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Tanner’s near triple-double fuels King’s men’s hoops to big win over rival Wilkes

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Life Deconstructed: 2019: The Year of the Fire Hydrant

<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; Following big wins over the weekend, both Wilkes and King&#8217;s clashed with both looking to get their seasons rolling.</p><p>The Monarchs were able to pull away late after a hard-fought game to win 73-59.</p><p>Rebecca Prociak finished with a game high 28 points to go with nine rebounds while Alexis Steeber scored 17 and Mackenzie Yori added 15 as the Monarchs improved to 9-7 and 3-2 in MAC Freedom Conference play.</p><p>King&#8217;s struck first in the game but Wilkes found an answer. That seemed to be the story of the first half as King&#8217;s continued to take the lead, but Wilkes countered every time as the Colonels kept things close.</p><p>After a nice run by Wilkes, King&#8217;s went into halftime leading 31-27.</p><p>King&#8217;s had a majority of their points come from Prociak, Steeber and Yori.</p><p>The third quarter was more of the same as Wilkes scored five unanswered to take their first lead of the game. Things continued to tip back-and-forth but Kings, led by Prociak, went on a run at the end of the quarter to take a 53-43 lead.</p><p>Alyssa Alfano started the fourth quarter hot, scoring the Colonels&#8217; first five points, but the Monarchs came right back to reclaim their 10 point lead. The game remained close as Wilkes refused to go away. The Colonels fought and found themselves down by seven with 4:26 left in the game.</p><p>King&#8217;s continued to fight as well though as they answered with a run of their own to pull away.</p><p>&#8220;They were making their shots,&#8221; King&#8217;s coach Caitlin Hadzimichalis said. &#8220;We started to pull away once Steeber and Prociak started using their speed and size.&#8221;</p><p>Ten different Wilkes players made the scoresheet, led by nine points from Ashley Caster and eight apiece from Gabby Smicherko and Kayla Aufiero. Gab Giordano came up with 12 rebounds for the Colonels (5-10, 1-4).</p><p><strong>Misericordia 74, Eastern 64</strong></p><p>Japriya Carroll scored 16 points to top 1,000 for her career as the Cougars remained perfect on the season, improving to 16-0 with a road win.</p><p>Tessa Zamolyi scored 17 while Rachel Carmody added a double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds.</p><p>The Cougars will be put to the test Saturday in a battle for first when they host perennial power DeSales.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>WOMEN&#8217;S BASKETBALL</strong></p><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>King&#8217;s 73, Wilkes 59</strong></p><p><strong>WILKES (59) </strong>&#8212; Maddie Kelley 2-6 0-0 5, Gabby Smicherko 3-7 1-1 8, Kendra Smith 0-3 3-7 3, Ashley Caster 4-9 1-1 9, Gab Giordano 2-10 0-0 5, Kayla Aufiero 3-3 0-0 8, Alyssa Alfano 1-9 4-5 7, Gianna Roberts 2-6 2-4 6, Vanessa Whitecavage 2-6 0-0 5, Stef Kramer 1-3 0-0 3, Jordan Harrison 0-3 0-0 0, Kristie Najdek 0-0 0-0 0, Amber Grohowski 0-0 0-0 0, Kelsey Yustat 0-0 0-0 0, Carolee Pierce 0-0 0-0 0. <strong>Totals 20-65 11-18 59.</strong></p><p><strong>KING&#8217;S (73)</strong> &#8212; Lindsey Dippre 1-4 0-0 3, Mackenzie Yori 6-11 0-0 15, Kayla Dillinger 0-4 0-0 0, Alexis Steeber 8-17 0-0 17, Rebecca Prociak 13-20 2-2 28, Samantha Rajza 1-10 4-4 6, Sara Wolbert 2-2 0-0 4, Emily Kriston 0-4 0-0 0, Sarah Gabel 0-0 0-0 0, Kristen Coleman 0-0 0-0 0, Zoe Stein 0-0 0-0 0. <strong>Totals 31-72 6-6 73.</strong></p><p><strong>Wilkes`14`13`16`16 &#8212; 59</strong></p><p><strong>King&#8217;s`14`17`22`20 &#8212; 73</strong></p><p><strong>Three-point goals</strong> &#8212; WU 8-29 (Aufiero 2-2, Smicherko 1-2, Whitecavage 1-3, Kramer 1-3, Kelley 1-5, Alfano 1-5, Giordano 1-6, Caster 0-1, Smith 0-1, Roberts 0-1) KC 5-25 (Yori 3-6, Steeber 1-3, Dippre 1-4, Kriston 0-2, Dillinger 0-4, Rajza 0-6)</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">King&#8217;s Sam Rajza brings the ball down the court ahead of Wilkes&#8217; Kendra Smith and teammate Kayla Dillinger. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/web1_TTL011719Kings-WilkesWOMEN_5.jpg</photo0><caption0>King&#8217;s Sam Rajza brings the ball down the court ahead of Wilkes&#8217; Kendra Smith and teammate Kayla Dillinger. </caption0><photoCredit0>Bill Tarutis | For Times Leader </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/web1_TTL011719Kings-WilkesWOMEN_4.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">King&#8217;s Mackenzie Yori looks to pass against the Wilkes defense Wednesday night. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/web1_TTL011719Kings-WilkesWOMEN_4.jpg</photo1><caption1>King&#8217;s Mackenzie Yori looks to pass against the Wilkes defense Wednesday night. </caption1><photoCredit1>Bill Tarutis | For Times Leader </photoCredit1></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/web1_TTL011719Kings-WilkesWOMEN_3.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">King&#8217;s forward Rebecca Prociak looks to shoot as Wilkes&#8217; Maddie Kelley defends Wednesday night. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo2>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/web1_TTL011719Kings-WilkesWOMEN_3.jpg</photo2><caption2>King&#8217;s forward Rebecca Prociak looks to shoot as Wilkes&#8217; Maddie Kelley defends Wednesday night. </caption2><photoCredit2>Bill Tarutis | For Times Leader </photoCredit2></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/web1_TTL011719Kings-WilkesWOMEN_2.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">King&#8217;s guard Kayla Dillinger looks to pass against Wilkes Wednesday night in Wilkes-Barre. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo3>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/web1_TTL011719Kings-WilkesWOMEN_2.jpg</photo3><caption3>King&#8217;s guard Kayla Dillinger looks to pass against Wilkes Wednesday night in Wilkes-Barre. </caption3><photoCredit3>Bill Tarutis | For Times Leader </photoCredit3></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/web1_TTL011719Kings-WilkesWOMEN_1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Wilkes&#8217; Kayla Aufiero, bottom, and King&#8217;s Emily Kriston go after a loose ball on Wednesday. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo4>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/web1_TTL011719Kings-WilkesWOMEN_1.jpg</photo4><caption4>Wilkes&#8217; Kayla Aufiero, bottom, and King&#8217;s Emily Kriston go after a loose ball on Wednesday. </caption4><photoCredit4>Bill Tarutis | For Times Leader </photoCredit4></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Ben Mandell</p><p>For Times Leader</p></bylineMeta></div>

King’s women’s basketball pulls away from Wilkes in second half