TURNOVER-PLAGUED WILDCATS FALL, 71-34, AT DALLAS

By: Tim Birney  /  January 30, 2021

DALLAS — Dallas knocked down six first-half 3-pointers on its way to a 22-point halftime lead, and cruised to a 71-34 win over a turnover-plagued Athens here Saturday night in non-league boys basketball action.

“I am disappointed in our effort tonight,” said Athens coach Jim Lister. “We turned the ball over 29 times, with 20 of those turnovers in the first half.

“You just cannot do that period,” noted Lister. “Especially against a good, fundamentally-sound team like Dallas.

“On top of that they hit 12 threes,” added Lister. “That’s just not a good combination.

Junior Austin Finarelli knocked down a pair of 3-pointers and scored 11 points in the first quarter, and junior Nick Nocito also hit a pair of treys and scored eight points as the Mountaineers jumped out to a 24-11 lead after the first eight minutes.

It was much the same in the second quarter as Finarelli and Nocito combined for 13 points in a 22-13 spurt that gave Dallas a 46-24 lead at the half.

It got worse in the second half as the Mountaineers outscored the Wildcats 25-10, holding Athens without a field goal in the fourth quarter.

Junior Troy Pritchard led Athens with 12 points and eight rebounds, while junior J.J. Babcock scored eight points and grabbed four boards, sophomore Mason Lister added seven points and three assists, and senior Griffen Stein chipped in with five points and four rebounds.

Finarelli led all scorers with 25 points, including four 3-pointers, and Nocito added 16 points.

“Hopefully we learned something tonight,” said Lister. “We need to re-group, watch the film and get ready for a very good North Penn-Liberty team on Tuesday night.”