Patriots Outlast Crestwood in Overtime Thriller, 43–39
By: Matt Flanagan | SportzWire | January 18, 2026 | Photo courtesy Tony Gruenloh
PITTSTON — Crestwood erased an 11-point second-half deficit and forced overtime on a dramatic buzzer-beating three-pointer by Gio Barna, but Pittston Area responded in the extra period to secure a 43–39 Division 1 victory Saturday night.
After Pittston Area built its largest lead during the second half, Crestwood stormed back behind hot perimeter shooting and late-game execution. Barna’s clutch triple at the horn tied the game at 37 and stunned the home crowd, sending the contest into overtime. Pittston Area regrouped defensively in the extra session, outscoring Crestwood 6–2 in overtime to seal the win.
Jacob Ivey led Pittston Area with a game-high 13 points, including five points in overtime. Lucas LoPresto added 10 points, with six coming in the third quarter to help the Patriots establish their second-half cushion. Aidan Clarke finished with nine points, while Brennan Callahan chipped in six as Pittston Area spread the scoring across the lineup.
Crestwood was paced by freshman Miles Metz, who scored 17 points while knocking down four three-pointers. Barna finished with seven points, including the game-tying buzzer beater, while Ayden Agapito also added seven. Connor Wagaman and Jack Rogers each contributed four points in the Comets’ comeback effort.
With the win, Pittston Area handed Crestwood its second divisional loss and earned a key Division 1 victory in a tightly contested league race.
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