First Posted: 2/26/2012
Dallas had three players reach double figures to defeat Tunkhannock, 49-45, to capture the Wyoming Valley Conference Division II boys basketball title Tuesday night at Lake-Lehman High School.
Dallas (14-8) overall won its first WVC divisional title in a very long by winning the first-half title and then stumbling to a 30-4 finish in the second half of the season. The latter allowed Tunkhannock (14-9) to gain second-half honors.
Dallas senior guard Paul Brace and Bob Saba led Dallas with 12 points each while Jason Simonovich added 11 more.
Saba played a more important role defensively as he shut down Tunkhannock freshman Austin Yanora, who had 25 points, including eight three-pointers when the two teams had met four days earlier. In Tuesday’s game, he had a lone three-pointer and attempted only two shots.
Tunkhannock’s big guy, 6-foot-10 senior James Hawk, dominated early. Less than four minutes into the game, he had six points and three rebounds. By halftime, he had eight points and nine boards.
After that, his lone second-half field goal attempt was an outside jumper with 1:48 remaining and the Tigers trailing, 44-38.
Hawk finished with a double-double – 10 points and 12 rebounds. Doug Miller singled out Christ Ostrum’s defense on the Tunkhannock center but there were a few times when Hawk was guarded solely by 6-foot Donnie Behm yet didn’t get the ball.
Both teams were scheduled to resume their seasons Friday in the District 2 Class 3A playoffs. Tunkhannock was set to play North Pocono at Pittston Area High School while Dallas planned to travel to Carbondale High School to play Abington Heights.
