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WILKES-BARRE – Holy Redeemer found itself with the dilemma most have faced when looking across the court at Abington Heights.

How do you attack a Comets team that has a 7-foot center, speed in transition and light’s out shooters?

What the Royals found out is a game can get away at the blink of an eye.

Redeemer hung around midway through the opening quarter before a momentum-swinging 15-3 run to end the first gave Abington a nice cushion as the Comets rolled to a 62-29 victory in non-conference play Monday night.

It was the Royals’ first loss of 2016-17, while Abington improves to 4-1.

“The most disappointing thing for me was I didn’t like our approach,” Redeemer head coach Paul Guido said. “I know Abington is good, and everyone knows that. But I think our guys just feared them and backed down from them before the game even started. You never know what can happen in a game. But I just feel we were too hesitant and timid against them before one bucket was even made.”

If there was any thought of an Abington Heights’ letdown following a huge weekend victory over LaSalle College High School, that memory quickly evaporated.

Sophomores Trey Koehler and George Tinsley combined for 12 points in the opening quarter, 7-foot senior Seth Maxwell pulled down six rebounds and Abington broke open a 4-3 game with a 15-3 run and a 19-6 lead after one.

Yep, no letdown by the Comets on this night.

“It was a big win, but we let them know that the win wouldn’t be worth anything if we came down here and laid an egg,” Abington head coach Ken Bianchi said. “That win was something to build on, not to just drop back down to where we were. You have to get better, better and better. And I think we did that tonight.”

In reality, Redeemer may not see a starting five like Abington all season.

Maxwell had a double-double of 11 points and 13 boards. Koehler was impressive, hitting 7 of 12 from the floor, dropping a game-high 18 points.

And that’s not counting Tinsley, who finished with 13 points.

In all, the Comets’ starting five accounted for 55 of the team’s 62 points.

“We didn’t want to key on one specific player because we know their two sophomores are good, and the big guy is just huge,” Guido said. “We wanted to do a better job of slowing them down and limiting their opportunities and their possessions. It’s not an easy matchup against them, that’s for sure.”

Redeemer just couldn’t find its footing.

The Royals shot just 5 of 23 in the first half, and missed their first seven attempts in the third quarter before Jason Stachokus knocked down a 3-pointer for the wing to end the nearly five-minute drought.

Through three quarters, Redeemer shot just 19 percent and found itself down 51-23.

“I don’t think we executed well on defense in the beginning,” Bianchi said. “But overall, I was pleased. We were able to run some new things in the second half to see how they would work. And I liked some of the things. We still have some work to do, and that’s what exhibition season is for.”

Abington built on the 19-6 lead after one by scoring the first six points of the second, and led 33-11 with two minutes remaining in the half.

James Kosik and Colin Cook combined for 15 in the first half, but the Royals had an uphill battling coming out of the locker room, down by 20 (36-16).

Kosik knocked down two trifectas and finished with a team-high 10 points for Redeemer, while Stachokus and Cook combined for 13.

“There is no such thing as a moral victory, but I said to our guys that Abington is where we want to get to,” Guido said. “They play together as a team. They have guys that can really take over a game, but they don’t play that way. They are well-coached and they understand sharing the ball is better for the team. Overall, it’s going to help us. We can strive to get to where they are at.”

Dallas 56,

Holy Cross 40

Three of Dallas’ starters scored in double figures in a win over Holy Cross.

Jay Bittner led the charge with 16 points, while Joey Parsons scored 13 and Ben Donahue finished with 10 points.

Meyers 58,

Mid Valley 38

The Mohawks jumped out to a 21-8 lead and never looked back.

Jawane Buckner scored a game-high 17 points, while Matt Dessoye chipped in with 15 and Omar Kelly had 11 in the win.

Central Columbia 57,

Wyoming Seminary 56

Jeremy Callahan scored 22 points, but Wyoming Seminary was outscored 18-13 in the fourth quarter.

