Veteran coaches Joe Salvino, Paul Sapotichne set to square off with Belle Vernon, Greensburg Salem

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Thursday, January 9, 2025 | 3:46 PM

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Call it a coaching matchup for the ages.

It is not often that veteran coaches with the ilk of Joe Salvino and Paul Sapotichne square off in the same gym for a section boys basketball game.

While the WPIAL longtimers have coached against each other before — Sapotichne thinks it wasn’t in “a game that counted” — they never have met in a section game. But they will go against each other twice this season, their first matchup in Section 3-4A on Friday night at Belle Vernon.

Salvino, the seventh-year coach at Belle Vernon — he guided the Monessen boys for 34 years — will go against Sapotichne, in the first year of his second go-round with Greensburg Salem. His first stint there lasted 29 years.

Consider the amount of basketball the pair has seen in years and wins: In 38 years, Salvino has 732 wins — second all-time in the WPIAL — and Sapotichne has coached 36 years and has 467 wins.

Salvino trails only legendary coach Don Graham of North Catholic (801) for the most victories.

Salvino, 73, piled up 639 wins at Monessen, including six WPIAL championships and two PIAA titles.

“I respect him and know he’s a good coach,” Sapotichne said. “I know he has a very good team, and it will be a challenge. We are trying to get a little better every day.”

Sapotichne, 71, registered his 400th win at Greensburg Salem earlier in the season. He also coached at Riverview but stepped down in 2020-21 because of health concerns.

Salvino also has overcome health issues to return to the sidelines. This is his 42nd year in coaching.

“It will be nice seeing him again,” Salvino said of Sapotichne.

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 Salem, Monessen, Riverview