Martin dominant as BVA rips South Park
By JEREMY SELLEW
jsellew@yourmvi.com
After a win at Yough Jan. 26, Belle Vernon Area head coach Joe Salvino said freshman Quinton Martin was just getting started and was “going to show people he’s going to be a forced to be reckoned with.”
But even then, Salvino may not have thought Martin would do it so soon.
On Tuesday, the 6-3 freshman scored a career-high 20 points added 12 rebounds to finish with a double-double in leading the Leopards to a 76-67 win over visiting South Park in Section 3-4A play.
“Quinton is still someone coming into his own, but he was really good tonight,” Salvino said. “He still made some freshman mistakes, but that’s to be expected. He’s doing what we’re asking him to do and he’s been playing really well.”
Martin was one of four Leopards to hit double figures in the win.
Jake Haney continued being a spark plug for BVA, hitting three 3-pointers in the first quarter and scoring the Leopards’ first 12 points.
Haney was also playing with 10 stitches in his chin from a cut he received in Saturday’s game against New Castle.
“I don’t know what it is,” Salvino said. “It was really big for him to come out and shoot the ball the way he did tonight. It definitely didn’t look like the bandage on his chin bothered him at all.”
After South Park’s Harper Conroy hit a 3-pointer to give the Eagles (6-2, 6-2) a 12-6 lead three minutes in, the Leopards answered with a 9-0 run to take the lead back. The big baskets were a Haney 3-pointer and a Martin three-point play.
South Park answered with a Luke Rider trey and were able to get a Gino Maffeo layup with 13 seconds left in the frame to take a 22-21 lead after the opening eight minutes.
“The thought of a letdown coming off a big win is always real,” Salvino said. “Coming off Saturday’s win against New Castle, we needed to come out ready to play this one. You never look at the competition or who you’re going up against. This is a section game and we had to be up for it.”
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