Closing the book
Sharon edges Belle Vernon in Salvino鈥檚 final game
WEXFORD 鈥� The range of emotions on Joe Salvino鈥檚 face, in his eyes, and in his voice told the story.
Tuesday night, the Salvino鈥檚 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.
鈥淎ll good things must come to an end,鈥� Salvino said minutes after talking to his team in the locker room for the final time. 鈥淚 am not going to take away what we accomplished. We won a WPIAL championship, I am proud of those kids.鈥�
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鈥檛 get it clicking offensively.
鈥淭he guys put pressure on (themselves) and knew if you lose, you are done,鈥� said Salvino, who announced his impending retirement during the regular season. 鈥� I think we rushed a lot of things, and the pressure started to get to us.
鈥淎s a coach, there isn鈥檛 too much you can do. You can try to slow them down, slow the momentum down, (but) it just didn鈥檛 work out.鈥�
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鈥檚 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.
鈥淲e came back and took a little bit of a lead and I thought we would settle down, but we never did,鈥� Salvino said.
Belle Vernon鈥檚 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鈥檚 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.
鈥淚t showed against Farrell, and if you aren鈥檛 out there playing the game, you are playing not to lose, and not to win,鈥� he said. 鈥淭urnovers hurt us, and we turned the ball over.鈥�
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.
鈥淚 can鈥檛 say enough about these kids,鈥� he said pointing to the locker room. 鈥淭hey brought a community together; they brought their student body together. Belle Vernon is better for it.鈥�
Salvino, who finishes with 745 wins, said that his coaching career having reached an end has not sunk in yet.
鈥淚t probably hasn鈥檛 really hit me that it鈥檚 over,鈥� he said, while glancing over to his wife, Toni, who was a few feet away. 鈥淚 know it鈥檚 over, but I want to relax and enjoy what we accomplished.
鈥淭hen I will reflect. All good things have to come to an end. I couldn鈥檛 coach forever.鈥�
When asked if it is hard knowing his career just ended, he took a deep breath and fought off tears.
鈥淵eah, it鈥檚 hard,鈥� he said. 鈥淚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鈥檓 not going to say it鈥檚 not because it is.鈥�
Salvino hesitated when he saw his wife with watery eyes.
鈥淭here are so many good things. You can鈥檛 take one game and take away from what we accomplished,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he same for my career. I鈥檓 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.鈥�
Much was made about Salvino鈥檚 last run, but he made it about his team.
His last team.
His seventh, and last, WPIAL championship team.