Dec 6, 2017 3 min read

With six WPIAL titles and 626 career wins, it would be easy for Monessen head basketball coach Joe Salvino to rest on his laurels.

After all, he lost the second and third all-time leading scorers in the program’s history, Jaden Altomore and Justice Rice, to graduation.

Salvino could have easily decided against the Greyhounds opening tournament that features host Upper St. Clair, Chartiers Valley and Bishop Canevin.

He could have avoided the difficult regular-season schedule Monessen has grown accustomed to facing.

But for anyone who knows the confident Salvino, they know that he will never take an easier road to a better record.

“We have to get ready for the playoffs and playing a tougher schedule helps us prepare,” Salvino said. “With us losing three starters, we have to gain experience as we go to try and reach our goal of playing for a championship.”

Salvino is looking forward to the future, but he also knows what the Greyhounds lost in Rice, Altomore and Jaron Youngblood.

“They brought a lot to our team, and Jaron was an unsung leader,” he said. “He did a lot of little things. Someone else will have to step up in their shoes and show that it is their time now.”

Leading the way is junior Lyndon Henderson, an athletic wing who flourished while Rice and Altomore were the focus of opposing teams.

“He was able to make things happen and learned on the fly,” Salvino said of Henderson. “Lyndon is talented. We need him to be a leader.”

Senior three-point specialist Cory Fleming also returns as a starter.

Junior Vaughn Taylor, who started in Monessen’s PIAA semifinal loss to Kennedy Catholic, was a key reserve last year and will be asked to bring his junkyard-dog approach on defense into a starting role.

Henderson, Fleming and Taylor will have to turn experience into leadership.

“Lyndon and Cory have to lead as good examples on the court and in school,” said Salvino. “There is a fine line (of playing with emotion). They have that fire in them but it needs to be put forth while playing and kept under control. A year ago with Vaughn coming off the bench, it was one thing to play two or three minutes hard and with energy. Now, he will play the majority of minutes once he gets back from his injury.”

Still recovering from an injury, Salvino plans to bring Taylor slowly with his conditioning to become game-ready.

But with the Greyhounds up-tempo offense, Salvino knows players like Elijahwa Payne, Isaiah Allums, Dishon Howell, and possibly Darnell Howell could play huge parts in defending their WPIAL title.

“By the time we get to section play, the guys will have some game experience and I would like to go seven or eight deep, so we will see how that goes,” Salvino said. “If we can do that, it will help prepare us for the postseason.”