Whitlock scores 39 points as Belle Vernon defeats Hempfield in overtime thriller
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Saturday, December 18, 2021 | 8:09 PM
Belle Vernon’s Devin Whitlock drives to the basket past Hempfield’s Brandon Learn during their game on Saturday, Dec. 18, 2021, at Hempfield Area High School.
Belle Vernon’s Devin Whitlock scores against Hempfield on Saturday, Dec. 18, 2021, at Hempfield Area High School.
Belle Vernon’s Devin Whitlock (1) celebrates his game-tying basket at the end of regulation with Tyler Kovatch during their game against Hempfield on Saturday, Dec. 18, 2021, at Hempfield Area High School.
Belle Vernon’s Quinton Martin celebrates after scoring against Hempfield on Saturday, Dec. 18, 2021, at Hempfield Area High School.
Belle Vernon’s Devin Whitlock pressures Hempfield’s Dom Hipps during their game on Saturday, Dec. 18, 2021, at Hempfield Area High School.
Belle Vernon’s Devin Whitlock drives to the basket past Hempfield’s Chaz Ewer during their game on Saturday, Dec. 18, 2021, at Hempfield Area High School.
Belle Vernon’s Devin Whitlock scores against Hempfield on Saturday, Dec. 18, 2021, at Hempfield Area High School.
Belle Vernon’s Quinton Martin celebrates after scoring against Hempfield on Saturday, Dec. 18, 2021, at Hempfield Area High School.
Belle Vernon’s Devin Whitlock brings the ball upcourt against Hempfield on Saturday, Dec. 18, 2021, at Hempfield Area High School.
Belle Vernon’s Devin Whitlock drives to the basket past Hempfield’s Joe Fiedor during their game on Saturday, Dec. 18, 2021, at Hempfield Area High School.
Belle Vernon’s Devin Whitlock celebrates his game-tying basket at the end of regulation against Hempfield on Saturday, Dec. 18, 2021, at Hempfield Area High School.
Belle Vernon’s Devin Whitlock (1) celebrates with Quinton Martin after defeating Hempfield on Saturday, Dec. 18, 2021, at Hempfield Area High School.
Asked if he has another gear when the game is on the line, a clutch gene, Devin Whitlock framed his answer neatly.
“I wouldn’t say it’s another gear,” the Belle Vernon senior guard said. “It’s more of a mentality. It’s not wanting to lose.”
The Leopards’ leading man took Saturday’s game against hot-shooting Hempfield at the third Westmoreland County Coaches Association Showcase and made it his own, scoring 24 of his game-high 39 points in the fourth quarter and overtime as Belle Vernon won an 83-77 thriller at Spartans Field House.
“He does things you can’t teach,” Belle Vernon coach Joe Salvino said. “He took over. That is what he needs to do, and that is what he did today.”
Belle Vernon, the third-ranked team in WPIAL Class 4A, stayed unbeaten at 5-0, while 6A Hempfield, which made 15 3-pointers and got 29 points from senior Sean Gordon, fell to 1-3.
Whitlock, who also had six assists and five steals, sent the game to overtime at 69-69 with a coast-to-coast layup — up and under for effect — in the closing seconds of regulation.
He had six in overtime when the Leopards outscored the Spartans, 14-8.
“Devin hasn’t been scoring a lot lately but has been passing the ball and doing other things,” Salvino said. “Today, we needed him to score. Hempfield shot the lights out.”
Sophomore Quinton Martin had 23 points and 16 rebounds as he and Whitlock combined for almost 75% of their team’s points.
“It’s about staying positive and hoping something goes your way,” said Whitlock, who has 1,457 career points. “We practice (situations) all the time with what we should do with four or five seconds left. It’s a matter of translating that to the game.”
Senior Joe Fiedor had 21 for Hempfield. Fiedor, Gordon and junior Harrison Sowers hit four 3-pointers each. Sowers scored 16.
“Our kids played their hearts out,” Hempfield coach Bill Swan said. “We took a gut punch. … Most teams fold there. We kept fighting. It’s hard to look your guys in the eye in that huddle (when the lead was lost). Some people said Hempfield couldn’t play with their athletes. I think we proved them wrong.
“This is why you play these county events. It was a great memory. This was fun.”
In overtime, Fiedor made a 3 to put the Spartans up 77-73. But Whitlock made back-to-back layups, the second off a steal, to tie it at 77-77 with 52 seconds to play.
Senior Tyler Kovatch’s layup gave the Leopards a 79-77 lead with 30 seconds left before senior Daniel Gordon made four free throws to ice it.
Hempfield led most of the way, taking a 38-34 lead into the half as Gordon scored 13.
It was a three-point game after three quarters (54-49) as Gordon had nine and Fiedor eight.
Sowers’ 3 put Hempfield up six in the fourth, but the lead changed hands four times in the final five minutes of regulation.
Senior Brandon Learn came up with a steal and layup with 37 seconds left to give Hempfield a 66-65 lead, and it was 68-65 after two free throws from senior Dom Hipps with 12.9 seconds.
Senior Alonzo Wade made two free throws with 5.1 to cut it to 68-67, but Gordon made 1 of 2 and Belle Vernon rebounded and Whitlock took drove in for the tying score as tied expired.
“It was back and forth and could have gone either way,” Sean Gordon said. “Devin is an amazing player. We have to learn from our mistakes and move on. These are the kind of games you sign up for.”
Belle Vernon made 19 of 24 free throws, and Hempfield made 5 of 9.
Bill Beckner Jr. is a TribLive reporter covering local sports in Westmoreland County. He can be reached at bbeckner@triblive.com.
Tags: Belle Vernon, Hempfield
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