DALLAS TWP. — Holy Redeemer did miss some shots Saturday night. Five in a row at one point — two to end the third quarter and three more to start the fourth.
Other than that, the Royals’ assault on the basket was incredible as they defeated Dallas 73-65 to win the Wyoming Valley Conference boys basketball championship in front of an overflow crowd at Dallas High School.
Redeemer (22-2) won its first WVC title in the four seasons of the tournament and dethroned Dallas (20-4) at the same time.
First-year starting guard Jacob Hunter led the offense, often contorting on drives to finish with a game-high 30 points.
Hunter also connected on four of Redeemer’s 10 3-pointers. The Royals shot 10-of-17 (59%) from behind the arc, a stat that included a heavy from midcourt to end the third quarter than bounced off the back of the rim.
Zach Perta added four more 3-pointers, including two in a two late in the third quarter that along with another by Darryl Wright pushed Redeemer’s lead to 48-37. Redeemer shot 18-of-29 (62%) from the field through three quarters.
Dallas made several runs at the deficit in the fourth quarter. A basket by Nick Williams and a 3-pointer by Jude Nocito moved the Mountaineers within 60-58 with 3:20 to play.
Redeemer, though, bumped the lead back to 63-58 on a free throw by Mark Atherton and a catch-and-shoot 3-pointer by Hunter.
Dallas’ Darius Wallace then scored the final field goal of the game with 2:35 remaining. His ensuing free throw cut Redeemer’s lead to 63-60.
The Mountaineers couldn’t get any closer. The fast-paced game between the WVC top-two offenses bogged down from there. With both teams in the bonus, the game turned into a free-throw contest won by Redeemer. The Royals shot 21 free throws in the fourth quarter while Dallas shot 12.
Perta finished with 22 for Redeemer followed by Wright with 14. Jeff Kozerski pulled down a game-high eight rebounds.
Wallace had 16 for Dallas. Michael Bufalino had 14, Williams scored 13 and Nocito added 10.
The second quarter saw five lead changes. Redeemer went on a 5-0, Dallas answered with a 6-0 run and Redeemer answered that with a 7-0 run.
Redeemer took a 31-26 lead into halftime when Atherton was unable to find a teammate for a pass and instead hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer.
Both teams will be in action in next week’s District 2 playoffs. Redeemer will be the top seed in Class 3A. Dallas will be the second seed in Class 5A.
WVC BOYS CHAMPIONSHIP
Holy Redeemer 73, Dallas 65
HOLY REDEEMER (73) — Perta 7 4-5 22, Wright 4 4-14, Lussi 0 0-0 0, Hunter 10 6-12 30, Kozerski 0 1-2 1, Atherton 1 1-2 4, Sabatini 1 0-0 2, Dubaskas 0 0-0 0. Totals 23 17-31 73.
DALLAS (65) — Nocito 3 1-2 10, Wallace 4 8-8 16, Bufalino 5 3-3 14, Cumbo 1 0-0 2, Williams 6 1-3 13, Faux 1 1-2 4, Farrell 1 4-4 6, Timinski 0 0-0 0. Totals 21 18-22 65.
Holy Redeemer`14`17`17`25 — 73
Dallas`15`11`13`26 — 65
Three-point goals — HR 10 (Perta 4, Wright, Hunter 4, Atherton). DAL 5 (Nocito 3, Bufalino, Faux).