Moore scores 32 as Belle Vernon tops Derry to split season series
BELLE VERNON – Zion Moore did pretty much everything you can do on a basketball court Friday night.
He hit 3-pointers, drove to the lane, stole the ball, had a block and thunderous dunk in the fourth quarter and made some assists.
Including one that won’t show up on the stat sheet.
He picked up a couple kids when they wandered onto the court during a timeout in the second quarter and returned them to their parents.
“That was my niece and nephew,” Moore said.
It was all part of a memorable Senior Night.
Moore had a game-high 32 points and Belle Vernon moved into sole possession of first place in Class 4A Section 3 with a 78-52 victory over Derry.
He put on a show for a large group of family members that were in attendance for senior night, including the two youngsters that made their way onto the floor.
Another factor that made it special for Moore was that he wasn’t able to play in Belle Vernon’s first meeting with Derry (7-2, 10-6) because he was suspended, due to disciplinary reasons, along with two other starters, Tommy Davis and Curtis Wade.
The Trojans won that game 67-61 in overtime over the Leopards (8-1, 13-4) back on Dec. 20
Moore made sure overtime wasn’t even a thought this time.
“It was very important to me, because I heard when we first played (Derry) at their house, they were talking a lot of trash,” Moore said. “I’m happy they got to come here and see what it really was.”
Belle Vernon led 38-30 at halftime, but Moore helped put the game on ice in the third quarter.
He had 11 of the Leopards’ 19 points and they doubled their lead to 57-41.
Moore finished right around his average per game this season, which is second in the entire WPIAL. The exclamation point on the night was a one-handed dunk on a fastbreak midway through the fourth quarter.
Even with two starters, Davis and Dominic Ghilardi, in foul trouble, Belle Vernon wasn’t threatened in the second half.
“I’m not making excuses, but when we played them last time we didn’t have three of our starters,” Leopards coach Joe Salvino said. “(Derry) is a good team, but if you take three starters off anyone’s team it’s going to be a big difference.
“Those guys were motivated to play this game and I think that was a big factor.”
The Leopards led 24-19 after a fast-paced first quarter. They led by as much as 11 twice, both after Moore baskets, but Derry ended the quarter on a 9-2 run.
Logan Irvin banked in a 3-pointer off the glass and Brayden Robinson added another bucket from beyond the arc for Derry before the buzzer.
That was as close as Derry got.
Stanley Rajkovich, a 6-foot-7 sophomore led the Trojans with 16 points. Robinson scored 15 and John Wasnick, Derry’s lone senior, finished with 13 points.
Trevor Kovatch had 17 points for the Leopards. The majority of his points came off fast break layups, using the same speed he showed on playing soccer as Belle Vernon’s all-time leading goal scorer.
“He never lets up,” Salvino said. “He’s been like that the whole year. He’s had a great senior year and I hope he keeps going at it.”