Leopards shake off rust, set up rematch
Belle Vernon鈥檚 Alonzo Wade (4) works to keep the ball away from Freeport鈥檚 Parker Lucas during Wednesday night's WPIAL playoff game at Belle Vernon.
Holly Tonini
Belle Vernon鈥檚 Quinton Martin soars to the basket against Freeport during Wednesday night鈥檚 WPIAL playoff game at Belle Vernon.
Belle Vernon鈥檚 Alonzo Wade darts between Freeport鈥檚 Vinny Clark (15) and Parker Lucas聽during Wednesday night's WPIAL playoff game at Belle Vernon.
ROSTRAVER TWP. 鈥� Belle Vernon rolled to a 62-42 WPIAL Class AAAA quarterfinal win over Freeport Wednesday night, and the victory sets up a rematch with Montour in the semifinals.
鈥淚 think our fast start really helped us and it put the momentum in our favor,鈥� said Belle Vernon coach Joe Salvino. 鈥淚 was concerned when you are off (12 days), sometimes you are a little rusty.
鈥淥ur defense and transition helped create the lead and I was really pleased with the first two quarters.鈥�
Belle Vernon also clinched a spot in the PIAA playoffs.
Freshman Alonzo Wade paced Belle Vernon (19-3) with a game-high 17 points while grabbing five rebounds. Senior Devin Whitlock stuffed the stat sheet with 15 points, a game-high nine assists, five steals and five rebounds, and sophomore Quinton Martin had 15 points, six rebounds and three blocked shots.
Whitlock now has 1,708 points between Monessen (487) and Belle Vernon (1,221).
The outcome was never in question, and a 15-0 run in the first quarter left no doubt that the Leopards would be advancing for the second straight year over Freeport. Belle Vernon won last year鈥檚 contest, 80-49.
鈥淲e have been doing a great job at practice of emphasizing pushing the ball and staying aggressive on the press,鈥� said Whitlock. 鈥淲e were able to get into our transition because of it.鈥�
鈥淚 feel we had to come out ready and we knew what we had to do,鈥� said Martin. 鈥淲e wanted to get a jump on them.鈥�
Up 23-4 after the first quarter and 45-17 at the half, the Leps enacted the Mercy Rule in the third quarter, although the team got sloppy in the second half, much to Salvino鈥檚 dismay.
鈥淲hen you are up by that many points, you aren鈥檛 playing as good of defense, not running an offense and going through the motions,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 like that. We had a long layoff and I wanted to play four full quarters of basketball.鈥�
Vince Clark and Jason Kijowski led Freeport (13-10) with eight points apiece.
Next up for Belle Vernon on Saturday is Montour, a 70-50 winner over Burrell.
In Montour鈥檚 65-48 win over Belle Vernon on Feb. 6, the final score didn鈥檛 tell the whole story as Whitlock got hurt in the first quarter and didn鈥檛 play in the second half, and Martin was in Las Vegas for a football All-American Game function.
Salvino knows his team has a challenge in front of them.
鈥淭hey are good and have a nice team,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hey are ranked No. 2 and we are ranked No. 3 and the winner goes to The Pete.
鈥淚t may be in our favor because it鈥檚 a revenge game and we can go show them we are a good team, too. I don鈥檛 want any letdowns.鈥�
Whitlock and Martin are focused.
鈥淲e have been waiting for this since we got on the bus after that game,鈥� Whitlock said. 鈥淲e will be ready.鈥�
鈥淲e are extra motivated for this,鈥� said Martin. 鈥淭hey have been talking a lot, and we will see on Saturday who is the better team.鈥�
Salvino now has 699 career wins.
Belle Vernon finished 10-0 at home and in 23-5 on the court over the last three years.
Playing their last game at home were Whitlock, Daniel Gordon, Tyler Kovatch, Logan Cunningham, Holden LaCarte and Joe Klanchar.