Leopards motivated for run at WPIAL title
Belle Vernon无毛视频檚 Devin Whitlock drives around North Catholic无毛视频檚 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无毛视频檛 be tough enough for opponents of Belle Vernon无毛视频檚 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.
无毛视频淭hat North Catholic loss still has a bad taste in my mouth,无毛视频� Salvino said of the Leopards无毛视频� heartbreaking 77-76 loss in the WPIAL Class AAAA semifinals. 无毛视频淲e have to learn something from a loss, and I know how we felt after that loss.
无毛视频淟earning from losses makes winning that much better and satisfying.无毛视频�
Salvino not only has stewed over that season-ending loss on March 11, but also feels the WPIAL snubbed his team a year ago.
无毛视频淭he WPIAL didn无毛视频檛 give us a section championship because they said we didn无毛视频檛 play enough section games,无毛视频� said Salvino, because the Leopards only played nine section games. 无毛视频淲e were the No. 1 seed going into the playoffs and they didn无毛视频檛 give us a section title, it wasn无毛视频檛 right.
无毛视频淭hey sold the kids short, and no doubt about it, winning a section title this year is our first goal.无毛视频�
Three of Belle Vernon无毛视频檚 section games were canceled due to Covid, but the opponent canceled all three.
A section title isn无毛视频檛 the only goal Salvino, who led Monessen to six WPIAL and two PIAA championships, has for the team.
无毛视频淎nother goal is to win a WPIAL championship and move on from there,无毛视频� said Salvino. 无毛视频淚 am looking forward to the challenge and I know the kids are, as well.无毛视频�
Belle vernon无毛视频檚 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.
无毛视频淒evin is Devin. He is a pure natural player, and he brings things that you don无毛视频檛 coach,无毛视频� said Salvino. 无毛视频淧eople are going to be amazed at some of the things he can do.
无毛视频淒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).无毛视频�
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无毛视频檚 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.
无毛视频淲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,无毛视频� Salvino said. 无毛视频淗e is talented, can shoot and can take it to the hole.无毛视频�
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无毛视频檛 get reps, and some of them have stepped up.
无毛视频淲e have some young kids who we think are going to come along,无毛视频� Salvino said. 无毛视频淎lonzo Wade and Trevor Kovatch could give us some quality minutes, and Johnny Bellissimo has been playing well.
无毛视频淪ome of these kids, including Braden Laux, have gotten a chance to shine and has taken advantage of that.无毛视频�
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.
无毛视频淓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,无毛视频� said Salvino. 无毛视频淪outh Park has a new coach and will bring some different aspects to the game.
无毛视频淵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.无毛视频�
Belle Vernon hosts the season-opening MVI Tip-Off tournament. The Leopards are scheduled to play McKeesport and Thomas Jefferson.