Back Mountain boys basketball teams may be facing different expectations, but each could argue that the first half of the season has been successful.
Dallas is at the .500 mark both in the Wyoming Valley Conference and overall at the midway point in its conference schedule. The Mountaineers have managed to avoid a major regression after graduating the entire starting lineup – and much of the key bench play – from last year’s second-place team.
Lake-Lehman has doubled its win total in the first season under new coach Dwayne Kalinay.
Tunkhannock not only has a winning record, but the Tigers have moved into title contention in WVC Division 2 and they currently have improved their winning percentage in each of coach Spencer Lunger’s three seasons with the team.
Jack Farrell, who came on strong in the playoff run last season, is the top scorer on an extremely balanced Dallas team that is 4-4 in the WVC and 7-7 overall. The Mountaineers have the depth to effectively try different lineup combinations according to opponents and who has the hot hand.
Dallas is sixth out of 10 District 2 Class 5A teams. The top eight teams make the district tournament and the top three advance to the state tournament, so unlike in previous seasons, a Class 5A team can reach the state tournament by advancing to the semifinals, then winning either of its next two games.
Lake-Lehman is 2-5 and fifth of six teams in Division 3 of the WVC. The Black Knights are on a two-game winning streak, beating Meyers and Wyoming Area, to improve to 4-9 and eighth of the nine teams pursuing eight spots in the District 2 Class 3A playoffs.
A tight race with Montrose could be ahead for the Black Knights, who won only three games combined while missing the playoffs the last two seasons.
Sophomore point guard Max Paczewski is one of the WVC’s top young players. C.J. Cercone joined Paczewski to form an inside-outside combination that is producing nearly 30 points per game.
Tunkhannock opened the season with four straight wins and has won four of its last five.
The Tigers are looking to again move up after going 10-13 in Lunger’s first season, then 13-10 last season.
Tyler Faux has led the way. The senior point guard hit his 1,000th career point last week. He is averaging 20.5 points per game with just a shade under half of those points coming on 3-pointers.
Faux has 192 career 3-pointers.
Tunkhannock is 5-4 in the WVC, but in Division 2 where teams play every conference opponent once and records have been harmed by playing all of Division 1 already, the Tigers are just one-half game out of the lead. They also stand fifth out of 10 teams chasing four District 2 Class 4A tournament berths.
The Tigers have late-season home games with both teams they are battling for the division lead. They host GAR Feb. 1 and Nanticoke Feb. 7.