Callahan was 8 for 8 from the charity stripe, and sunk four 3-pointers.

Dimitri Gnall added 19 points in a losing effort.

West Scranton 44,

Nanticoke 30

Luke Butczynski scored a team-high nine points to pace Nanticoke. Justin Casey added seven points.

Abington Heights 62, Holy Redeemer 29

Abington `19`17`15`11 – 62

Redeemer `6`10`7`6 – 29

ABINGTON HTS. (62) — George Tinsley 5 0-0 10, Tom Rothenberger 4 0-0 9, Jackson Danzig 2 3-4 7, Trey Koehler 7 2-2 18, Seth Maxwell 4 2-2 11, Brad Bauman 0 0-0 0, Drew Nealon 0 0-0 0, Jack Nealon 2 0-0 5, Matthan Sherman 0 0-0 0, Alex Derry 1 0-0 2, Lucas Goodman 0 0-0 0. Totals 25 7-8 62.

HOLY REDEEMER (29) — Jason Stachokus 1 3-4 6, Joey Judge 0 0-2 0, Joseph Layaou 0 0-0 0, James Kosik 4 0-0 10, Nick Prociak 1 0-0 2, Bryce Yencha 1 0-0 2, Michael Lyons 1 0-0 2, Gavin Claherty 0 0-0 0, JD Turosky 0 0-0 0, Colin Cook 2 3-5 7, Luke Nealon 0 0-0 0, Anthony Khoudary 0 0-0 0. Totals 10 6-11 29.

Three-point goals — HR 3 (Kosik 2, Stachokus); AH 4 (Koehler 2, Rothenberger, Maxwell, J. Nealon).

Dallas 56, Holy Cross 40

HOLY CROSS (40) — Matt Nelson 1 1-1 3, Pat Galvin 2 0-0 5, Declan Tokash 2 0-2 4, Leahy O’Connor 0 0-0 0, Tyler Mozeleski 2 5-6 9, Malachi Phillips 4 3-4 11, Tommy Montefour 0 0-0 0, Kierman Burrier 2 1-2 5. Totals 14 10-15 40.

DALLAS (56) — Collin Pertl 2 0-0 5, Alex Charlton 2 2-2 8, Nick Kocher 0 0-0 0, Joey Parsons 5 2-4 13, Ben Donahue 3 3-3 10, Zach Charlton 0 0-0 0, Jay Bittner 7 1-2 16, Ethan Szczencinski 2 0-2 4, Michael Farrell 0 0-0 0. Totals 21 8-13 56.

Holy Cross`9`15`7`9`—`40

Dallas `17`14`13`12`—`56

Three-point goals — HC 2 (Galvin, Callejas); DAL 6 (Pertl, Charlton 2, Parsons, Donahue, Kovalick).

Meyers 58, Mid Valley 38

MID VALLEY (38) — James Urso 0 1-4 1, Noah Tanner 1 0-0 2, Colin Hazleton 0 0-0 0, JJ Glinsky 1 0-2 2, Brad Kalinowski 5 2-2 13, RJ Gouldsbury 6 0-1 13, Brendan Davies 1 4-4 7, Aaron Polon 0 0-0 0. Totals 14 7-13 38.

MEYERS (58) — Yuri Covington 0 0-0 0, Omar Kelly 5 1-1 11, Robbie Formola 1 0-0 2, Matt Dessoye 6 2-3 15, Mat Manfre 0 0-2 0, Jawane Buckner 7 3-4 17, Steve Morel 0 0-0 0, Willie Wallace 0 0-0 0, Levaugn Soules 2 0-0 4, Ryan Gilgallon 4 0-0 9, Gabriel Springer 0 0-0 0. Totals 25 6-10 58.

Mid Valley`8`12`6`12`—`38

Meyers `21`14`15`8`—`58

Three-point goals — MV 3 (Kalinowski, Davies); MEY 2 (Dessoye, Gilgallon).

