Westmoreland basketball teams welcome chance to start playoffs at home

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Wednesday, February 9, 2022 | 5:46 PM

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A number of basketball coaches expressed their admiration for the WPIAL’s decision to allow higher-seeded teams to host first-round and quarterfinal playoff games last season because of the pandemic.

The WPIAL was listening.

Home sweet home will be the theme again as the league uses the same format for this year’s playoff tournaments.

Opening pairings will be announced virtually Monday, and teams are expected to get home games for the first round and quarterfinals, should they advance.

That news sat well with several area teams that have been practically unbeatable on their home court.

Take Southmoreland’s girls, who have not lost on their floor since 2018.

The Scotties (16-3) have won 42 straight in Alverton. They are expected to land a top-three seed in Class 4A.

“Our girls love playing at home because we have such great community support, and our fans and students really get into the game,” Scotties coach Amber Cernuto said. “We are fortunate to have that. As with most teams, you feel the most comfortable and confident on your home court.”

Southmoreland beat Deer Lakes (53-24) and Mt. Pleasant (54-23) in the first two rounds last year before losing at Quaker Valley in the semis (60-50). The Scotties recently celebrated their third straight section title.

“Expectations are high,” Cernuto said. “There are some who doubt we can reach them. I believe we can if we continue what we are doing.”

The Belle Vernon boys (17-3), a title contender in Class 4A, also should draw a high seed and play at home.

“Home-court advantage is important because it is nice having the whole town at the game supporting the team and cheering us on,” Belle Vernon senior guard Daniel Gordon said. “It’s important to work towards having games locally. Long bus rides can wear a team down mentally and physically.”

The No. 1 seed in 4A last year, Belle Vernon played three playoff games, all at home.

The Leopards lost to North Catholic, 77-76, in the semifinals.

“Knowing the feeling of how we lost, we are seeking revenge so that we don’t feel that way again,” Gordon said. “That’s what sets our gym apart, plus all the memories that have been made in that gym.”

The Norwin and Latrobe girls are another tough out on their court.

“You always like playing at home to have the consistency and routine that you are familiar with,” Norwin coach Brian Brozeski said. “And typically you are able to have more family members, friends and community support.”

Norwin (15-4) went 2-0 at home in last year’s Class 6A bracket as the No. 3 seed, flattening North Hills (55-12) and Butler (53-33) before losing at Upper St. Clair, 33-31, in the semis.

The Knights are 7-1 at home this season, a mark that includes a head-turning 56-31 win over then-No. 1 North Allegheny.

Latrobe (14-3) is 7-2 on its floor. The Wildcats, a returning semifinalist in Class 5A, were the No. 6 seed last year and earned a first-round game before traveling the next two rounds.

Brozeski said playing at home also can come with a red flag. It can give the hosts a false sense of comfort.

“You have to make sure to eliminate any unnecessary distractions,” he said.

The Greensburg Central Catholic boys, a likely top-three seed in Class 2A, have won 20 straight games at home.

“It would be a really nice opportunity, especially for our seniors,” Centurions coach Christian Hyland said of playing at home. “They missed three home nonsection games this year and didn’t get the opportunity to play at home during the playoffs last year.”

GCC (15-2), the returning WPIAL runner-up, didn’t play at home until Jan. 11 this season because of postponements.

Covid spectator limitations and a water main break at GCC forced the Centurions to play “home” playoff games on the road last season.

The No. 2 seed, they played at 15th-seeded Serra Catholic in the first round — Serra’s gym isn’t much bigger than GCC’s — and then played quarterfinal and semifinal games at Norwin.

“Norwin was like our second home,” Hyland said.

The Centurions played OLSH in the WPIAL 2A championship at Peters Township. This year, the finals are returning to Pitt’s Petersen Events Center.

The semifinals will be at neutral sites.

After sending only champions to the PIAA playoffs last year, the WPIAL is expected to use its follow-the-winner format to get multiple qualifiers into the state brackets.

Bill Beckner Jr. is a TribLive reporter covering local sports in Westmoreland County. He can be reached at bbeckner@triblive.com.

Tags: Belle Vernon, Greensburg C.C., Latrobe, Norwin