Westmoreland WPIAL basketball playoff capsule for Feb. 26, 2022

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Friday, February 25, 2022 | 6:02 PM

Saturday’s game

Boys

Semifinals

Class 4A

3-Belle Vernon (19-3) vs. 2-Montour (19-4)

Noon at Bethel Park

Coaches: Joe Salvino, Belle Vernon; Bill Minear, Montour

Winner plays: Winner of 5-Lincoln Park (17-6)/1-Quaker Valley (21-0), 9 p.m. March 3 in the championship at Petersen Events Center

Layup lines: Belle Vernon is aiming for its second WPIAL finals appearance in three years after falling to Highlands two years ago. The Leopards lost to New Castle in the semis last year, 77-76. Senior Devin Whitlock (15 ppg) has loads of playoff experience, starting with a run to the Class A semis and PIAA semifinals when he was a freshman at Monessen to a finals trip and PIAA second-round run two years ago with the Leopards. Sophomore Quinton Martin (19 ppg), a highly touted football recruit, has come into his own as a double-double machine for the Leopards. Senior guard Daniel Gordon (14 ppg) is another key option for a much deeper team than the Leopards have had in recent years. Keep an eye on freshman Alonzo Wade, who had a team-high 17 points in a 62-42 win over Freeport in the quarterfinals. … Montour also is looking for a return to the semifinal round after losing to Lincoln Park last year, 65-62. The Spartans, who finished second behind top-seeded Quaker Valley (21-0) in Section 2, have won 10 of their past 11 games, including a 70-50 rout of Burrell in the quarterfinals Wednesday. In that game, senior guard Diaun Pinkett scored 17 of his game-high 24 points in the first half. Senior Vason Stevenson added 14 points and eight rebounds, and senior Tyriq Eleam scored 11. The Spartans beat Belle Vernon late in the regular season, 65-48, as Stevenson scored 24, Pinkett 17 and Jake Wolfe 11. Wade topped Belle Vernon with 14. Martin did not play in that game. The Spartans also have quality wins over Lincoln Park (69-67), Uniontown (70-59) and Highlands (60-51). They only lost to Quaker Valley by one, 47-46, in the teams’ first meeting before a 56-36 loss to the Quakers in Round 2.

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

Tags: Belle Vernon, Montour