SA, Avonworth set for first-round clash
By Jose Negron
jnegron@yourmvi.com
What a difference a year makes.
At this point in 2019, the South Allegheny boys basketball team was reflecting on a tough year, one that saw it finish with a 6-15 record.
The Gladiators took their share of lumps in the form of separate losing streaks of three, four and six games, but the struggles led to what they have achieved this season.
SA (21-1) enters the 2020 WPIAL playoffs as one of the top teams in Class 3A after capturing the Section 3 championship with a perfect 12-0 mark and finishing the regular season on a 13-game winning streak.
The Gladiators’ lone loss was to Shenango, the No. 6 seed in the Class 2A bracket.
“It’s been an awesome experience, first and foremost for the kids, but for me as a coach, it’s really been gratifying to see the hard work and dedication that these kids committed to pay off,” said South Allegheny head coach Tony DiCenzo, whose team finished above .500 for the first time since 2013-14.
“They made a commitment (at the end of last season) that we were going to get better and since then, it’s just been a culmination of all that hard work and dedication. I never would have anticipated we would only lose one game, but that’s just a testament to the kids, their hard work and their willingness to improve and get better.”
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