Leps fall in four-OT thriller

By JEREMY SELLEW
jsellew@yourmvi.com
Belle Vernon Area head coach Joe Salvino took the job prior to last season and made it a goal to put the program back on the basketball map.
Tuesday night, the mission was accomplished despite the Leopards not getting the result they wanted.
BVA’s season came to a close with an 84-82 loss in four overtimes to District 3 champion Lancaster Catholic in an unforgettable PIAA second-round game at Altoona Area High School.
“I can’t put words into how proud I am of this team. We overachieved,” Salvino said. “No one saw us getting to the second round of the state tournament. No one thought we’d reach the WPIAL championship, let alone win a state playoff game.
“I know they’re hurting right now, but I never want a loss to overshadow our accomplishments. They fought tooth and nail and we never quit.”
Lancaster Catholic outscored the Leopards, 6-4, in the fourth overtime to pull out the win. But it was BVA’s fight, despite having four players foul out of the game, that left a lasting effect on its coach.
“When it comes to toughness, out of all the teams I’ve ever coached, this team ranks high on the list,” Salvino said. “When a player fouls out, another one comes in and they do their job. That’s all I ever ask of any of those players.”
Jared Hartman paced the Leopards with 26 points, but more importantly, he was the one leading the way when his team needed him the most.
He finished 7 of 8 from the free throw line and hit five 3-pointers for BVA (20-8).
After Devin Whitlock made a free throw early in the second overtime, it became the Hartman and (Thomas) Hepple show.
The senior duo combined for all of the Leopards’ points the rest of the way. Hepple and Whitlock each finished with 14 points.
“Hepple did a fantastic job when he came in the game,” Salvino said. “He hit a big 3-pointer for us in the second overtime.
“He’s been a whole different player this season. His attitude has changed so much and I’m so proud of him.”
The Leopards trailed 59-56 near the end of the first overtime, but Whitlock buried a clutch 3-pointer with 43 seconds left to tie it.
Lancaster Catholic (25-3) led 65-60 with 1:35 remaining in the second overtime, but after David Kamwanga missed a pair of free throws, Hepple found himself all alone in the corner and stepped into his big 3-pointer.
“Usually I don’t like when he’s out there shooting threes,” Salvino laughed. “But I’m glad he shot that one and even more glad he made it.”
Devin Atkinson followed with a pair of missed free throws for the Crusaders before Hepple went 1 of 2 from the line.
The rebound squirted out towards the endline and Whitlock swooped in and tossed a behind-the-back save to Hartman for an easy layup to give BVA a sudden 66-65 lead.
Hartman and Calan Titus exchanged free throws before Hartman hit another two with 12.1 seconds to go to give BVA a three-point advantage.
But Ross Conway, who hit five 3-pointers and scored a career-high 21 against Ringgold in the first round, hit his first trey of the game with two seconds to go to force the third overtime.
In the second overtime, Mitch Pohlot and Whitlock fouled out of the game. Pohlot finished with eight points.
“We had some young guys come in, but again, they didn’t try to do too much and they played their role,” Salvino said.
In the third overtime, BVA took a 75-73 lead after a Hartman 3-pointer and a Hepple free throw before Conway hit another deep one to make it 76-75 in favor of the Crusaders.
Hartman, as the Leopards’ primary ballhandler, stepped up and canned another deep three to put BVA back on top.
Following a time out, though, Lancaster Catholic’s Titus fould himself with an open lane to the hoop for an easy lay-in. Hartman had a chance at another 3-pointer but missed to send the game to a fourth overtime.
“That kid was just incredible tonight,” Crusaders coach Joe Klazas said. “We had our best defender on him most of the time, but he was getting inside and those shots he was making outside were unbelievable.”
Hartman hit a pair of free throws to give BVA an 80-78 lead with 3:11 to go in the fourth OT, but minutes later he fouled out on an Atkinson drive to the basket.
Atkinson matched Hartman with a game-high 26 points for the Crusaders.
“We knew he had four fouls and we looked to attack him,” Klazas said. “Fortunately, we got a foul call there late.”
Atkinson and Kamwanga, who finished with 19 points and 15 rebounds, went a combined 4 for 6 from the line to put the Crusaders up 82-80.
Hepple rallied the Leopards to get a tying layup with 1:01 to go, but he fouled out with 49.3 seconds to go.
After Kamwanga missed a pair of free throws, the Leopards turned it over and gave the ball back to the Crusaders.
After a timeout, Atkinson drove to the hoop and drew a foul and sunk a pair of free throws for the deciding points to send his team to the PIAA quarterfinals.
“I went back and forth deciding if we should miss that second free throw,” Klazas said. “But we figured they had some inexperienced guys in the game and he ended up making it.”
BVA’s Klanchar threw a long pass that was caught by Tyler Kovatch, but his desperation 3-pointer hit off the side of the backboard as the buzzer sounded.
“I can’t take anything away from that team. They did a good job of getting to the basket and with our guys in foul trouble, it’s tough to defend that,” Salvino said.
“This was a fantastic game and our players fought until the very end. I’m so proud of them.”
While it’s one of his more memorable games, Salvino stopped short of calling it the craziest game he’s ever been a part of.
“Believe it or not, years ago we lost to Neshannock in three overtimes, but this is right up there,” Salvino said.
Early on, it was Jake Haney giving the Leopards a boost. The sharpshooter scored nine points, hitting two 3-pointers in the first quarter, as BVA led 13-9.
In the second quarter, LC started with an 8-0 run but Salvino wisely used a timeout to calm things down. The Leopards responded with a 9-0 run to close the half with a 24-17 lead.
Haney hit back-to-back threes in the third to give BVA it’s largest lead, 32-22, with 4:47 to go.
“Haney shot the ball really well, and that’s what he does,” Salvino said. “He was big for us early on.”
Lancaster answered later, scoring the final five points of the quarter to go to the fourth with BVA leading 42-37.
The teams exchanged baskets through the fourth quarter, but a three-point play from Titus and six late points from Atkinson helped LC tie it up. Atkinson’s last basket came with 25 seconds to go. LC had a chance to win it in the final seconds, but a tip by Kamwanga was no good.
“This group has given the program a direction. I know we have some talented players coming up and this group that is here, this shows them what hard work can do for you,” Salvino said. “We’ll get back in the gym this summer and get right back to it. This team left a legacy for our program and I am so proud of them. We’re really going to miss this group.”