BVA ends long WPIAL title drought

The 47-year drought is over.

The Belle Vernon Area boys’ basketball team flexed its defensive muscles in the final five minutes Thursday night and had a large enough lead to secure a thrilling 5449 victory over North Catholic in the WPIAL Class 4-A Finals at the Peterson Events Center.

The last time the Leopards (21-4) won the district crown was in 1978. It’s the seventh WPIAL title for Joe Salvino, whose six previous were won on the Monessen sidelines.

What better way to end a 41-year coaching career than with a championship?

“It’s just an unbelievable feeling to win the title,” Salvino said. “When it’s your final hurrah, and to go out a champion is just special. We have won so many close playoff games (10-point margin in three games). But all the credit to the kids. They gave me their max effort and all of their heart.”

With the win, the Leopards extend their winning streak to 15 games and will now play either Farrell or Oil City in the first round of the PIAA tournament next Friday.

Tommy Davis was a force on the inside all night for BVA, as the senior forward raked in 20 points and 10 rebounds. He was also a perfect 6-for-6 at the free throw line.

“We had to control the inside,” Davis said. “That was our game plan. We used our size and got a lot of things accomplished. To win this for coach is special. It’s a wild experience.”

Trevor Kovatch and Zion Moore compiled 12 points each, while Dominic Ghilani registered a teamhigh 13 rebounds. BVA held a commanding 40-17 edge on the glass.

“We had to be physical and get all of the rebounds,” Ghilani said. “We had to win for coach. He gave us so much this season, and we were fighting every second tonight. We knew if we controlled the boards, we will come out with the win. When the ball is up in the air, I know that the ball has to be mine and I can’t give anyone an edge.”

Jason Fredericks (20) and Jude Rottman (15) were in double-figures for the Trojans (19-6).

“We are a resilient group,” North Catholic coach Jim Rocco said. “It’s hard to only score 22 points and be that out of sync on offense early on. They are big and they dominated the glass. We did not have any answers for their size. But we bounced back and we cut it down to one possession late. We had some good looks, but credit to Belle Vernon, they are a solid team.”

North Catholic grabbed the opening basket with a trey from Fredericks, and BVA garnered its first points of the contest with a pair of foul shots by Moore at the 6:19 mark.

Sandwiched around an interior hoop by Davis were a three-pointer by Rottman and two free throws from Owen Maddalon to give the Trojans an early 8-4 advantage.

Trailing by four points, the Leopards found their spark and took their first lead of the game with a 13-2 spree. In the spree, Kovatch compiled seven points including a fast-break layup after a steal.

North Catholic tallied four of the final six points of the opening frame, but BVA still led 19-14 at the end of one.

“It was huge to get that early lead and dictate the tempo of the game,” Kovatch said. “For us, it’s always about defense. Defense wins championships, offense wins games. The coaches always preach that to us in practice. We played us. It means a lot to make history.”

Moore began the scoring in the second stanza with a blow-by layup by the Trojans’ defense to make it 21-14. After North Catholic scored five of the next seven points, the Leopards exploded with an 11-3 spurt to close out the first half and led 34-22.

Davis had six points in the late scoring onslaught and added a devastating, fast-break dunk.

Reserves DeAubre Lightfoot and Cameren Jenko collected late buckets for BVA to increase their lead heading into intermission.

The Leopards forced nine turnovers and limited the Trojans to a 35% shooting from the floor in the opening 16 minutes.

North Catholic got back into the game and won the third quarter by a 15-9 margin. Fredericks started the comeback effort with a trey and then added a pair of baskets to make it 39-29.

A put-back hoop by Curtis Wade gave the Leopards a 41-29 edge, before the Trojans rattled off eight unanswered points to make it 41-37.

Davis posted up in the paint in the final seconds of the third and worked his way for a much-needed basket as BVA carried a 43-37 lead into the final eight minutes of regulation.

North Catholic quickly made it a one-possession game, 43-40, with three early points in the fourth quarter. After a timeout by BVA, Moore produced the next four points for the Leopards, three of which came on an electric and-one play.

“I knew we needed a bucket,” Moore said. “It was a major bucket. We were getting stops late in the game, but nothing was falling for us on offense. I got a good pass from Trevor and made the play at the hoop. When I have an open lane like that, I don’t miss. We won this as a team.”

Fredericks nailed a three-pointer for the Trojans to make it 47-46 and that score stood like that over the next three minutes as both defenses clamped down and gave up no points.

After BVA called a timeout at the 1:54 mark of the fourth period, Moore once again was the main focus and the senior forward delivered with an inside hoop for a 49-46 lead.

The Trojans couldn’t find a shot to fall on their next couple of possessions, as the Leopards gathered those key, defensive rebounds and were able to extend their lead with some points at the charity stripe.

Wade and Kovatch hit 1-of-2 from the free throw line, and then Davis connected on a pair to make it 53-46. North Catholic hit a late three, but Kovatch made 1-of-2 from the foul line to secure the championship triumph.

“I am just part of this,” Salvino said. “I enjoyed watching these guys celebrate and all the emotions they show after getting this win. I don’t need any medal, I have the memories. I usually give my grandkids my medals. They were knocking on the door late, but our big people did a really good job inside. And then our guards made those game-winning plays late for us.”