Bella Dessoye, left, and Guiliana Latona defend for Pittston Area during Wednesday’s game at Crestwood.
Tom Robinson | For Sunday Dispatch
WRIGHT TWP. — Crestwood put its height advantage to good use Wednesday night.
With the four tallest players on the court and an average height advantage of about five inches, the Lady Comets controlled the boards, particularly in the game-changing stretch, on the way to a 55-42 victory over visiting Pittston Area.
The Wyoming Valley Conference Division 1 opener matched two of the likely top three teams in the division after they had combined to go 10-1 in non-league games prior to the start of WVC play.
Pittston Area led after one quarter and was within a point before Crestwood went on a 20-3 run from the middle of the second quarter until the middle of the third.
The Lady Comets took control with the help of an 11-4 rebounding advantage in the second quarter and a 36-24 lead on the boards for the game.
That rebounding advantage allowed Crestwood to overcome 22 points by all-state Pittston Area guard Daniella Ranieli.
“Ther biggest challenges they present is that they have one of the best scorers, if not the best scorer in our league, along with 3-point shooting,” Crestwood coach Mary Mushock-Namey said. “They don’t have size, so that was their weakness and the challenge that we presented to them.”
Charlie Hiller, a 6-foot sophomore, led the way with 17 points, 13 rebounds and three assists. Kate Gallagher, a 6-1 senior, added eight rebounds.
“That’s what I always tell Charlie and Kate,” Mushock-Namey said. “Every shot that goes up, you go clean up the glass. With their size, how could you not tell them to go after every rebound?”
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.
The Comets held the Lady Patriots to 14 total points in the middle quarters while turning a three-point deficit into a commanding 18-point lead.
Maddie Karp scored nine of her 15 points to help Pittston Area to a 14-11 lead after one quarter.
Crestwood contained Ranieli in the first half, but she eventually worked free for 17 points in the second half. She also had three of her four steals in the fourth quarter and sparked a series of surges that pulled the Lady Patriots to within 10 points, but no closer.
Crestwood scored the last nine points of the first half, then 11 of the first 14 in the second half to open a 39-21 lead with 4:42 left in the third quarter.
Julia Long grabbed a team-high six rebounds for Pittston Area, which committed just nine turnovers.
The Lady Patriots (6-1) maintained a .757-.746 playoff power ratings lead over Crestwood (5-1) through Friday night in the race for the top seed in the District 2 Class 5A playoffs.
Pittston Area 47, Wallenpaupack 36
Pittston Area began the week by defeating another potential District 2 Class 5A contender, visiting Wallenpaupack, in a non-league game.
Daniella Ranieli scored 14 of her 19 points in the first half as the Lady Patriots took control early.
Ranieli had seven points in each of the first two quarters as Pittston Area ran out to leads of 18- after one quarter and 32-11 at halftime.
Lili Hintze, who added eight points, joined Ranieli with two 3-pointers each.
Nanticoke 57, Wyoming Area 18
Kate Reed scored 15 points and Naveah Baran added 12 Wednesday as host Nanticoke pounded Wyoming Area in a WVC Division 2 opener.
Abby Sterba led the Lady Warriors (1-5 overall) with six points. Shannon Kearns added five.
