Wyoming Area’s Lukas Burakiewicz hits on two of his game-high 25-points against Berwick in a District 2 Class 4A quarterfinal game.
Tony Callaio | For Times Leader
Wyoming Area’s Luke Kopetchny (3) scores on a layup during first half against Berwick in District 2 Class 4A quarterfinal game Tuesday night.
Tony Callaio | For Times Leader
Wyoming Area’s Luke Kopetchny (3) blocks a shot by Berwick’s Noah Marquez.
Tony Callaio | For Times Leader
Berwick’s Julian Howie (1) blocks a shot by Wyoming Area’s Drew Keating in the first half.
Tony Callaio | For Times Leader
Luke Kopetchny (3) looks to dribble past Berwick’s Julian Howie (1) as he drives to the lane on Tuesday night.
Tony Callaio | For Times Leader
EXETER — Wyoming Area senior Lukas Burakiewicz spent last season’s District 2 Class 4A quarterfinal game against Berwick sitting on the bench. An injury had ended his season after four games.
Wyoming Area needed every bit of Burakiewicz’s game-high 25 points Tuesday night, especially the last two. His free throws with 11.8 seconds left proved to be the winning margin as the Warriors escaped a frantic fourth quarter with a 53-51 win the the quarterfinals.
“Last season, we played the same team on the same court and I was sitting on the bench for it,” Burakiewicz said. “To come out here and participate in it means a lot to me. Being able to win it means even more.”
Berwick (13-10) nearly pulled off the improbable after Burakiewicz’s free throws gave Wyoming Area a 53-48 lead.
Wyoming Area committed a foul — because Berwick wouldn’t have gone to the foul line yet — with 7.7 seconds remaining. Berwick’s Kaden Hickman then hit a 3-pointer from the left corner to move the Dawgs within 53-51 with 3.3 seconds left.
Berwick’s Julie Howie stole the inbound pass and tossed up a hurried 3-pointer from the right corner that was short. Brady McCabe grabbed the rebound, but his shot in a crowd underneath was also off the mark at the buzzer.
“Chaos, chaos,” Wyoming Area coach Anthony Macario said. “The worst possible thing that could have, well almost the worst possible thing that could have happened. Can’t have a turnover in that case. Fortunately, he missed a difficult shot and we were able to escape with one.”
The win sends Wyoming Area (16-8) to Scranton Prep (17-6) for a semifinal game 7 p.m. Friday. The Warriors will have two cracks at the state playoffs. A win Friday would put them in. A loss would send them to the third-place game.
The last-minute frenzy seemed unlikely as Wyoming Area led 31-19 at halftime and prevented Berwick from seizing the momentum in the third quarter and took a 46-36 lead into the fourth.
Wyoming Area led 50-40 on an underhand basket by Luke Kopetchny with under four minutes left. Berwick moved within 50-46 at 2:23 on a inside bucket by Billy Hanson.
Wyoming Area then made two defensive stops, but turned over the ball after them. Howie got Berwick within 50-48 with an inside basket, but Burakiewicz followed with a free throw for a three-point advantage with 51.7 seconds left.
Berwick then missed a shot and Wyoming Area’s Drew Keating grabbed his eighth rebound to set up Burakiewicz’s final two free throws.
The Dawgs outscored Wyoming Area 32-22 after halftime with Howie leading the way. He finished with 17 points and 10 rebounds. They played the final 51.7 seconds without Hanson, their leading scorer this season who fouled out.
Koptechny had 17 for Wyoming Area.
District 2 Class 4A quarterfinals
Wyoming Area 53, Berwick 51
BERWICK (51) — Billy Hanson 4 0-0 10, Julian Howie 7 3-4 17, Noah Marquez 4 0-0 9, Kaden Hickman 3 2-2 9, Carlos Guzman 1 0-0 3, Sage Bankes 0 0-0 0, Brady McCabe 1 0-0 3. Totals 20 5-6 51.
WYOMING AREA (53) — Shane Pepe 0 0-0 0, Anthony DeLucca 1 0-2 3, Lukas Burakiewicz 9 6-8 25, Luke Kopetchny 6 4-4 17, Drew Keating 4 0-0 8, Bruno Pizzano 0 0-0 0, Jacob Morgan 0 0-0 0, Mitchell Rusinchak 0 0-0 0. Totals 20 10-14 53.
Berwick`10`9`17`15 — 51
Wyoming Area`11`20`15`7 — 53
Three-point goals: BER 5 (Hanson 2, Marquez, Guzman, McCabe). WA 3 (DeLucca, Burakewicz, Kopetchny).
