Dallas Advances to District 2 Class 5A Championship with Win Over Pittston Area
By: Matt Flanagan | Sportzwire | February 22, 2025 | Photo courtesy Tony Gruenloh
YATESVILLE — For the third time this season, Dallas proved to be a difficult matchup for Pittston Area, and Saturday’s District 2 Class 5A girls basketball semifinal was no different. Behind a dominant performance from freshman center Odessa Kanton and a tenacious defensive effort from sophomore guard Caitlyn Mizzer, the third-seeded Mountaineers secured a 47-36 victory over second-seeded Pittston Area.
Dallas (15-9) advances to the district championship game, where it will face Crestwood on March 1 at Mohegan Arena. Pittston Area’s season comes to an end with a 17-7 record.
The game started with both teams struggling offensively, as Pittston Area missed all 10 of its field goal attempts in the first quarter. Despite Kanton picking up her second foul late in the opening period, Dallas held a 6-1 lead. The Patriots finally broke through in the second quarter and briefly took a 15-14 lead following a 6-0 run, but Dallas regained control and carried a two-point advantage into halftime.
Kanton took over in the third quarter, scoring seven consecutive points to help extend the Mountaineers’ lead to 28-17. Pittston Area responded with a late surge, closing the quarter on a 9-3 run to cut the deficit to five points. However, Dallas opened the fourth quarter with an 8-0 burst, pushing its advantage to double digits and sealing the win.
Kanton led all scorers with 22 points, while Izzy Evans added seven. Mizzer and Malaysia Shaw contributed six points each. Maddie Karp paced Pittston Area with nine points, and Giuliana Latona chipped in six.
With the win, Dallas moves one step closer to a district title, showcasing a balanced attack and strong defensive effort against one of the top teams in the bracket.
