BVA-North Catholic: A mirror image
By JEFF OLIVER
MVI Sports
When top-seeded Belle Vernon Area tips off against No. 5 North Catholic in a WPIAL 4A semifinal tonight, you could understand if the Leopards felt like they were looking in a mirror when going against the Trojans.
That’s because NC (17-4) and BVA (13-1) play very similar styles. Both teams rely heavily on aggressive, fast-paced, pressure defense with a lot of trapping and offenses that like to push the ball and go.
“They do remind me a lot of us,” said BVA coach Joe Salvino. “On defense, they are very similar to us in that they press, try to cause turnovers and go the other way. They try to trap you and turn you over.
“Offensively, they are a lot like us,” he added. “Except I’d say they are a little more deliberate, but not much. They like to run, but if the open shot isn’t there they will pull it back and work for it, whereas we are little more used to taking quicker shots. Our players have a little more freedom to shoot it.”
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