Dallas freshman Odessa Kanton eyes the basket as Wyoming Valley West’s Ava Yaney (11) and Anya Richet defend in the first quarter.
Fred Adams| For Times Leader
Dallas’ Mia DelGaudio of Dallas drives past Valley West’s Becca Staniecki in the first quarter.
Fred Adams| For Times Leader
Wyoming Valley West’s Ava Yancey turns the ball up court as Dallas’ Brianna Casey follows in the first quarter.
Fred Adams| For Times Leader
Dallas’ Malaysia Shaw (back) and Wyoming Valley West’s Anya Richet go after a loose ball in the second quarter.
Fred Adams| For Times Leader
Dallas’ Izzy Evans has a rebound taken way by Wyoming Valley West’s Anya Richet in the first quarter.
Fred Adams| For Times Leader
PLYMOUTH — Wyoming Valley West spent the better part of four quarters trying to chase down Dallas on Wednesday night.
The Spartans came close but never got there as Dallas held on for a 54-46 victory in the Wyoming Valley Conference Division 1 girls basketball opener for both teams.
The Mountaineers (1-0 Div. 1, 3-5 overall) sealed the win by scoring the game’s final five points. A baseline drive by Izzy Evans and 3-pointer by Brianna Casey to start the fourth quarter gave Dallas a little leeway after Valley West (1-0 Div. 1, 4-4) closed within 39-38 on a pair of baskets by Liv McLaughlin to end the third quarter.
Both teams were shorthanded.
Valley West was missing two starters, Thalia Irizarry and Gabby Novitski. Irizarry, who is averaging a team-high 17.4 points, missed her third consecutive game. Novitski, who is averaging 8.6 points, missed her second in a row.
Veteran inside player Anya Richet led Valley West with 18 points, but at times the Spartans hurried possessions.
“With the loss of two players and stuff, it was just some young players a little too eager maybe trying to do too much and not showing patience,” Valley West coach Gary Ferenchick said. “This has been a busy week for us. Three straight games without two starters. They did an outstanding job for us, but we just keep coming up short.”
While Ferenchick expects to get his two starters back, with Irizarry possibly returning after the holidays, Dallas has been pressing minus Molly Walsh, last season’s Times Leader Player of the Year, and Lyla Wydra, who was often the first player off the bench a season ago. Both suffered season-ending injuries in the summer.
A pair of veterans carried Dallas. Brianna Casey and Mia DelGaudio each had 15 points. The Mountaineers have been relying on a promising freshman class that includes 6-foot-3 Odessa Kanton. Kanton finished with 10 while providing toughness inside.
“They’re getting there,” Dallas coach Vince Bucciarelli said. “We started off playing some good teams. We hung with Scranton, we hung with Hughesville. We got smoked by Lake-Lehman. They were much better that night.”
Dallas 54, Wyoming Valley West 46
DALLAS (54) — Izzy Evans 2 0-2 4, Caitlyn Mizzer 3 0-0 6, Mia DelGaudio 5 3-4 15, Malaysia Shaw 2 0-0 4, Odessa Kanton 4 2-2 10, Lucy Brunn 0 0-0 0, Brianna Casey 3 8-9 15. Totals 19 13-17 54.
WVW (46) — Ava Yancey 2 1-2 6, Aniyah Dabis 2 2-2 8, Becca Staniecki 2 0-2 4, Anna Sierra 1 0-0 3, Liv McLaughlin 3 0-0 7, Anya Richet 6 6-7 18, Makenna Colleran 0 0-0 0. Totals 16 9-13 46.
Dallas`21`11`7`15 — 54
Wyo. Valley West`17`13`8`8 — 46
Three-point goals: DAL 3 (DelGaudio 2, Casey). WVW 5 (Yancey, Davis 2, Sierra, McLaughlin).
