Quick start leads BVA past Frazier

By Joe Sabolek

MVI Sports

Belle Vernon Area got out to a quick lead early and never relinquished it, downing Frazier, 66-31, on the opening night of the CFSBank Holiday Classic Tournament Thursday at Charleroi High School.

The Leopards (5-3) used their size and experience to build an early advantage and cruised to a victory over winless Frazier (0-7)

“Overall we just played really well,” said Belle Vernon Area head coach Joe Salvino. “You know Christmas is always tough; the kids aren’t in any routine and they sleep until God knows when, but I’m happy with our intensity. We still have to build on that and I’ll give them credit on tonight.”

The BVA attack was in full force in the first quarter as the Leopards kicked off the game with a 17-3 run that Frazier never recovered from.

Belle Vernon Area’s full-court pressure was just one of the ways it flexed its muscles, turning the Commodores over nearly 20 times in the first half.

The experience should benefit the Commodores as they go against the likes of Washington and Charleroi in section play, teams that are much like the Class 4A Leopards.

“We have a tough schedule, so when you put your kids in situations like this, it only makes them better. It’s a learning experience for us, we didn’t score early enough or take care of the basketball,”  Frazier head coach Zach Keefer said. “When you play fundamentally sound basketball and break the press like we were coached to do, we got easy looks, but we just missed them, and I think if we score six or eight points off of those looks, it’s a different game.”

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