Monessen’s Salvino gets win No. 600

Monessen’s Joe Salvino became the 10th boys basketball coach in WPIAL history to win 600 career games when the Greyhounds pulled away and defeated host West Greene, 85-43, Friday night in Section 3-A.
Salvino’s milestone victory came on the same night that another Mon Valley coaching legend, Ringgold’s Phil Pergola, was denied his 600th victory when Belle Vernon beat the Rams on a buzzer-beater, 48-46.
The 64-year-old Salvino is in his 32nd season at Monessen and has a 600-237 record. He coached the Greyhounds to back-to-back Class A state titles in 1988 and ’89, over Bristol and Camp Hill Trinity, respectively.
Monessen’s Salvino-coached teams have won five WPIAL championships and 18 section titles. The Greyhounds currently have a 16-3 record with each loss coming to a Class AAAA opponent. Monessen is the top-ranked Class A team in the WPIAL and ranked No. 2 in the state by Pennlive.com.
Salvino won his 500th game in 2011 – 61-38 over Ellwood City in the WPIAL playoffs – and his 400th in 2005, a 55-51 squeaker against Clairton.
Pergola remains at 599 wins and Washington’s Ron Faust is approaching 600 career wins. The Prexies’ 60-45 win Friday over Chartiers-Houston was Faust’s 548th victory.
Justice Rice scored 25 points and Lavalle Rush added 23 as Monessen improved its record 10-0 in the section.
West Greene kept the game close for a half, trailing 33-27 at halftime. Monessen went on a 33-7 run in the third quarter to break open the game.
Jaden Altomore had 13 points for the Greyhounds and Dwight Moore chiopped in with 12.
West Greene (6-4, 10-8), which has clinched a playoff berth, was led by Nathan Brudnock with 13 points. Kolton Rush had 10 points.