Pietropola eclipses 1,000 career points as Hornets beat NEB

By: Ed Weaver  /  January 17, 2015

Senior Michael Pietropola became the seventh member of the Wellsboro Boys Basketball team to score 1,000 career points as the Hornets defeated Northeast Bradford 59-34 on Friday, January 16.

Pietropola came into the game 24 points shy of the milestone and soon after the opening tip, he and the rest of the Hornets went to work.

Wellsboro had a solid opening quarter as they scored 22 points to NEB's 6. Pietropola had 10 points after one, highlighted by two three-pointers, and Freshman Quinn Henry scored six of his eight points on two three's of his own. The Hornets would score 15 second quarter points to take a 37-21 lead going into the locker room. Pietropola scored six more points, four of which came at the foul line, to give him 16 at the break.

The third quarter saw Wellsboro outscore NEB 13-4. Pietropola chipped away at the remaining eight points with five in the quarter, before he would reach the mark midway through the final frame. Pietropola took a handoff from Senior Kieron Smethers and unleashed a long three-pointer giving him exactly 24 points on the night.

"It was pretty awesome," Pietropola said. "I was looking for that shot the entire quarter. I had a little bit of nerves and let it kind of get to me, so we started getting back in our offense. When I made the shot, the support was amazing. I just want to thank everyone for coming out and supporting me."

Pietropola joins the likes of Phil Hickey, Ryan Callahan, Bud Albee, Dustin Smith, Will Osgood, and Jake Coolidge as the only Hornet men to reach the mark.

Pietropola is head coach Todd Outman's first 1,000 point scorer in his five years at Wellsboro, and the skipper is quite proud of his Senior guard.

"He's a great kid first of all, and he's a great player and I'm very proud of him," Outman said. "He's worked very hard with putting a lot of gym hours growing up and it was perfect for him to hit it on a three point shot because up until this year that was what he was known for throughtout District IV. He was a handful for the defense tonight, and I just thought it was awesome to hit one for his 1,000 point."

Pietropola exited the game moments after reaching 1,000 as he finished the game's high scorer with 24 points to go along with four assists and three steals. Henry scored eight points on the night, Smethers finished with seven, seven rebounds, and two blocks, Senior Jake Mitchell scored six, Sophomores Brandon Lamphier and Jacob Singer each scored four points, and Freshman Dalton Prough, Sophomore Alden Weiner, and Freshman Collin Pietropola added two points.

With the win, the Hornets improve to 10-3 (3-1 NTL Division 1). The team will be back in action on Wednesday, January 21 as they travel to Liberty.