Mar 4, 2021 3 min read

BELLE VERNON – Despite playing without senior Jake Haney, WPIAL Class 4A top seed Belle Vernon opened its postseason with an 80-49 win over Freeport Thursday night.

“I was happy with how we started the game, playing without Jake,” said Belle Vernon coach Joe Salvino. “I am hoping we can keep starting fast.

“I think a lot of it was our defense creating turnovers and we got a lot of transition points.”

Quinton Martin (25 points), Devin Whitlock (23) and Daniel Gordon (22) combined for points to pace Belle Vernon, and the trio scored 48 of Belle Vernon’s 50 first-half points.

“Some players picked up their game to overcome Jake not being here,” said Salvino. “For us not playing since February 21, I think we did a great job.”

Martin, Gordon and Whitlock all recorded double-doubles with Martin and Gordon setting career-highs in points in a game.

“It was amazing,” said Martin, a freshman, who made his second career start and recorded a game-high with 11 rebounds. “We had to do it for Jake, and I am glad we got the win.”

Gordon, a junior, whose previous high was 19 points, added 10 rebounds and had four steals.

“Playing without Haney, I knew I had to come out and do well,” said Gordon, who hit a trio of early threes to set the tone for Belle Vernon. “My teammates put me in a position to do well and I am glad we got the win.”

Whitlock, the junior dynamo who makes Belle Vernon go, who now has 1,325 career points between Belle Vernon and Monessen, dished out 10 assists and had six steals Thursday night.

“It’s great to start off strong, coming out and putting up 80 points with three players having over 65 combined,” he said. “We want to keep it rolling and it helps when guys are hitting (shots) and when we play strong defense.”

Belle Vernon (12-1) forced the tempo early and Freeport (6-9) hung in there for four minutes, but Belle Vernon’s suffocating pressure forced 14 first half turnovers and the Leopards were off to the races.

Leading 11-9 in the first quarter, Belle Vernon went on an 18-2 run that spanned into the second to take a 29-11 lead.

Belle Vernon led 50-26 at the half and when senior David Shernisky scored his first career bucket to close out Belle Vernon’s scoring, it led 80-38.

Connor Holloway and Jason Kijowski led Freeport with 10 points apiece.

Belle Vernon will host eighth-seeded South Park (9-5) in the quarterfinals Monday at 6 p.m. The Eagles downed Ambridge, 90-72.

The Leopards defeated South Park, their Section 3 counterpart, 76-67, on Feb. 9.

Belle Vernon did not turn the ball over until the third quarter and forced Freeport into 28 turnovers.