Belle Vernon runs winning streak to 10 with decisive victory over Elizabeth Forward

By: Adam Brewer
Tuesday, January 28, 2025 | 11:55 PM

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Tuesday’s Section 3-4A boys basketball matchup between Belle Vernon and Elizabeth Forward was pegged as a heavyweight bout.

After an even opening eight minutes, the Leopards struck hard and repeatedly the rest of the way, recording a unanimous decision and a critical 71-43 victory over the host Warriors.

“We were focused and ready to play tonight,” said Belle Vernon coach Joe Salvino, who registered his 100th win at Belle Vernon. “We had a streak of three games in three days over the weekend. I thought we played really well in those games, and I was hoping it would carry over to tonight’s game. Our goal is to win the section, and right now, we have two section games left.”

With the win, the Leopards (16-4, 9-1) extended their winning streak to 10 games and have won four of the last six against their Mon Valley rival, which includes a 63-60 triumph Jan. 3.

Salvino, who became the second-winningest boys basketball coach in WPIAL history a couple of weeks ago, pointed to Belle Vernon’s defense and inside scoring as keys to victory.

“We did a really good job on their outside shooters,” Salvino said. “We did not give them a lot of open space on the perimeter and contested every shot. It was great team defense and team rebounding. We also got some steals with our pressure that gave us some transition points.”

The Warriors (14-4, 7-2) were limited to just 15 points in the second half, as their six-game winning streak was snapped.

“I thought we were fairly well-prepared tonight,” EF coach Nolan Larry said. “But we came out a little sluggish, and I do not know why. We played a little tentative on offense and did a lot of uncharacteristic things. Credit to Belle Vernon. They put pressure on us and turned us over early.”

Belle Vernon is now in prime position to secure the section title with two games left: at home against East Allegheny on Friday and at Greensburg Salem next Tuesday.

Zion Moore continued his hot shooting for the Leopards with a game-high 27 points. He is now 36 points shy of 2,000 career points.

Tommy Davis added 15 points and nine rebounds, while Trevor Kovatch was also in double figures with 10 points.

Dominic Ghilani had a steady game in the interior with nine points and 14 rebounds. Curtis Wade also had a strong, defensive effort and chipped in with seven points and eight rebounds.

EF’s Tyler Basic was held in check with only 13 points, after hitting 11 3-pointers against Greensburg Salem last Friday. Daniel Spence collected 10 points and James Gile scored nine.

The visitors forced a pair of turnovers on EF’s first two possessions of the game and turned those takeaways into a 4-0 lead with baskets from Wade and Davis.

After the Warriors got on the scoreboard with a transition hoop by Justin Flourney, the Leopards tallied four of the next six points for an 8-4 edge. Basic hit his first two shots from beyond the arc for EF, as a bucket by Ghilani for Belle Vernon sandwiched the treys.

The squads split the next 10 points, as a 3-pointer by Spence made it 15-15. The Leopards garnered the final points of the opening frame with a layup by Moore for a 17-15 lead.

Belle Vernon started the second stanza with seven straight points before EF countered with an 8-2 spurt to trim the deficit to 26-23. The Leopards closed the first half with an 11-5 run and carried a 37-28 advantage at halftime.

“We wore them down and our bigs dictated things in that second quarter,” Salvino said. “Controlling the boards at both ends is something we always stress to our guys. We have to win the rebounding battle every game. Right now, we are playing as one, and our defense has really turned it up for us these last 10 games.”

After the teams split the first eight points of the third quarter, the visitors put things on cruise control by ending the frame with an 11-1 spurt. Moore poured in seven points in the quarter and added an electric, fast-break dunk that got the jam-packed gym’s attention.

Belle Vernon outscored EF 19-10 in the final eight minutes as both teams went to their benches in the final minutes.

The Warriors will look to rebound Friday when they travel to West Mifflin. After that game, the remaining section games for EF are at home versus Yough (Feb. 4) and at Derry (Feb. 7).

“The main message for our kids is to move on from this game because we have a lot left to play for,” Larry said. “You can feel bad for about 24 hours about this loss, but then you’ve got to move on. At the end of the day, it is just one game in a season. We are still in a good position of getting second place in the section and getting a good seed. We have to finish the season strong.”

Tags: Belle Vernon, Elizabeth Forward