Mustangs victorious in non-league scrap with Leopards
While Laurel Highlands’ basketball season has been like a roller coaster, Belle Vernon has been in a season-long free fall without a win. That didn’t keep the visiting Leopards from giving the Mustangs a battle for three quarters on Wednesday before falling, 51-34.
“Belle Vernon never gave up. I give them a lot of credit,” said LH coach Rick Hauger. “Their record is not what they’d want it to be. But they’re going to win some games this year.”
Laurel Highlands (3-3, 6-6) took control in the non-section contest after four lead changes and a tie in the early going. A basket by Joe Yuhas, Matt Shull’s free throw and a 3-point field goal by Mason Zeigler built an 11-5 lead, and LH led 13-7 at the break with all five starters making the scoring column.
The Mustangs built a 10-point lead at 19-9 before Belle Vernon (0-6, 0-12) got consecutive 3-point baskets by Adam Ferita and Zach Heckel to cut the lead to 19-15.
Laurel Highlands responded with an eight-point run that included two baskets by Yuhas and baskets by Zach Partyka and Shull with LH going on to lead 27-18 after 16 minutes.
Yuhas went on a six-point tear in the third quarter as the lead grew to 33-19 before BV answered with its biggest run of the night. Baskets by Jake Kallam, Ryan Thomas, Ferita and Thomas again cut the deficit to 33-27 before Zeigler sank a pair of treys — one to close the third quarter and another to begin the final eight minutes, as LH led 39-27.
Soon after, a seven-point run that included five Yuhas points and a basket by Miami Call built the lead to 46-29.
Yuhas led LH with 17 points, and Zeigler added 11 points, while Adam Ferita led BV with nine points.
Just as important was a collective defensive effort by the Mustangs that held BV’s top scorer, Matt Naylor, to a single point.
“We’re familiar with (Naylor) and his abilities and everybody was on the alert to be ready,” Hauger said. “Matt Shull had the primary responsibility and the rest of the team was aware of what Matt Naylor can do. Joe (Yuhas) had a really strong game offensively and defensively and that was one of the keys with Naylor. We had another line of defense waiting for him.”
Hauger added, “We didn’t score a lot of points, but that was a tribute to Belle Vernon defensively. We had some good shot selection and it got better as the game went on. Hopefully, these are positives we can build on.”
Belle Vernon coach John Dudzinski said his team has been facing adversity all season, but it has brought them together. “We’ve become close as a group, and the kids have built character. I’m awfully proud of them. They don’t quit.
“Laurel Highlands has two big guys who do a real nice job in blocking our shots. They play real good defense.”
Laurel Highlands returns to Section 1-AAAA action on Friday with a home game against Latrobe, while Belle Vernon hosts South Park in Section 4-AAA.