Title search: Belle Vernon seeks 2nd WPIAL championship
Ed Thompson / For the Observer-Reporter
By Bill Hughes
For the Observer-Reporter
newsroom@observer-reporter.com
Coach Joe Salvino and his Belle Vernon boys basketball team will attempt to win the second WPIAL title in program history tonight when the leopards play in the WPIAL Class 4A championship game against North Catholic.
Tipoff is 9 p.m. at Pitt’s Petersen Events Center.
Salvino, who is retiring after this season, coached Monessen to six WPIAL titles, and while he would love to go out with a seventh, he says tonight’s game isn’t about him.
“I want these guys to experience winning a championship game at The Pete,” Salvino said. “North Catholic is a really talented team, and we need everybody to do what they normally do, whether on offense or defense.
“We have to shut down their offense. I think we have to control the boards, and our bigs have to have good games to help us win.”
Both teams enter the contest on a roll as the top-seeded Leopards (20-4) have won 14 games in a row and 20 of 22 while the second-seeded Trojans (19-5) have won 10 in a row and 17 of their last 18. Four of North Catholic’s losses have come to teams from outside of Pennsylvania.
A key to the game will be the health of Belle Vernon’s high-scoring Zion Moore.
The senior, who is second on Belle Vernon’s all-time scoring list with 1,654 points, trailing only Vince Graham, suffered a lower body injury in BV’s quarterfinal win over Elizabeth Forward and it hampered him in the Leopards’ thrilling semifinal win over Avonworth.
Moore has 2,060 career points when factoring in his freshman year at Ringgold.
“Zion is getting better, but his ankle is still tender,” said Salvino. The Avonworth game took a little bit of a toll.
“He did not practice Monday. He was able to shoot around Tuesday and he practiced Wednesday. He is getting treatments twice a day. He is a kid who won’t say he isn’t playing. He will get it wrapped, have a brace and he will be going.”
Moore (25 points per game), senior Trevor Kovatch (13.8) and 6-6 senior Tommy Davis (10.9) all score in double figures for Belle Vernon, while 6-2 senior Dominic Ghilani scored a career-high 11 points against Avonworth.
Junior Curty Wade rounds out the starting lineup and is a defensive stalwart, as is Deaubre Lightfoot, who is a key reserve. Sophomore Cam Jenko will provide inside depth for the Leopards.
The Trojans are led by 6-0 junior guard Jason Fredericks, who averaged 19.1 points per game during the regular season, 6-3 junior guard Jude Rottman, and 6-4 senior forward Owen Maddalon.
“They have three players who can shoot the ball, and they play defense really well,” said Salvino. “They press off of a miss or make, run a dribble-drive offense and are a well-coached team.”
Rounding out the North Catholic starting lineup is 6-0 senior guard Eli Stofko and 6-2 senior Joe Waskiewicz.
The teams have met twice, with the Trojans winning both games, including a 2021 semifinal at Belle Vernon, 77-76, over the top-seeded Leopards.
Notes
Belle Vernon’s only WPIAL title was won in 1978. The Leopards won the Class 3A championship. … North Catholic is seeking its sixth WPIAL championship. The Trojans last won in 2020.