Westmoreland PIAA basketball playoff preview: Games of Tuesday, March 8, 2022

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Monday, March 7, 2022 | 6:04 PM

Tuesday’s game

Boys

Class 4A

First round

7-4 Belle Vernon (19-4) at 8-1 Obama Academy (12-8)

7 p.m.

Winner plays: Winner of Hickory (16-8)/Quaker Valley (23-0) on Friday in second round

Layup lines: Belle Vernon returns to the court after a 64-53 loss to Montour in the WPIAL semifinals. Montour lost in the championship, making Belle Vernon the No. 4 seed out of the district. Senior point guard Devin Whitlock will not play because of disciplinary action after an incident in the postgame handshake line after the Montour loss. Whitlock, a Pitt preferred walk-on for football, has more than 1,600 career points and is the team’s second-leading scorer (15 ppg) this year. Sophomore forward Quinton Martin, a coveted football prospect who is having a breakthrough season, averages 19 points and nine rebounds. A Leopards victory would give coach Joe Salvino 700 wins. His career spans nearly four decades. Salvino, 70, is 699-285 in 38 seasons. He won 639 times at Monessen. Belle Vernon made the second round of the state playoffs two years ago. … Obama Academy won a subregional game over District 9 team Clearfield (14-10) to advance to the PIAA tournament. The Eagles won 58-56 as Bryce Carter put back a missed 3-pointer at the buzzer. Junior guard Seth Small had 18 points, Teyron Wofford added 14 and Torrien Perkins chipped in 11. Obama finished 8-2 in the City League and also has wins over WPIAL teams St. Joseph and Shenango. It lost to Norwin, Bethel Park, 3A champion Shady Side Academy, Upper St. Clair and 4A champion Quaker Valley. The Eagles are just 4-1 at home this season. Also watch junior guard Xzavier Rodgers.

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

Tags: Belle Vernon