Belle Vernon falls to Highlands in 4A title game
Luke Campbell /Observer-Reporter
Belle Vernon’s Thomas Hepple reacts following a call in Saturday’s WPIAL Class 4A championship against Highlands at the Petersen Events Center on the campus of the University of Pittsburgh.
Observer-Reporter
Belle Vernon’s Devin Whitlock goes to the hoop against Highlands’ Luke Cochran in during last year’s WPIAL Class 4A Championship game.
Luke Campbell /Observer-Reorter
Sophomore point guard Devin Whitlock averaged 19.4 points per game and had two games of double-digit assists in leading Belle Vernon to a runner-up finish in the WPIAL Class 4A playoffs and a win in the PIAA tournament.
Luke Campbell
Belle Vernon’s Cam Nusser drives to the basket while being guarded by Highlands’ Luke Cochran in Saturday’s WPIAL Class 4A Championship game at the Petersen Events Center on the campus of the University of Pittsburgh.
Luke Campbell/Observer-Reporter
Belle Vernon’s Thomas Hepple drives the baseline against a pair of defenders for Highlands in the WPIAL Class 4A Championship Saturday at the Petersen Events Center.
Luke Campbell/Observer-Reporter
Belle Vernon boys basketball coach Joe Salvino begs for an explanation after a foul in the second half of the WPIAL Class 4A Championship at the Petersen Events Center.
PITTSBURGH – Belle Vernon came out strong, as Devin Whitlock and Hunter Ruokonen were shooting lights out in the first quarter, but Highlands showed why it was the No. 1 seed in defeating the Leopards, 72-54, on Saturday in the WPIAL Class 4A boys basketball championship game at the Petersen Events Center.
The Leopards (19-7) had a 16-13 lead after the first quarter, as Whitlock scored nine points and Ruokonen added seven in the period, but the Golden Rams (22-3) went on a 10-0 run midway through the second quarter for a 30-22 advantage. Highlands had a 32-24 lead at halftime.
“We couldn’t put the ball in the hole,” said Belle Vernon coach Joe Salvino when asked about the Rams’ run. “If you can’t score against a team like that, it’s going to take its toll sooner or later, but it is like that sometimes. That is the way basketball is. I thought we played good defensively. We were outrebounding them in the first half, and got them to turn the ball over eight times, but we couldn’t score off those.”
The Golden Rams outscored the Leopards, 16-7, in the third quarter, and had a 24-23 edge in the fourth.
“This feels amazing,” Highlands coach Tyler Stoczynski said. “Just from a work standpoint. These seniors have put in so much time. I think a little bit of our run came from their natural basketball IQ. I think the run embodies what we are about because it is all about getting the win. We don’t care who scores the points.”
Whitlock, a sophomore, came into the final needing 10 points for 1,000, and he almost achieved the feat in the first quarter. Whitlock made a three with five seconds left in the period for a three-point Belle Vernon advantage. Whitlock scored a game-high 25 points on 10 field goals, including two 3-pointers, and was 3 of 3 at the foul line. He also had five assists and three steals.
“I just came out and tried to get the win for my team,” Whitlock said. “I tried to stay strong, go to the hole strong and be a good team player, and that’s how I come into every game.”
“Whitlock is a special player,” the Golden Rams’ Korry Myers said. “He can definitely play the game of basketball, there is no denying that, but we saw him make some shots early, he was probably scoring 80 percent of their points in the first quarter, so we talked, extra gap help, extra defense, and we kind of bought in as a unit, and five beats one every time, and that’s the difference right there.”
Highlands’ 6-6 senior Johnny Crise, who will attend Penn State as a preferred walk-on for football, had a team-high 23 points on nine field goals, and was 5-for-9 at the line, but the Leopards made him work for every basket, especially in the first half.
“Jared (Hartman) switched up with Mitch Pohlot, and I thought Jared did a really good job on him (Crise),” Salvino said. “I don’t think he scored when Jared was watching him.”
Hartman suffered a season-ending injury to his right knee in football during his junior year, but the senior came back this year and led Belle Vernon to the WPIAL championship game in football as the Leopards’ quarterback. Hartman, Pohlot, Ruokonen, Whitlock, Larry Callaway, Joe Klanchar, Tommy Kovatch and Tyler Kovatch are also members of the football team at Belle Vernon.
“There is nothing like playing in venues like Heinz Field and the Petersen Events Center,” Hartman said. “For my senior year to be able to play at Heinz Field and the Pete, there is nothing like it. I enjoyed, expect losing both times. I hate losing.”
Myers scored 18 points on six three-pointers. Teammate Austin McDaniel added 13.
Pohlot added a double-double with 10 points and rebounds. He connected on four field goals and was 2 for 3 at the line. Ruokonen scored nine points on three field goals and was 2 of 3 at the line. Ruokonen also had three steals.
The Leopards play District 9 Champion Clearfield in the first round of the state playoffs.
“The one thing I have to say about my team is that they battle constantly,” Salvino said. “There is not one of you people in this room that thought we were going to be (playing) down there. That is something to be proud of. Sure, you want to win. That’s why you play the game. That have battled from the beginning to the end, and it’s not over. I won two state championships, and in those two state championships, we never won the WPIAL, so things can happen.”