Defensive pressure helps Bishop Canevin boys climb to top of Section 2-A

By: Nathan Smith
Thursday, January 30, 2020 | 9:45 PM

The Bishop Canevin boys basketball team is out to prove defense wins championships.

The Crusaders’ ferocious defense has held teams in check all season. The team is allowing only 46.3 points per game — the lowest average in Class A.

“It’s what we emphasize as a staff,” Bishop Canevin coach Gino Palmosina said. “We work a lot on communication and being in the right spots. We want to make teams grind it out.”

Bishop Canevin (15-3, 10-0) sits on top of the Section 2-A standings, and the defense is a major reason why. In 10 section games this season, the Crusaders are allowing only 39.3 points per game.

The team has clinched its third section title since 2015 and only fifth in program history.

“A lot of teams want to get up and down the court on us,” Palmosina said. “We’ve got our half-court defense down. We work on it every day.”

While the roster appears young — the team’s only senior is guard Nate Kirsch — it is still a battle-tested unit. The Crusaders have three multiyear starters leading the way. The maturity of the group has shown as the team has gone 14-1 since Dec. 13.

Dom Elliot has been a force for the Crusaders all season. The 6-foot-3 junior guard is averaging more than 17 points. Elliot had an impressive 19 points and 19 rebounds against Jefferson-Morgan on Jan. 4.

“He is probably our best shooter,” Palmosina said. “He can get to the rim. He is one of those kids who made a big jump from sophomore to junior year.

Nevan Crossey is a guard that can spark the offense with his shooting. But Palmosina said the junior has shown a new intensity on the defensive end of the court. The Crusaders coaching staff keeps track of how many times players are on the floor diving for loose balls. And Crossey is a leader in that gritty category.

Kevaughn Price may only be a sophomore, but he has looked like a veteran as the season continues. The team’s point guard, Price plays defense against the opponent’s best guard.

“He’s become a leader for us,” Palmosina said. “He understands our concepts on both ends of the floor. He’s been fantastic on the defensive end. When you have a guy who is not only your point guard but averaging over 15 points a game and guarding the other team’s best guard, that’s pretty good.”

Don’t count out Kirsch. As the only senior and team captain, the guard has the ability to make big shots. In Bishop Canevin’s 43-40 win at Monessen, a clutch 3-pointer gave the Crusaders lift during a scoring drought.

With the regular season coming to a close, Bishop Canevin will begin to prepare for the WPIAL Class A playoffs. For an extended run through the postseason, Palmosina wants his team to focus on playing 32 minutes every night.

“We’ve played pretty well to this point,” Palmosina said. “But some games it feels like we’ve only played 24 of 32 minutes. The key will be if we can put it all together. We can’t just play well for three quarters or a half. We need to play well all four quarters.”

Tags: Bishop Canevin