WRIGHT TWP. — The Crestwood girls basketball team had no choice but to be ready for the start of Wyoming Valley Conference play if it hopes to be a threat in the Division 1 race.
Charlie Hiller scored 17 points, grabbed 13 rebounds and dished out three assists Wednesday night as the Comets opened by handing visiting Pittston Area its first loss 55-45.
The WVC plays just two league dates prior to the holiday break, but Crestwood goes right from topping one unbeaten to facing the league’s only other Friday night when it goes to Hazleton Area.
The Comets went into Wednesday night as the only Division 1 with only one loss in non-league play. They improved to 5-1 while dropping the Patriots to 6-1 and getting ready to try to take on the 6-0 Cougars.
“It’s good to know we get it out of the way while we’re on a roll,” Hiller, a 6-foot sophomore forward, said.
Crestwood put its size advantage to work while taking control in the second quarter and played well defensively. The Comets held the Patriots to 14 total points in the middle quarters while turning a three-point deficit into a commanding 18-point lead.
The Comets held an 11-4 advantage on the boards in the second quarter and 36-24 for the game.
Kendall Petrosky opened each half with a 3-pointer on the first possession and finished with 13 points. Jackie Gallagher, a 5-11 sophomore, went 3-for-5 on 3-pointers while adding 12 points, four assists and two blocks. Kate Gallagher, a 6-1 senior, pulled down eight rebounds.
Jordan Andrew took on the challenge of defending high-scoring Daniella Ranieli, holding her to five points in the first half.
“Jordan Andrews did a heckuva job, especially in the first half,” Crestwood coach Mary Mushock-Namey said. “She’s going to be one sore kid from all the picks she ran into.”
Ranieli eventually found her way to put up a game-high 22 points, but she could not get the Patriots closer than 10 in a series of second-half surges.
Crestwood scored the last nine points of the first half, then extended the run to 20-3 for a 39-21 lead with 4:42 left in the third.
Maddie Karp scored 15 points, including 11 in the first half, for Pittston Area. Ranieli had three of her four steals to try to spark a fourth-quarter comeback.
Crestwood 55, Pittston Area 42
PITTSTON AREA (42) — Daniella Ranieli 7 5-6 22, Julia Long 1 0-0 2, Maddie Karp 5 3-4 15, Lili Hintze 0 0-0 0, Grace Callahan 0 0-0 0, Guiliana Latona 0 0-0 0, Carlena Lizza 0 0-0 0, Haley Pointek 0 0-0 0, Bella Dessoye 1 0-0 3. Totals 14 8-20 53.
CRESTWOOD (55) — Charlie Hiller 8 0-0 17, Kendall Petrosky 5 1-4 13, Jackie Gallagher 4 1-2 12, Jordan Andrews 0 2-2 2, Kate Gallagher 2 0-3 4, Cameron Vieney 3 0-0 7. Totals 22 4-11 55.
Pittston Area`14`4`10`14 — 14
Crestwood`11`17`18`9 — 55
Three-point goals — PA 6 (Ranieli 3, Karp 2, Dessoye), CRE 7 (JGallagher 3, Petrosky 2, Hiller, Vieney).
