By: Bill Beckner Jr.


Thursday, December 26, 2024 | 4:25 PM

For years, Brad Wetzel wanted his Latrobe boys team to play on basketball’s hallowed grounds.

“I’ve always talked about us maybe playing in Indiana or North Carolina,” the longtime leader of the Wildcats said. “Thought that would be neat for the boys to do. Maybe summer or over Christmas.”

It’s finally happening this weekend.

Latrobe will play in a holiday tournament — the Christmas Classic at Shenandoah High School in Indiana — on Friday and Saturday.

Of course, a trip to The Hoosier Gym in Knightstown, where “Hoosiers” was filmed, is on tap. The team also may visit the largest high school fieldhouse in the country, New Castle Fieldhouse. Indiana is known for its massive basketball venues.

Also, Latrobe may visit the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame, also in New Castle.

Latrobe has visited New York for tournament play in recent years.

“We’re excited for this trip,” Wetzel said. “I started calling around schools down there (in Indiana) to see if we could get a game.”

Turns out, assistant coach Eric Butler’s friend and best man in his wedding, Brent Kinsey, is an administrator in Indiana and helped get the Wildcats into a tournament.

Kinsey is a former principal and teacher at Shenandoah.

“There are eight teams and we’re the only one from Pennsylvania,” Wetzel said.

Latrobe, which will leave at 8 a.m. Thursday, will open against Indianapolis Lutheran Prep, the 2023 Indiana IHSAA Class A state champion.

BVA looks to regroup

Belle Vernon has been down three starters for the past two games, and that trend could continue into the new year.

Leopards athletic director Matt Humbert said the players will not return until after Christmas due to unspecified disciplinary reasons.

Zion Moore, Tommy Davis and Curtis Wade have not been in the lineup.

Moore was averaging 28 points per game and has 1,754 for his career.

Veteran coach Joe Salvino has had to reach down the bench and give other players minutes, and he’s seen positives, even in a 67-61 overtime loss at Derry.

Junior Dan Daugherty, sophomore Luca Ghilani, junior Jude Minniti, freshman Elijah Majors and sophomore Cameron Jenko have played well alongside glue-guy senior Trevor Kovatch and senior Dominic Ghilani.

“I have seen some good things,” Salvino said. “Those guys have shown they can play varsity minutes. Maybe they will push those other guys when they come back. It’s been a learning experience.”

GCC, Jeannette cruising

Greensburg Central Catholic has barely flinched through eight games. Jeannette has been on cruise control.

Yes, the top two ranked teams in WPIAL Class 2A are flexing their muscles.

The Centurions (8-0) have mercy ruled all but two opponents and are winning by an average margin of 27.9 points.

The Jayhawks (7-0), led by veteran coach Adrian Batts, are winning by an average of 35.6 points, bringing the mercy rule into play every game so far, and lead 2A in scoring at 72.7 points.

Last year’s WPIAL 2A runners-up, the Centurions are off to their best start since 2016-17 when GCC went 22-0 in the regular season under coach Greg Bisignani.

Jeannette hasn’t started 7-0 since 2012-13 (8-0).

100 wins

Current GCC coach Christian Hyland, now in his sixth season, recently won his 100^th game. His team nearly scored 100 points in the benchmark victory.

The Centurions defeated California, 96-37.

Holiday tournaments

Christmas means holiday tournaments and the place to be for local fans will be Greensburg Salem on Friday and Saturday.

Friday’s schedule includes Yough vs. Ligonier Valley at 2 p.m.; Connellsville vs. Jeannette at 3:30; Hempfield vs. GCC at 5; and Mt. Pleasant vs. Greensburg Salem at 6:30.

Saturday’s schedule: Jeannette vs Yough at noon; Mt. Pleasant vs. Connellsville at 1:30; Ligonier Valley vs. GCC at 3; and Hempfield vs. Greensburg Salem at 4:30.

Southmoreland plays Ringgold at 8:30 p.m. Friday in the Charleroi tournament, while Belle Vernon plays the host Lancers in the Deer Lakes tournament at 7:30 Friday night.

Franklin Regional takes on West Mifflin at 5 p.m. Friday at the South Allegheny tournament.

Monessen is hosting a tournament with Westinghouse, Beaver County Christian and California.

Norwin plays in the South Allegheny tournament 8 p.m. Friday against Elizabeth Forward and 1 p.m. Saturday vs. South Fayette.

Rankings check

The latest TribLive HSSN rankings show:

Greensburg Central Catholic (8-0) remained No. 1 and Jeannette (7-0) is No. 2 in Class 2A.

Monessen (3-3) is clinging to the No. 5 spot in Class A, while Belle Vernon fell from the 4A top five after holding the No. 3 ranking.

Layups

Burrell’s Tucker Bitar scored his 1,000^th career point Saturday in the Bucs’ 63-56 win over Derry in the WCCA Shootout at Hempfield. … Derry’s Stanley Rajkovich had 27 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks in the loss. … Norwin’s Stefano Giannikas made seven 3-pointers in a 64-42 win over Valley in the WCCA Shootout at Jeannette. Giannikas is the son of Penn-Trafford girls coach John Giannikas. … There are 11 undefeated teams left in WPIAL boys basketball: Keystone Oaks (8-0), GCC (8-0), Jeannette (7-0), New Castle (7-0), Baldwin (7-0), Central Valley (7-0), Neighborhood Academy (7-0), Montour (6-0), Neshannock (6-0), Imani Christian (5-0) and Aliquippa (4-0).

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

Tags: Belle Vernon, Derry Area, Franklin Regional, Greensburg C.C., Greensburg Salem, Hempfield, Jeannette, Latrobe, Norwin