Wyoming Area girls players who represented the team at the Coaches Vs. Cancer Basketball Media Day Nov. 24 at Riverfront Sports in Scranton were, from left: Erica Gilligan, Kendall Day, Abby Sterba and Krea Bonita.
Tom Robinson | For Sunday Dispatch
WILKES-BARRE — Pittston Area was regarded as a co-favorite along with Hazleton Area in informal polling of Division 1 boys coaches during their Wyoming Valley Conference Media Day at Patte’s Sports Bar and Restaurant Nov. 24.
Crestwood was also given a strong chance of figuring into the title race, followed by Wilkes-Barre Area and Dallas. Nanticoke, which has moved up from Division 2, and Wyoming Valley West round out the division.
The Hazleton Area girls and both Holy Redeemer teams are prohibitive favorites in the other divisions.
Wyoming Valley West, Crestwood and Pittston Area are considered the teams with the best chances of challenging Hazleton Area in Division 1 girls.
The girls coaches conducted their Media Day the same day at the Grotto’s Pizza Wyoming Valley Mall location.
Wyoming Area tied Holy Redeemer for first place in Division 2 boys last season before losing in a playoff for the division title.
Berwick, which dropped down from Division 1, is expected to be the top threat to Holy Redeemer this season. Hanover Area and Lake-Lehman also were mentioned more than Wyoming Area as possible title threats.
Nanticoke and Lake-Lehman are considered the threats to Holy Redeemer in Division 2, which also includes Wyoming Area among its eight teams.
COACHES VS. CANCER
SCRANTON – Pittston Area and Wyoming Area were part of the light WVC representation, along with the bulk of the Lackawanna League when Coaches vs. Cancer held its third annual Media Day with a morning event at Riverfront Sports Nov. 24.
In the Coaches vs. Cancer event, both coaches and players participated, meeting with local media, sharing stories about the fundraising event and competing in a 3-Point Shooting Contest.
Old Forge’s Ryan DeMarco and returning all-stater Jenna Hillebrand from Scranton Prep won the 3-point contest.
OLD FORGE OUTLOOK
The Old Forge boys return five of their top seven players from last season.
DeMarco and leading scorer Cameron Parker are back in the starting lineup. Logan Fanning started before his season ended early because of injury and D.J. Fox was also a part-time starter. Camren Krushnowski was often the first man off the bench for the Blue Devils.
Old Forge was 4-8 in the Lackawanna League and 12-11 overall.
The Old Forge girls return leading scorer Jewlya McCullon.
Ava Arnold and Mia Fox are also back in the starting lineup.
The Lady Devils were 8-4 in the league and 12-12 overall.
MARSECO TOURNAMENT
Tournament director Rick Notari ha6s released the schedule for the Anthony D. “Badger” Marseco Tournament, a boys and girls event, which will be hosted by Old Forge and will also include both Pittston Area and Wyoming Area teams.
Northwest completes the boys field and Hanover Area is the other girls team.
Action begins Dec. 27 with Pittston Area-Northwest playing a junior varsity boys game at 5 p.m., followed by Pittston Area-Northwest at 6:30 and Wyoming Area-Old Forge at 8 in the boys semifinals.
The Wyoming Area-Old Forge game is the Badger Game, honoring the late Marseco, an Old Forge player and Wyoming Area assistant coach.
The girls get started Dec. 28 with Pittston Area and Hanover Area playing a 4 p.m. JV game, followed by the same two schools in a varsity semifinal at 5:30. Wyoming Area and Old Forge meet at 7.
The Dec. 29 boys schedule features a Wyoming Area-Old Forge JV game at 4 p.m., then the consolation game at 5:30 and final at 7.
The girls finish up Dec. 30 with Wyoming Area-Old Forge JVs meeting at 5. The consolation is set for 6:30 and championship for 8.
