SCRANTON — Even though it would be hard to argue both teams began with the same pieces, the District 2 Class 4A boys basketball semifinal resembled a chess match.
Nanticoke Area coach Zach Pientka’s metaphor held true in more ways than one. Even for two teams in opposite conferences, Valley View and Nanticoke Area knew each others’ tactics and tendencies as if they were longtime foes. And after 17 different lead changes through three quarters, it was bound that someone, anyone was going to get a lucky break.
The Trojans ran out of a moves in a 50-43 loss to Valley View Saturday at Scranton High School. Nanticoke Area moves on to face their Sans Souci Highway rivals Hanover Area on Tuesday at a place to be determined. The winner of the third-place game will receive a bid to the PIAA Class 4A tournament.
“We scrimmaged them earlier in the year. It was a chess match – we knew their sets, they knew our sets,” Pientka said. “It comes down to making more plays down the end.”
Trailing by five, Valley View went on an 11-point run in the second half to break away from the Trojans. The Cougars held Nanticoke Area scoreless for an eight-minute stretch. Nick Tomassoni’s layup gave the Cougars a 44-36 lead that his team held on to for the remaining 4:04 of the game.
“They wore us down there inside, as was expected,” Pientka said. “They have 6-5, 6-4 forwards compared to our guys that are 6 feet across the board.”
Nanticoke Area ended the drought on a fast break chance with 3:16 left. With Valley View punching back to increase its lead back to six on an Adam Howanitz jumper, the Trojans were unable to manufacture any points on a minute-long possession. Valley View slammed the door closed with a Howanitz driving layup off of a T.J. Noto assist that increased the lead to 46-38 with 1:10 remaining.
The Trojans were flying on all cylinders after Colby Butczynkski, left alone well behind the arc, threw up a 3-pointer that connected to extend their lead to 36-31 in the third quarter. The Cougars’ Zach Kovalchick tallied the last seven points scored of the quarter. He stole a ball and made a layup at the other end to even the score at 36-36 with 1:39 on the board. He added another basketball on Valley View’s next possession to go into the last break with a 38-26 advantage.
“We took the lead in the third quarter where we were really doing a great job on defensive rebounding side of the basketball and being able to push the basketball to do what we wanted to do with transitions,” Pientka said. “In the fourth quarter, they stopped us with what we wanted to do, our bread and butter of getting out. It’s just what happens.”
Butczynski finished with 20 points for the Trojans. J.J. Bielecki added nine points.
Howanitz and Kovalchick had 16 and 15 points, respectively, to lead Valley View to the district championship game against Scranton Prep.
District 2 Class 4A Semifinals
Valley View 50, Nanticoke Area 43
NANTICOKE (43) — Sincere Shiloh 0 2-2 2, Luke Myers 2 0-0 4, JJ Bielecki 3 2-2 9, Colby Butczynski 6 6-8 20, Cullen Brown 0 0-0 0, Jake Krupinski 2 0-0 6, Joe Fox 1 0-0 2. Totals 14 8-12 43.
VALLEY VIEW (50) — Zach Kovalchick 6 3-4 15, Adam Howanitz 8 0-0 16, Nick Tomassoni 4 0-0 9, Connor Kelley 1 4-4 7, Colin Skeen 0 0-1 0, TJ Noto 1 1-2 3. Totals 20 8-11 50.
Nanticoke`14`10`12`7—`43
Valley View`10`16`12`12—`50
Three-point goals — NAN 5 (Krupinski 2, Butczynski 2, Bielecki); VV 2 (Tomassoni, Kelley).