Central Columbia 57, Wyoming Seminary 56

WYOMING SEMINARY (56) — Jeremy Callahan 5 8-8 22, Dimitri Gnall 9 0-1 19, Nicholas Ganter 2 2-2 6, Tyler Maddock 0 3-4 3, Todd Phillips 1 0-0 3, Johnny Kohl 1 1-2 3, Samir Singh 0 0-0 0, Nicolas Bufalino 0 0-0 0, Noah Munley 0 0-0 0. Totals 18 14-17 56.

CENTRAL COLUMBIA (57) — Zach Boyd 6 8-9 23, Griffin Aucker 6 1-1 13, Matt Grozier 4 3-4 12, Nick Brunozzi 2 1-2 6, Dominic C. 1 0-1 3. Totals 19 13-17 57.

Wyoming Seminary`16`11`16`13`—`56

Central Columbia`14`12`13`18`—`57

Three-point goals — WS 6 (Callahan 4, Gnall, Phillips); CC 6 (Boyd 3, Brunozzi, Grozier, Dominic C.).

West Scranton 44, Nanticoke 30

NANTICOKE (30) — Luke Butczynski 3 1-2 9, Justin Casey 3 1-2 7, Tyler Thomas 1 3-4 5, Nate Krietzer 2 0-0 4, Zack Cardone 1 0-0 3, Cody Dtestrak 0 2-2 2, Rich Wiaterowski 0 0-0 0, Matt Piontkowski 0 0-0 0. Totals 10 7-11 30.

WEST SCRANTON (44) — Matt Williams 6 1-2 12, Dashawn Minnick 4 0-0 10, Shaun Fanning 4 1-2 9, Cole Steizak 2 0-0 6, Austin Lopowitch 2 0-0 4, Blake Carlton 1 0-0 3. Totals 19 1-3 44.

NANTICOKE`7`10`6`7`—`30

West Scranton`14`11`11`8`—`44

Three-point goals — NAN 3 (Butcznski 2, Cardone); WS 5 (Minnick 2, Steizak 2, Carlton).

Joe Judge of Holy Redeemer tries to put up a jumper over George Tinsley of Abington Heights in Monday’s boys high school basketball game at Holy Redeemer. (Pete G. Wilcox|Times Leader)
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/web1_hrah01.jpg.optimal.jpgJoe Judge of Holy Redeemer tries to put up a jumper over George Tinsley of Abington Heights in Monday’s boys high school basketball game at Holy Redeemer. (Pete G. Wilcox|Times Leader)

Nick Prociak of Holy Redeemer takes a jump shot in the first half of Monday’s boys high school basketball game in Wilkes-Barre. (Pete G. Wilcox|Times Leader)
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/web1_hrah02.jpg.optimal.jpgNick Prociak of Holy Redeemer takes a jump shot in the first half of Monday’s boys high school basketball game in Wilkes-Barre. (Pete G. Wilcox|Times Leader)

Holy Redeemer’s Jason Stachokas (3) pushes the ball onto Abington Heights side of the court with Lucas Goodman (35) of Abington Heights in pursuit in the first half of boys high school basketball played at Holy Redeemer on Monday. (Pete G. Wilcox|Times Leader)
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/web1_hrah03.jpg.optimal.jpgHoly Redeemer’s Jason Stachokas (3) pushes the ball onto Abington Heights side of the court with Lucas Goodman (35) of Abington Heights in pursuit in the first half of boys high school basketball played at Holy Redeemer on Monday. (Pete G. Wilcox|Times Leader)

Nick Prociak takes a jump shot during the first half.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/web1_hrah02CMYK.jpg.optimal.jpgNick Prociak takes a jump shot during the first half. Pete G. Wilcox | Times Leader
Abington Heights holds Redeemer to 29 points

By Tom Fox

For Times Leader