Class 4A basketball notebook: 2nd-quarter run fuels Highlands’ victory

By: George Guido
Saturday, February 29, 2020 | 6:27 PM

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The other time Highlands won a WPIAL basketball title in 1995, the Golden Rams got the winning shot with 3 seconds left in the game.

In Saturday’s Class 4A final at Petersen Events Center, Highlands didn’t have to wait as long as the Golden Rams took the lead for good with 4:30 left in the second quarter en route to a 72-54 victory.

Highlands coach Tyler Stoczyski has said numerous times his team is unselfish, and the basket to give the Golden Rams a 23-22 lead came on a play where Luke Cochran was driving down the lane. He stopped and passed to a wide-open Korry Myers, who made a 3-pointer to give Highlands a lead it never relinquished.

The basket was part of a 13-2 run to conclude the first half.

Belle Vernon led 16-13 after one quarter and 22-20 on a basket by Cam Nusser with 4:48 showing before halftime.

Golden Rams players seemed to be creating more space for their shots during the surge.

“I think a little bit of that came because of their natural basketball I.Q.,” Stoczynski said. “It wasn’t anything we called. We just started playing. Jimmy (Kunst) and Luke started to attack some creases. Luke is so unselfish. He has 6-foot shots, and he’s kicking it out to Korry.”

Cochran only scored two points, but he recorded six assists.

At the same time, the Leopards couldn’t find the range.

“We couldn’t put the ball in the hole,” Leopards coach Joe Salvino said. “If you can’t score against a team like that, it’s going to take its toll sooner or later.”

Highlands’ run ended when Myers missed a free throw, and Crise went high for the rebound and scored a basket with 1 second left before the intermission as the Golden Rams took a 32-24 lead.

Highlands started the third quarter with Wahkeem Roman’s first basket of the game, and Crise followed with another gliding basket through the key, forcing Salvino to call a timeout.

Highlands’ other WPIAL title came almost 25 years to the day ,when the Golden Rams defeated Blackhawk, 58-56, on March 3, 1995.

Bench scoring

Highlands got good minutes from Antoine McDaniel, who came off the bench to score 13 points. The Golden Rams bench outscored the Leopards subs 17-7.

Breaking 1,000

Belle Vernon’s Devin Whitlock eclipsed the 1,000-point mark for his career with 5:55 left in the second quarter.

A sophomore, Whitlock transferred from Monessen during the offseason and was declared eligible after a PIAA hearing.

He has 1,017 points. Barring injury, Whitlock could end up in the coveted 2,000-point career club.

One player whose career is coming to a close is Belle Vernon senior Jared Hartman.

Hartman tore his ACL, MCL and other knee ligaments in 2018 and came back to the football team. He played at Heinz Field in the WPIAL finals, where the Leopards lost to Thomas Jefferson, and was part of the basketball finals Saturday.

“There’s nothing like playing at venues like Heinz Field and the Petersen Events Center in your senior year,” Hartman said. “I enjoyed it, except for losing.”

Hartman told a reporter his knee injury was so serious he won’t be playing college ball.

Up next

Both teams will enter the PIAA playoffs starting Friday.

Highlands will play Harbor Creek at a site and time to be determined.

The game will be played somewhere in WPIAL territory.

Belle Vernon will play Clearfield.

Tags: Belle Vernon, Highlands