Published January 5, 1982

HONESDALE, PA - Using a scrappy defense and fine outside shooting the Honesdale Hornets basketball team won the 22nd annual Honesdale JayCees Holiday Basketball Tournament Wednesday night by beating arch rival Wallenpaupack, 59-48.

Led by senior Dan Tuman, who ended the night with 18 points and won the Tournament's Most Valuable Player award, the Hornets made a switch offensively in the third quarter which the Buckhorns didn't adjust to. At the close of the third quarter Honesdale had an eight point lead, 40-32, and that was all they needed.

The first half didn't look that bright, however, as Honesdale fought for a 16-12 advantage and raised, and could only raise, that to 23-18 with 2:30 left in the second quarter. Honesdale coach Ron Rowe had his players go into a stall, but walked away with only a slim 26-23 lead at the close of the half.

Both squads started the second half in a shooting slump and seemed tired. After the tentative start Wallenpaupack's Bruce Hooper, who finished with 14 points, tied the game with a jumper, and with 5:58 left to go in the third quarter, Rowe called a time out.

“We switched our offense to a 1-3-1. We got Tuman open and he started to take the shots,” said Rowe.

Tuman had scored only 4 points in the first half, but made up for that drought in the second. Honesdale also got 13 points from Jim LaPoint and 11 from Jim McHugh to help the cause.

While the scoring picked up in the second half for Tuman and his teammates, it was the tough defense which sparked the Hornets to life, as John Bertram and Jim McHugh in particular harassed the Buckhorn guards as they tried to bring the ball up court.

“We were using a combination of half court and three-quarter court trap presses,” said Rowe. “Bertram held their top scorer (Paul Guccini) to 6 points. He really did a job on him.”

Wallenpaupack's Bob McLaughlin led all the scorers with 20 points.

Honesdale, which has now won seven in a row, upped its record to 8-2. They will open their maiden year on Tuesday, January 5.

In the consolation game Susquehanna destoryed Hancock, which was playing without their leading scorer, Jim Wright (out with an ankle injury), beating them 63-39. Tim Graves led Susquehanna with 21 points and teammate Frank Passetti had 15. Mark Skinner led Hancock with 14 points.

In the first game of the tournament Hancock, fell to Wallenpaupack, 65-64. Chet Addensky led Wallenpaupack with 17 points, Bruce Hooper had 15 and Paul Guccini, 14. Kevin Bennet pumped in 25 for Hancock followed by 15 points by Skinner.

In the second game of the opening round, Honesdale held off a tough Susquehanna club, winning, 49-39.

Dan Tuman led the Hornets with 14 points and Steve Langendoerfer added another 11. Tim Graves paced Susquehanna with 11 points.