Leps, Red Raiders set for Section 3-4A clash

By JEREMY SELLEW

jsellew@yourmvi.com

The Belle Vernon Area boys basketball team will find out exactly where it stands tonight when it heads to Uniontown to face the defending Section 3-4A champion Red Raiders.

The Red Raiders, like most of the teams in the section, return everyone from a team that went 19-4 and rolled to a 10-0 section record.

“We haven’t really had too long of a layoff, so that’s kept us busy playing in the Charleroi tournament last week,” Leopards head coach Joe Salvino said. “(Tonight), we’re going to see where we’re at as far as our team concepts go.”

Last season, the Red Raiders breezed past the Leopards with wins of 85-36 and 96-52.

But this year could be different, Salvino said.

While BVA (7-3) returns just about everyone from last year, they’ve added Devin Whitlock and Jared Hartman has returned.

“I really like our athleticism this season,” Salvino said. “But Uniontown is very athletic. (Billy) DeShields is a really good player and (Raymond) Robinson is a really good shooter. We have to negate their athleticism. I’m not saying we’re as athletic as they are, we just have to play up to our abilities and we’ll compete.”

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