EXETER – The 3-point shot has been one of the largest factors in Wyoming Area’s steady rise through the ranks of District 2 girls basketball the last few seasons.

Friday night, it was prominent in the Warriors suffering their first home loss of the season.

Wallenpaupack took 10 fewer attempts from beyond the arc, but still made six more than Wyoming Area on the way to a 61-42 victory in the non-league game between two of the district’s top big schools.

Olivia Gregory hit three 3-pointers in the first quarter on the way to a game-high 17 points. She finished 4-for-5 from long range to lead Wallenpaupack to an 8-for-14 effort (57.1 percent).

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Wyoming Area shot just 2-for-24 (8.3 percent) on 3-pointers. The Warriors were 1-for-16 after missing their first attempt of the second half.

Warriors coach Chad Lojewski was more concerned about stops his team did not make than he was about the misses.

“We have to play better defense, period,” Lojewski said. “That’s the bottom line.

“Until we take self-accountability and responsibility to play better defense, we’ll be an average team.”

The shots Wyoming Area took were from the places the team often shoots.

“I’m OK with the 3s,” Lojewski said. “I just didn’t think they were in rhythm tonight.

“We were forcing them up a little bit. We need to be able to work the ball in the post a little better.”

Wallenpaupack (6-1) entered the night second among eight Class 5A teams in District 2 working toward playoff seeding. Wyoming Area (3-2) came into the game third among the district’s 10 Class 4A teams.

“It’s a very good challenge during the exhibition part of our season,” Lojewski said. “ … I was happy that we could get them on the schedule. It will definitely help us later in the season, but we have a number of things we need to work on.”

The start of the varsity-only game, which followed a boys contest against Mountain View, was delayed nearly a half hour. Wallenpaupack arrived late after its bus got caught behind an accident, then the game was held up further because of a spill on the court near the Lady Buckhorns bench.

When the game got started, Gregory and Wallenpaupack were ready.

Gregory’s 3-pointers accounted for the first six points of the game and her third one made it 13-2 with 1:40 left in the first quarter.

Wyoming Area, which started 1-for-13 from the floor, including seven misses from 3-point range, recovered. The Warriors closed the gap to 14-8 after one quarter and tied the game once, 18-18, on an 8-2 run that included a three-point play by Addison Orzel off an offensive rebound and a 3-point shot by Lydia Edwards.

Wallenpaupack broke the tie with seven straight points and Wyoming Area never got closer than five points again.

Wyoming Area missed all 14 shots from the floor in the fourth quarter while being outscored 15-5 to inflate the final margin.

Tabitha Boyd came off the bench to grab 13 rebounds and help Wallenpaupack to a 48-37 rebounding advantage that included a 22-13 edge in the second half.

Addison Orzel led Wyoming Area with 11 points, 10 rebounds and two blocked shots, but all of her rebounds came in the first half, including eight in the first quarter.

Sarah Holweg had five steals and Aleah Kranson had four. Brandi Sorokin came off the bench and contributed eight rebounds.

The week head

Wyoming Valley Conference teams return to conference play this week.

Wyoming Area is home with Meyers Tuesday and at Wyoming Seminary Thursday in WVC Division 2-3 games.

Pittston Area is home Tuesday and Thursday against Dallas in Division 1 games.

Wyoming Area’s Lydia Edwards pushes past a Wallenpaupack defender on her way to the basket during a game Friday, Dec. 30 in Exeter.
http://www.psdispatch.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/web1_wa_pack4_faa.jpg.optimal.jpgWyoming Area’s Lydia Edwards pushes past a Wallenpaupack defender on her way to the basket during a game Friday, Dec. 30 in Exeter. Fred Adams | For Sunday Dispatch

Wyoming Area’s Kate Wolfgang bring the ball down court against Wallenpaupack during a game Friday, Dec. 30 in Exeter.
http://www.psdispatch.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/web1_wapack1_faa.jpg.optimal.jpgWyoming Area’s Kate Wolfgang bring the ball down court against Wallenpaupack during a game Friday, Dec. 30 in Exeter. Fred Adams | For Sunday Dispatch

Wyoming Area’s Addison Orzel gets ready to shoot at the basket as Wallenpaupack defender Rachael Tirjan tries to block during a game Friday, Dec. 30 in Exeter.
http://www.psdispatch.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/web1_wa_pack3_faa.jpg.optimal.jpgWyoming Area’s Addison Orzel gets ready to shoot at the basket as Wallenpaupack defender Rachael Tirjan tries to block during a game Friday, Dec. 30 in Exeter. Fred Adams | For Sunday Dispatch

Wyoming Area’s Jalen Rhodes moves around Wallenpaupack defender Megan Guerieri during a game Friday, Dec. 30 in Exeter.
http://www.psdispatch.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/web1_wa_pack2_faa.jpg.optimal.jpgWyoming Area’s Jalen Rhodes moves around Wallenpaupack defender Megan Guerieri during a game Friday, Dec. 30 in Exeter. Fred Adams | For Sunday Dispatch

By Tom Robinson

For Sunday Dispatch

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