period with a triple by Olivia Williams and layup by Sophia Shults.  Pittston Area was getting plenty of opportunities but couldn’t connect on their inside shots.  Kallie Booth and Haley Yost would trade triples before Daniella Ranieli hit a layup cutting the Lady Cougars lead to 8-6.  Hazleton Area would then go on a 4-0 spurt with a baseline score by Williams and layup by Alexis Reimold (12-6).  Ranieli got a layup before teams traded several turnovers in the final minute of the period.

 

Despite several turnovers as they were trying get the ball inside, Hazleton Area was finding success with close-range jump shots.  The Lady Cougars got scores by Reimold and Shults to take their largest lead of the game, 18-12, midway through the period.  Off the next missed basket by Hazleton, Pittston Area found Ranieli streaking down court.  Her wide-open layup plus ensuing 3-point play on the foul ignited the Lady Patriots.  A half-minute later, Booth drove coast-to-coast.  Off the next HA miss, Ava Callahan netted a triple putting PA into the lead 20-18 with their 8-0 run.  Although Pittston Area had full momentum on their side, Shults tied the game on a nifty drive to the basket weaving her way through four opposing players.  Haley Yost would then add a jumper giving the lead back to the Lady Cougars, 22-20.  Fans knew they were in for a great game when Ava Callahan responded with a triple before the halftime buzzer sending the Lady Pats into the locker room with a 23-20 advantage. 

 

Booth used a fantastic pass to find Ranieli inside who got fouled on the play to begin the second half.  After Brianna Kennedy cut the lead back to a single point, 25-24, Pittston Area would turn the ball over on three consecutive possessions.  The Lady Cougars, however, could not cash in until Yost connected on a jumper at the 5:00 mark to knot the game at 26.  Pittston Area would then get a 10-0 run over the next four and a half minutes, with all 10 points via Ranieli including a pair of back-to-back triples that gave PA a 36-26 lead.  Teams would trade layups in the closing moments of the third quarter as Pittston Area headed into the final stanza leading 38-28.

 

Pittston Area came out being very patient.  A free throw by Taylor Baiera gave the Lady Patriots their largest lead of the game at 39-28 with 7:04 left.  Hazleton Area would get a putback by Lynzee Buglio and layup by Shults to cut the lead to 39-32.  As teams headed to the charity stripe over the next 90 seconds, PA  still had control leading 42-34.  Hazleton Area seemed to build some energy off a Shults 3-point play.  It was the start of a 9-0 run that included a triple by Shults and baseline score by Reimold wrapped around a charging call on Ranieli.  The Lady Cougars had retaken the lead 43-42 with 2:50 left in the game.  Now it was the Lady Cougars who were looking to run some time off the clock.  A turnover by HA led to a layup by Ranieli with 1:20 remaining.  Hazleton Area retook the lead, 45-44, on a score by Kennedy at the 1:00 mark.  Booth then netted a triple that put the Lady Patriots back in front, 47-45.  Hazleton Area would get a  putback by Olivia Williams tying the game at 47.  Booth converted 1 of 2 free throws with 21 seconds left to put Pittston Area up 48-47.  The Lady Cougars then worked the ball around with the game-winning triple attempt by Williams bouncing of the front of the rim.  Ranieli would hit 1 of 2 free throws with 1.1 left on the clock to secure the 49-47 victory.

 

Pittston Area was led by Daniella Ranieli with 22 points and Kallie Booth with 12.  They got a combined 15 points from Ava Callahan, Maddie Karp, Taylor Baiera, and Grace Callahan.  The Lady Patriots hit 6 triples and made11 of 18 free throws.

 

Hazleton Area was paced by Sophia Shults with 14 points.  Brianna Kennedy and Olivia Williams each netted 8 points.  Haley Yost, Alexis Reimold, and Lynzee Buglio combined to score 17 points.  The Lady Cougars made 3 triples and hit 4 of 5 free throw opportunities.

 

Pittston Area returns to Wyoming Valley Conference Division 1 action as they visit Wilkes-Barre Area on Monday.  Hazleton Area will host Crestwood, also on Monday.   

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