Leopards motivated for run at WPIAL title
Belle Vernon蘑菇视频 Devin Whitlock drives around North Catholic蘑菇视频 Isaiah Jackson during a WPIAL Class AAAA semifinal playoff game at Belle Vernon last season. Whitlock returns for his senior season.
Belle Vernon coach Joe Salvino talks to his players during a timeout in a game against Uniontown last season.
It won鈥檛 be tough enough for opponents of Belle Vernon蘑菇视频 boys basketball team that it returns four starters and the fifth may have been the best sixth man in the entire WPIAL last season.
But, the opposition will also have to deal with the fact that Belle Vernon coach Joe Salvino is motivated by two different happenings.
鈥淭hat North Catholic loss still has a bad taste in my mouth,鈥� Salvino said of the Leopards鈥� heartbreaking 77-76 loss in the WPIAL Class AAAA semifinals. 鈥淲e have to learn something from a loss, and I know how we felt after that loss.
鈥淟earning from losses makes winning that much better and satisfying.鈥�
Salvino not only has stewed over that season-ending loss on March 11, but also feels the WPIAL snubbed his team a year ago.
鈥淭he WPIAL didn鈥檛 give us a section championship because they said we didn鈥檛 play enough section games,鈥� said Salvino, because the Leopards only played nine section games. 鈥淲e were the No. 1 seed going into the playoffs and they didn鈥檛 give us a section title, it wasn鈥檛 right.
鈥淭hey sold the kids short, and no doubt about it, winning a section title this year is our first goal.鈥�
Three of Belle Vernon蘑菇视频 section games were canceled due to Covid, but the opponent canceled all three.
A section title isn鈥檛 the only goal Salvino, who led Monessen to six WPIAL and two PIAA championships, has for the team.
鈥淎nother goal is to win a WPIAL championship and move on from there,鈥� said Salvino. 鈥淚 am looking forward to the challenge and I know the kids are, as well.鈥�
Belle vernon蘑菇视频 quartet of returning starters are all seniors, including point guard Devin Whitlock, guard Daniel Gordon and forwards Joe Klanchar and Tyler Kovatch.
Whitlock averaged 20 points a game and Gordon averaged 12 a year ago with Whitlock already surpassing 1,000 points for his career.
鈥淒evin is Devin. He is a pure natural player, and he brings things that you don鈥檛 coach,鈥� said Salvino. 鈥淧eople are going to be amazed at some of the things he can do.
鈥淒aniel is a shooter, no doubt about that, but he has learned to penetrate and has become an all-around player. What he does compliments Devin and Quinton (Martin).鈥�
The fifth starter will be Martin, a sophomore, who was a super sub for the Leopards last season until starting in the playoffs.
If Martin蘑菇视频 playoff performances a year ago are any indication, averaging 21 points and 13 rebounds over the three games, then his postseason introduction was a prelude of things to come.
鈥淲e used him a little more inside last season, and I am hoping to promote his game to be a little more on the outside,鈥� Salvino said. 鈥淗e is talented, can shoot and can take it to the hole.鈥�
With the players on the football team starting practice late, Salvino and his staff were able to get a look at some younger players who normally wouldn鈥檛 get reps, and some of them have stepped up.
鈥淲e have some young kids who we think are going to come along,鈥� Salvino said. 鈥淎lonzo Wade and Trevor Kovatch could give us some quality minutes, and Johnny Bellissimo has been playing well.
鈥淪ome of these kids, including Braden Laux, have gotten a chance to shine and has taken advantage of that.鈥�
Wade and Kovatch are freshmen, while Laux and Bellissimo are sophomores.
Belle Vernon plays in Section 3-AAAA with Elizabeth Forward, Mount Pleasant, South Park, Southmoreland, Uniontown and Yough.
鈥淓F has players back and I am sure they will be up there, as will Uniontown,. You will never take them out of the picture,鈥� said Salvino. 鈥淪outh Park has a new coach and will bring some different aspects to the game.
鈥淵ough could challenge. Southmoreland has a lot back and they always play hard. Mount Pleasant does a good job, too. It will be competitive section.鈥�
Belle Vernon hosts the season-opening MVI Tip-Off tournament. The Leopards are scheduled to play McKeesport and Thomas Jefferson.