Momentum swing: Leps respond after timeout, rally for 77-56 win
Jim Downey | 缅北禁地
Belle Vernon鈥檚 Devin Whitlock drives to the basket in the second quarter of Friday鈥檚 Section 3-AAAA game at Uniontown. Whitlock scored 12 points in the Leopards鈥� 77-56 victory.
Jim Downey | 缅北禁地
Uniontown鈥檚 Notorious Grooms scores a breakaway layup in the fourth quarter of Friday鈥檚 Section 3-AAAA game against Belle Vernon at Uniontown.
Jim Downey | 缅北禁地
Belle Vernon鈥檚 Quinton Martin shoots a free throw in the first quarter of Friday鈥檚 Section 3-AAAA game at Uniontown. Martin finished with a game-high 23 points in the Leopards鈥� 77-56 victory.
Belle Vernon's Devin Whitlock releases the ball from the foul line in the second quarter of Friday's Section 3-AAAA game at Uniontown.
Jim Downey | 缅北禁地
The Red Raiders鈥� Bakari Wallace (5) takes a charge as Belle Vernon鈥檚 Daniel Gordon (20) crashes into him in the first quarter of Friday鈥檚 Section 3-AAAA game at Uniontown.
The Red Raiders' Calvin Winfrey III elevates to the basket for a layup in the fourth quarter of Friday's Section 3-AAAA game against Belle Vernon at Uniontown.
Jim Downey | 缅北禁地
The Red Raiders鈥� Bakari Wallace (5) attempts to block a shot attempt by Belle Vernon鈥檚 Quinton Martin (5) in the second quarter of Friday鈥檚 Section 3-AAAA game at Uniontown.
Joe Salvino called timeout with 2:34 remaining in the first quarter of Friday鈥檚 game against Uniontown to remind his Belle Vernon squad to play to their strengths.
Belle Vernon was trailing 17-7 at the time, but the Leopards heeded the words of their veteran coach, rallying into the lead three minutes later on their way to a 77-56 road victory in Section 3-AAAA action.
The Leopards (4-0, 10-0) cut the deficit to 19-17 at the end of the first quarter and pulled into a 21-20 lead the first minute into the second quarter, a lead they would not relinquish.
鈥淲e weren鈥檛 playing up to our capabilities. We weren鈥檛 playing well on defense. We weren鈥檛 trapping the ball like we should. We were allowing them to shoot,鈥� Salvino said of his message in the timeout. 鈥淲hen you come to Uniontown, you know it鈥檚 going to be a dogfight because they play very well here.鈥�
The Leopards did not shoot well in the first quarter, but as the defense dialed up the pressure, the shooting percentage improved.
鈥淪ome days the ball isn鈥檛 going in, so you make your defense rock. We made a couple layups, the confidence comes and all went well,鈥� said Salvino.
Salvino continued the thought, adding, 鈥淲e did turn it on, but we want to start that from the beginning. They had the momentum. We were able to pick up the defense and got some easy buckets.
鈥淭here is still a lot of work to do.鈥�
Belle Vernon turned the first-quarter deficit into a 40-27 halftime lead.
Uniontown coach Rob Kezmarsky said foul trouble derailed the Red Raiders鈥� early momentum. Bakari Wallace eventually fouled out in the fourth quarter after missing a good portion of the third quarter after he picked up his fourth foul.
鈥淲hen you start out in complete control, then you get a two or three fouls on your key starters, it changes the way you play defense. We got in foul trouble and it changes the way you play,鈥� explained Kezmarsky. 鈥淭he difference in the game, they play aggressive defense. We know their strengths. The strengths are defense, two on the ball and they attack the boards.
鈥淭heir best play, in my opinion, is their offensive rebounding. They鈥檙e 10-0 for a reason.鈥�
Martin scored a few of his game-high 23 points from offensive rebounds. He grabbed a team-high 13 rebounds.
The Leopards鈥� Logan Cunningham also had a double-double with 10 rebounds and 11 points.
Uniontown (2-1, 4-4) made a bit of a run in the third quarter, but was unable to hold the momentum. Belle Vernon held a slight 20-19 advantage to extend its lead to 60-46 heading into the fourth quarter.
鈥淲e cut it down, but we didn鈥檛 capitalize on a couple transitions. We had a chance, but a couple didn鈥檛 go (down),鈥� said Kezmarsky.
The Leopards closed out the game by outscoring Uniontown in the fourth quarter, 17-10.
Daniel Gordon scored 19 and had five steals for Belle Vernon. Devin Whitlock finished with 12 points and eight assists.
Notorious Grooms and Tanner Uphold shared scoring honors for the Red Raiders with 12 points apiece.
Uniontown plays four of its next five games at home. Kezmarsky hopes to build on the home cooking to put together a run in the section before the second meeting with the Leopards.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 good experience for our guys. We鈥檙e 2-1 in the section and Belle Vernon is 3-0. It鈥檚 going to take a really good team to beat them,鈥� said Kezmarsky.