Salvino goes for 700 as Leps seek spot in final
Belle Vernon has waited a year to get into this position again.
The Leopards鈥� 2021 boys basketball season came to an abrupt end with a 77-76 loss to North Catholic in the WPIAL Class AAAA semifinals but Belle Vernon is back in the same position again Saturday when it takes on second-seeded Montour at Bethel Park at 12 p.m.
Not only can the third-seeded Leopards reach their second district final in three years but a victory also would be No. 700 of Belle Vernon coach Joe Salvino鈥檚 career.
Also looking to reach the WPIAL finals Saturday with 2 p.m. tip-offs are Geibel Catholic鈥檚 boys and Waynesburg Central鈥檚 girls, although both are up against the No. 1 seed in their bracket.
The fourth-seeded Gators (18-5) meet top-seeded Bishop Canevin (18-4) for the third time this season, at Fox Chapel High School.
The fifth-seeded Lady Raiders (17-4) take on top-seeded North Catholic (17-5) at North Hills High School.
Belle Vernon, Geibel and Waynesburg have already secured spots in the PIAA tournament. Last year only the WPIAL champion qualified for the state playoffs.
Belle Vernon (19-3) met Montour (19-4) earlier this season, falling 65-48 in a game played at North Allegheny on Feb. 6. The Leopards were without Quinton Martin that game, however, and Devin Whitlock was injured in the first half and did not return.
Belle Vernon, the Section 3 champion, defeated Freeport in the first round, 62-42.
The second-seeded Golden Rams, who finished second in Section 2 behind top-seeded Quaker Valley, knocked off Burrell, 70-50, in the first round.
Both teams received first-round byes.
Geibel was second in Section 2 behind the Crusaders. Two of coach Don Porter鈥檚 Gators鈥� five losses have come to Bishop Canevin, 91-55 on Jan. 11 on the road and 82-60 on Feb. 13 at home.
The Crusaders beat Rochester in the quarterfinals, 66-34.
Geibel outlasted Eden Christian, 57-55, thanks to a late three-point play by Trevon White who also sealed the game with an offensive rebound with two seconds left after a missed Gators free throw.
Both teams received first-round byes.
Waynesburg tied South Park for the Section 2 title then defeated the host Lady Eagles, 71-68, in a thrilling double-overtime game in the quarterfinals. Coach Dave Sarra鈥檚 Lady Raiders held off Brentwood in the first round, 56-50.
鈥淚t鈥檚 extra special to get to the semifinals and to the states my senior year,鈥� said the Lady Raiders鈥� Clara Paige Miller, who scored 31 points in the quarterfinal win. 鈥淭his was our goal. I鈥檓 just so proud of my team.鈥�
Perennial power North Catholic, the Section 1 champion, cruised past Laurel in the quarterfinals, 61-33, after receiving a first-round bye.
The Lady Trojans are seeking an eighth straight appearance in a WPIAL final and have claimed district championships in four of the last seven years.