Pittston Area senior Silvio Giardina (2) passes off to teammate Lucas LoPresto in first half action against Wallenpaupack at Yatesville on Friday night.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
Patriot Silvio Giardina (2) stares down the Wallenpaupack Area defense in the first half.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
Lucas LoPresto drives the lane for Pittston Area in a PIAA D2 games against the visiting Wallenpaupack Area on Friday night.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
Patriot senior Matt Walter hits on a three-point shot against the visiting Wallenpaupack Area team.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
Pittston Area senor forward Aiden Lynn gets fouled while attempting a shot in the third period against Wallenpaupack Area on Friday.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
Pittston Area overcame an eight-point deficit over the final 6:17 Friday night to rally past upset-minded Wallenpaupack and post a 37-33 victory in a District 2 Class 5A boys basketball semifinal.
The Patriots scored the game’s final five points to cap a closing, 17-5 run that clinched a trip to the district final at Mohegan Arena at Casey Plaza and a berth in the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association state tournament.
The rally advances top-seeded Pittston Area (15-8) into Friday night’s district championship game against second-seeded Abington Heights (13-10). Abington Heights never trailed while routing Crestwood 63-31 in its semifinal.
The final, set for 8 p.m., will cap a Friday arena tripleheader.
Pittston Area demolished North Pocono in its only previous trip to the arena, taking the 2022 Class 5A championship 59-26.
Abington Heights has qualified for a title game in eight of the 10 years the finals have been held there. The two-time defending champion Comets have gone 6-0 in previous stops and had to sit out the 2021 game because of a COVID situation at the school.
Both finalists had byes in Tuesday night’s quarterfinals.
Wallenpaupack got to the semifinals with a 47-39 victory over North Pocono.
The Buckhorns (12-12) then gradually put together an upset bid that saw them open a 28-20 lead by scoring the first four points of the fourth quarter.
With its season on the line, Pittston Area won the game at the foul line.
Wallenpaupack created an opportunity with its struggles there and Pittston Area took advantage with its efficiency.
The Buckhorns were 0-for-6 from the line after taking their eight-point lead and finished 0-for-7 for the fourth quarter and 6-for-18 (33.3 percent) for the game.
The Patriots were 10-for-11 during their comeback and 14-for-15 (93.3 percent) for the game.
Silvio Giardina scored seven of his 10 points in the fourth-quarter rally that he started.
Giardina hit a 3-pointer, then made a driving scoop shot with 5:04 left to cut Wallenpaupack’s lead to 28-25.
After grabbing a defensive rebound, Giardina launched a baseball pass to well beyond midcourt, springing Aiden Lynn for a fastbreak drive that he turned into the tying 3-pointer with 4:07 remaining.
Wallenpaupack took two more leads, the final one coming on Drew Kiesendahl’s corner 3-pointer to make it 33-32 with 2:10 left.
Lynn kept the game tight by going 5-for-5 from the line in the fourth quarter.
Giardina hit two free throws with 45.5 seconds left to put Pittston Area in front.
Lopresto made the first of two with 24.1 remaining.
The Patriots played tough defense in the lane in the last 10 seconds. Giardina emerged with the ball and was chased down by the Buckhorns in time to put him on the line. He connected for the last two points with 2.8 seconds left.
Lopresto finished 5-for-6 from the line and matched Giardina for the team scoring lead with 10.
The low-scoring first half featured a 4-4 tie after one quarter.
Paul Jordan McGarry’s 3-pointer was the only field goal for Pittston Area in the second quarter and Wallenpaupack took an 11-9 lead at the break.
Giardina, Lopresto and Matt Walter hit 3-pointers for the Patriots in the third quarter but the Buckhorns went into the fourth quarter leading 24-20.
Nick Van Buskirk led Wallenpaupack with 11 points and Diego Adames had nine.
Abington Heights 63, Crestwood 31
Robby Lucas, Jordan Shaffer and Andrew Kettel combined to hit 10 shots from 3-point range as Abington Heights rolled over visiting Crestwood in the other semifinal.
Lucas was 9-for-13 while hitting four 3-pointers and finishing with 24 points, seven rebounds and five assists.
Shaffer added 17 points while Kettel had 13 points, 10 rebounds and four steals.
Ayden Agapito led Crestwood with 13 points and three blocked shots.
