<\/p>\n
WILKES-BARRE TWP. \u2014 Hazleton Area took the ball away.<\/p>\n
Then, the Cougars kept it.<\/p>\n
By the end of the first quarter, Hazleton Area had turned all its possession time into a 21-point advantage on the way to pounding Scranton 67-30 in the District 2 Class 6A girls basketball championship game Friday night at Mohegan Arena.<\/p>\n
Hazleton Area forced nine first-quarter turnovers, many resulting in easy baskets. The first seven times the Cougars missed, they got the ball back six times.<\/p>\n
The extra chances added up to a 16-0 start and a 23-2 lead after one quarter.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe caught them early,\u201d Cougars coach Joe Gavio said after his team\u2019s third straight title and seventh in a record-tying 10 trips to the arena. \u201cThat was the key.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe didn\u2019t give them a chance.\u201d<\/p>\n
Scranton improved from there, but the Knights never got closer than 19 again.<\/p>\n
Kaitlyn Bindas led the Hazleton Area offense with 24 points despite being done for the night well before the third quarter ended. She was 10-for-15 from the floor, including 3-for-6 on 3-pointers.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe all played together, played as a team and came out strong,\u201d Bindas said.<\/p>\n
Sophia Benyo did a little bit of everything early and finished with 11 points, eight rebounds, six assists and five steals.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know I have to get the rebounds and pass to my teammates when they\u2019re open,\u201d Benyo said.<\/p>\n
Alexis Reimold also scored 11 points and grabbed five of her six rebounds on the offensive end.<\/p>\n
The pace at which the Cougars earned additional shots slowed somewhat, but they were prominent again in a 9-0 run in the middle of the second quarter for a 36-8 lead.<\/p>\n
Reimold hit both free throws after an offensive rebound, then chased down her own mid-court deflection for a steal and three-point play to account for the last five points.<\/p>\n
Scranton\u2019s final bright spot was forcing Hazleton Area coach Joe Gavio to call a timeout in the first minute of the second half. The Knights scored six straight points, including a Chrissy Jacklinski 3-pointers to end the half. Jacklinski had five points in the streak.<\/p>\n
The Cougars responded to the brief talk with their coach.<\/p>\n
Bindas scored five points in the next 29 seconds on a 3-pointer, steal and drive. She added a three-point play in an 11-2 run.<\/p>\n
Benyo\u2019s tip in with 5:24 left in the third quarter capped the run invoked the running clock with a 51-20 lead.<\/p>\n
Mariah Marolo also had six assists while Molly Temchatin came off the bench to provide seven points and four steals in the win.<\/p>\n
Hazleton Area forced 21 turnovers while improving to 24-2 going into the PIAA state tournament. The Cougars came within one point of the largest win in arena history, a record their 2016 team holds for a 70-32 victory over Pittston Area.<\/p>\n
Jacklinski led Scranton with 15 points and three blocked shots. <\/p>\n
District 2 Class 6A Championship<\/p>\n
Hazleton Area 67, Scranton 30<\/p>\n
SCRANTON (30) \u2014 Chrissy Jacklinski 6 2-3 15, Bianca Perez 0 1-2 1, Jaelyn Alers 0 1-2 1, Abigail Stalica 1 0-0 2, Rhylee Bell 2 0-0 5, Johanelys Paulino Baez 2 1-2 6, Emma Sweeney 0 0-0 0, Johalci DeLeon Almonte 0 0-0 0, Ava Yearing 0 0-0 0, Molly Sweeney 0 0-0 0, Jahiya Parker 0 0-0 0, Ava Yearing 0 0-0 0, Caylee Pettus 0 0-0 0. Totals 11 5-9 30.<\/p>\n
HAZLETON AREA (67) \u2014 Mariah Marolo 1 1-2 4, Sophia Benyo 5 1-2 11, Kaitlyn Bindas 10 1-1 24, Kayla Lagowy 0 0-0 0, Alexis Reimold 4 3-3 11, Addison Fritz 2 2-2 7, Molly Temchatin 3 0-0 7, Juliana Silva 0 0-0 0, Miranda Chupela 0 0-0 0, Sofia Rodgers 1 1-2 3, Hannah Matyas 0 0-0 0, Meadow Pavlick 0 0-0 0, Alexandra Santiago 0 0-0 0, Janette Veliz 0 0-2 0, Aleeyah Blanyar 0 0-0 0, Anna Shafer 0 0-0 0, Celine Betances 0 0-0 0. Totals 26 9-14 67.<\/p>\n
Scranton`2`13`11`4 \u2014 30<\/p>\n
Hazleton Area`23`18`19`7 \u2014 67<\/p>\n
Three-point goals \u2013 SCR 3 (Jacklinski, Bell, Paulino Baez), HAZ 6 (Bindas 3, Marolo, Fritz, Temchatin).<\/p>\n
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