PLAINS TWP. — Hazleton Area put on a run Sunday afternoon like so many this season that spelled doom for an opponent.
That didn’t happen this time.
Instead Crestwood made Hazleton Area work for four quarters for a 63-51 victory in the Wyoming Valley Conference Tournament girls basketball championship game.
“It’s good to get into a tough game and have to make some plays,” Hazleton Area coach Joe Gavio said. “I get upset sometimes because we have the game under control and we’re still going 99 miles per hour.”
Alexis Reimold led the win with 22 points and 10 rebounds as Hazleton Area improved to 24-0. Kaitlyn Bindas had 15 points while Sophia Benyo and Sophia Shults had 11 rebounds each.
Hazleton Area (24-0) won its previous 23 games by an average of 33.5 points, including wins of 73-46 and 77-45.
A 16-0 run in the second quarter led by Kayla Lagowy and Olivia Williams put the Cougars ahead 41-20 with under a minute left until halftime.
Crestwood (19-4) could have wilted. The Comets, though, didn’t.
Crestwood closed the first half with four consecutive points and then outscored Hazleton Area 27-22 in the final two quarters.
Charlie Hiller scored consecutive baskets early in the fourth and Kendall Petrosky added another to move Crestwood within 55-44. The Comets then missed a chance to cut the deficit to under 10, and Bindas responded with two transition layups.
“The third time you play them, it’s hard,” Gavio said. “They did a good job. They have some very talented players. Our kids know them.
“It’s not easy. People think it’s easy and it’s just going to happen. They made us sweat. Give them credit.”
Shults hit a much-needed 3-pointer with just over two minutes remaining to give the Cougars some breathing room down the stretch.
“I think we outplayed them the whole second half,” Crestwood coach Mary Mushock-Namey said. “I don’t know exactly what the points were, but I felt we won each quarter. I couldn’t be prouder of the effort.
“One bad quarter cost us the game, unfortunately.”
Hiller finished with a double-double of 16 points and 10 rebounds for Crestwood. Jackie Gallagher and Cameron Vieney had 10 each. Kate Gallagher was relentless on the board to finish with 13 rebounds.
Both teams are off until hosting District 2 playoff games at 1 p.m. Saturday.
Hazleton Area will play the winner of the Class 6A quarterfinal game between Delaware Valley and Wilkes-Barre Area. Crestwood will play the winner of the 5A quarterfinal game between North Pocono and Abington Heights.
WVC Girls Championship
Hazleton Area 63, Crestwood 51
CRESTWOOD (51) — Charlie Hiller 7 2-8 16, Kendall Petrosky 1 4-4 6, Jackie Gallagher 5 0-0 10, Jordan Andrews 1 2-2 4, Kate Gallagher 2 1-2 5, Cameron Vieney 4 1-3 10. Totals 20 10-19 51.
HAZLETON AREA (63) — Sophia Benyo 3 0-0 6, Kaitlyn Bindas 7 0-0 15, Kayla Lagowy 3 0-0 7, Alexis Reimold 8 5-6 22, Sophia Shults 2 0-2 5, Moriah Marolo 1 1-2 3, Olivia Williams 2 0-0 5, Evelyn Shults 0 0-0 0. Totals 26 6-10 63.
Crestwood`18`6`14`13 — 51
Hazleton Area`19`22`12`10 — 63
Three-point goals: CRE 1 (Vieney). HA 5 (Bindas, Lagowy, Reimold, S.Shults, Williams).
