By JEFF OLIVER
MVI Sports
Whoever dictates tempo and style at the beginning of a basketball game more often than not goes on to win.
Fast starts are the main ingredient in any recipe for success. Nobody knows more than Belle Vernon Area coach Joe Salvino how important it is to get off to a good start in any big game.
In the Leopards’ WPIAL 4A first-round playoff contest Thursday against Freeport, BVA came out running and pressuring to open up a double-digit lead and parlayed that into an 80-49 rout.
Next up for the top-seeded Leps (12-1) is fellow Section 3 foe South Park at 6 p.m. today on BVA’s home floor. South Park finished third in the section behind BVA and Elizabeth Forward.
The Eagles (9-5) are coming off an impressive 90-72 win over Ambridge in their first-round contest. In that game, South Park led by as many as 30 points in the first half.
“There is no doubt we need to come out fast again,” said Salvino. “We took control of the game (against Freeport) from the start. When you come out strong like that, not only do you get the advantage, but you also force the other team into doing things they may not want to do.
“We need to come out and pressure them because they have some nice shooters, kids who can put the ball in the hole.”
In the win over Ambridge, the South Park duo of Aiden Rongaus (30) and Harper Conroy (20) combined to score 50 points.
“I gotta tell you, Ambridge certainly didn’t play any defense in that game,” Salvino noted. “They had two kids 6-10 and 6-7 and didn’t defend at all.
“I know we will play defense. Or at least we better, because if we don’t we will lose. That’s why it is so important for us to play up to our capability. Because when we do, we are awfully hard to beat.”
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