Closing the book
Sharon edges Belle Vernon in Salvino无毛视频檚 final game
WEXFORD 无毛视频� The range of emotions on Joe Salvino无毛视频檚 face, in his eyes, and in his voice told the story.
Tuesday night, the Salvino无毛视频檚 Belle Vernon boys basketball team saw its season, and his legendary coaching career, come to an end in a PIAA Class 4A second-round loss to Sharon, 69-64, at North Allegheny High School.
无毛视频淎ll good things must come to an end,无毛视频� Salvino said minutes after talking to his team in the locker room for the final time. 无毛视频淚 am not going to take away what we accomplished. We won a WPIAL championship, I am proud of those kids.无毛视频�
Sharon (20-8), the District 10 runner-up, led for most of the game, but the Leopards (22-5) fought and clawed the entire way.
However, they couldn无毛视频檛 get it clicking offensively.
无毛视频淭he guys put pressure on (themselves) and knew if you lose, you are done,无毛视频� said Salvino, who announced his impending retirement during the regular season. 无毛视频� I think we rushed a lot of things, and the pressure started to get to us.
无毛视频淎s a coach, there isn无毛视频檛 too much you can do. You can try to slow them down, slow the momentum down, (but) it just didn无毛视频檛 work out.无毛视频�
As could be expected, both teams came out with some nerves, and the 19 combined turnovers in the first quarter was proof, with the Leopards having 10.
Sharon took a 14-6 lead midway through the first quarter, but the Leopards closed on a 6-2 run to trim Sharon无毛视频檚 lead to 16-12 heading into the second.
After the Tigers scored the first four points of the second quarter, the Leopards went on a 14-1 run to take a 26-21 lead, and they took a 28-26 lead into the half.
无毛视频淲e came back and took a little bit of a lead and I thought we would settle down, but we never did,无毛视频� Salvino said.
Belle Vernon无毛视频檚 last lead was 29-28 early in the third, but a 6-1 Sharon run gave the Tigers a 33-29 advantage and they led the rest of the way.
Down 44-38 heading into the fourth quarter, the Leopards did not get any closer than four points.
Zion Moore, still hampered by a bum ankle, finished the game with 24 points and 2,113 for his career. Tommy Davis added 18 points and nine rebounds.
Sharon无毛视频檚 Derek Douglas led all scorers with 26 points while Levi Harlstock added 16.
Salvino went back to the fact that he felt the Leopards were playing not to lose and that they also played that way in their PIAA first-round game.
无毛视频淚t showed against Farrell, and if you aren无毛视频檛 out there playing the game, you are playing not to lose, and not to win,无毛视频� he said. 无毛视频淭urnovers hurt us, and we turned the ball over.无毛视频�
The Leps finished with 22 turnovers while the Tigers had 21.
A lot of the questions for Salvino were about his career, and understandably so. However, he continued to praise his team.
无毛视频淚 can无毛视频檛 say enough about these kids,无毛视频� he said pointing to the locker room. 无毛视频淭hey brought a community together; they brought their student body together. Belle Vernon is better for it.无毛视频�
Salvino, who finishes with 745 wins, said that his coaching career having reached an end has not sunk in yet.
无毛视频淚t probably hasn无毛视频檛 really hit me that it无毛视频檚 over,无毛视频� he said, while glancing over to his wife, Toni, who was a few feet away. 无毛视频淚 know it无毛视频檚 over, but I want to relax and enjoy what we accomplished.
无毛视频淭hen I will reflect. All good things have to come to an end. I couldn无毛视频檛 coach forever.无毛视频�
When asked if it is hard knowing his career just ended, he took a deep breath and fought off tears.
无毛视频淵eah, it无毛视频檚 hard,无毛视频� he said. 无毛视频淚t has to be hard when you do something for 43 years and you know it is going to be over. It is hard and I无毛视频檓 not going to say it无毛视频檚 not because it is.无毛视频�
Salvino hesitated when he saw his wife with watery eyes.
无毛视频淭here are so many good things. You can无毛视频檛 take one game and take away from what we accomplished,无毛视频� he said. 无毛视频淭he same for my career. I无毛视频檓 not going to let the bad take over the good we did. I have to give a lot of credit to a lot of people. (The) players who played for me, all the coaches that coached with me, and of course, my wife. I have to give her so much credit. It is rough right now.无毛视频�
Much was made about Salvino无毛视频檚 last run, but he made it about his team.
His last team.
His seventh, and last, WPIAL championship team.