Monessen steals show against North Clarion
Monessen’s Isaiah Allumsnget boxed in by North Clarion’s Keeven Weaver and Jesse Schmader during a PIAA basketball playoff game at Peters Township High School on Friday March 10, 2017.
Celeste Van Kirk/Observer-Reporter Monessen’s Justice Rice blocks the shot of North Clarion’s Keeven Weaver during a PIAA basketball playoff game at Peters Township High School on Friday March 10, 2017.
Joe Salvino won two state championships, six WPIAL titles and 639 wins in 34 years at Monessen High School. He was hired Tuesday night as the head coach at Belle Vernon.
MCMURRAY – North Clarion boys basketrball coach Andy Bish knew exactly what his team was in for in the first round of the PIAA Class A Tournament.
A date against the WPIAL Class champion Monessen Greyhounds Friday night at Peters Township High School.
The fourth-place finisher from District 9 was overwhelmed from the start as the Greyhounds made quick work of the Wolves, 94-28. Monessen (19-7) rolls on to the second round of the tournament while North Clarion (14-12) saw its season come to a close.
“There is no way to prepare for what they do and how they play,” Bish said. “At practice, we tried to run an offense against seven and eight defenders. We don’t see anything like that in the league we play in.”
Using their superior speed and athleticism, the Greyhounds forced an astonishing 33 first-half turnovers – a fact that pleased Monessen head coach Joe Salvino.
“We started off quick and get our press working,” Salvino said. “We like to get buckets in transition like that because we struggle in the half-court. We wanted to take them out of what they wanted to do and I think we did a real good job at that.”
Monessen finished the game by forcing 42 total turnovers. They also outrebounded the Wolves 36-20.
The Greyhounds were paced by Jaden Altomore’s 38 points. Justice Rice chipped in with 25. Nathan Banner led the Wolves with nine points. Altomore also was a force on the glass as he snatched 10 rebounds.
“Jaden and Justice, they’re our best offensive players,” Salvino said. “Those two are our main people and are our leaders.”
Altomore gave the throng of Monessen fans a lot to cheer for as he scored 30 points in the first half. The senior guard went eight for nine in the second quarter as the Greyhounds built a 28-7 lead after one and a 60-14 lead at the half.
Rice made all three of his field goal attempts in the second quarter while Lyndon Henderson grabbed a game-high 10 steals to go along with 10 points.
Henderson also sent a message off a steal when he dunked home the game’s second field goal, sending a message to North Clarion that it would not be its night.
“This is what we needed because we had eight days off,” said Salvino. “That is a long time, we just wanted to get back into a game situation. That is what we are taking away from this situation.”
Salvino said his team will continue to use the same formula moving forward.
“That’s the way we’ve played all year,” he said. “I don’t see a need for us to change that. My philosophy is that I’m more worried about what we do than what the other team does.”
As for Bish and the Wolves, reality set in most likely before tipoff.
“We obviously have different goals than them,” Bish said. “They probably have aspirations for a state title. For us, this was a neat experience. We’re a very small school and we don’t see talent like that.”