Dec 18, 2019 3 min read

Devin Whitlock continues to make a big difference for the Belle Vernon High School boys basketball team.

Leading the Leopards with 17 points, Whitlock and Belle Vernon started strong to edge Laurel Highlands, 67-64, in a non-section game Wednesday night.

Trailing 35-28 at halftime, Laurel Highlands (3-2) cut its deficit to two points entering the fourth quarter, 47-45.

Belle Vernon (4-3) prevented a Mustangs’ comeback by scoring 20 fourth-quarter points to maintain its lead. Hunter Ruokonen scored 16 points for the Leopards.

Caleb Palumbo had 27 points and Rodney Gallagher scored 16 for the Mustangs, who had their three-game winning streak snapped.

Ringgold 88, Charleroi 78: Four players scored 17 or more points for Ringgold as the Rams pulled away in the third quarter to down nearby non-section foe Charleroi, 88-78.

Chris Peccon led Ringgold (4-1) with 25 points. Luke Wyvratt scored 21, Demetrius Butler added 18 and Nate Pajak made five three-pointers en route to 17 points.

It was the Rams fourth consecutive victory. Their only loss was by one point to Norwin in the opening game of the season at the Tom Traynor Tournament. They have double-digit wins against Southmoreland, California and now Charleroi.

Charleroi’s Joe Caruso led all scorers with 28 points, including five-three pointers to match Pajak. Legend Davis also had 16 points for the Cougars, who fall to 3-2 overall.

California 58, Yough 47: Leading by nine after the first quarter, California never looked back and defeated Yough, 58-47, in a non-section game.

Both teams found their offensive touch in the second half.

Led by Malik Ramsey, who scored a game-high 27 points, California (4-3) held off the Cougars and their 33 second-half points. Cochise Ryan added 10 points for the Trojans, who bounced back from a narrow section loss to Chartiers-Houston Tuesday.

Gamal Marballie led Yough (4-3) with 22 points.

Girls result

Charleroi 25, Chartiers-Houston 24: Using a 12-point third quarter to build a lead, Charleroi held off a fourth-quarter rally from Chartiers-Houston to win a 25-24 defensive battle in non-section play.

The teams were tied 7-7 at halftime.

Charleroi (5-2), winners of three straight games, took a 19-11 lead after the third quarter. The Cougars then clung to their lead despite Chartiers-Houston (3-3) scoring 13 fourth-quarter points.

Cierra Gazi scored 11 points for Charleroi, which has also defeated section opponents Waynesburg and McGuffey during its winning streak. The Cougars return to section play tomorrow at South Park.

Chartiers-Houston (3-3) was led by Zamierah Edwards’ nine points.