Hazleton Cougars

Behind a balanced offensive attack and a blistering start, Hazleton Area High School powered past Garnet Valley High School, 71–34, Friday night in the first round of the Class 6A girls basketball state tournament.

Hazelton Area's Evelyn Sheer AKA "The Pink Nightmare", the 1st seed, started off strong with a 27 second pin in the semifinals which advanced her to the finals. Crestwood's Samara Bailey, the 2nd seed and last year's runner-up, had also picked up a quick 24 second pin to advance her to the finals. This finals match was crazy with multiple takedowns and reversals.

From the opening possession Friday night at Mohegan Arena, the Cougars played like a team on a mission, rolling past Scranton 67-30 to capture the District 2 Class 6A championship in convincing fashion.

They were down 12 before they scored. The crowd grew restless. The memory of the last loss crept back in. But David Jannuzzi never wavered and neither did his team. From that moment on, this wasn’t about revenge. It was about resolve.

Because front row isn’t just a seat in the arena, it’s a place in the story. And the story is still being written.

Hazleton Area opened the District 2 Class 6A boys basketball playoffs with authority Wednesday night, defeating Scranton 58-40 behind a balanced offensive effort and a dominant third-quarter surge.

When the Wyoming Valley Conference championship tipped off Saturday afternoon, it felt like the perfect ending to a season-long rivalry. The area’s two best teams — Hazleton Area and Crestwood — met for the third time this year after splitting their regular-season matchups, setting the stage for a true rubber match with a championship on the line.

Hazleton Area built an early lead, weathered a second quarter surge, and delivered in the closing moments to edge Wilkes Barre Area 44 to 43 in a tightly contested boys basketball battle. The Cougars made just enough plays down the stretch to survive a late push and secure the one point victory in front of the home crowd.

Crestwood showed poise from the opening tip, breaking the pressure and controlling the tempo in a tough road environment. By staying patient against the press and capitalizing once it was beaten, the Comets turned defense into offense and pulled away in the second half for a statement win.

HAZLETON, PA — Hazleton Area showcased its offensive depth and firepower Thursday night, rolling past Dallas 107–71 in a statement performance that featured balanced scoring and relentless pace on both ends of the floor.

Dallas High School put together one of its most complete performances of the season Friday night, pulling away from Hazleton Area for a convincing 75–55 victory built on depth, rhythm, and collective execution.

Ranked rivals. Solid crowd. Plenty of edge. Hazleton Area walked into Dallas, matched the physicality, and walked out with a statement, snapping an unbeaten streak and setting the tone in the Wyoming Valley Conference.

DALLAS — A familiar rivalry with a new layer of intrigue takes center stage Thursday night as Dallas hosts Hazleton Area in a highly anticipated girls basketball matchup.

PITTSTON — Hazleton Area earned a hard-fought conference road victory on Saturday night, pulling away late to defeat Pittston Area, 56–49, in a physical boys’ basketball matchup.

Basketball has always been part of Kaitlyn’s life. She’s been playing for as long as she can remember—“maybe since I was six years old,” she says. While she once played softball in little league, basketball quickly became her passion. “I just love the excitement of it, seeing my parents. I just love everything about it,” Bindas shared. “I like the fast pace of the game.” That love for the game has fueled her rise into one of the area’s top players.