Battle-tested Canevin ready for deep run
Bishop Canevin hasn’t exactly faced much resistance in games against WPIAL Class 1A opponents.
The margins of victory: 51, 32, 52, 43, 47, 40, 56, 63 and 61.
It’s what the No. 1-seeded Crusaders have done in games against non-section opponents — five of which have resulted in losses — that has them looking like the heavy favorites to win the program’s first WPIAL title.
Sometimes when teams enter the playoffs after a regular season spent dominating less-than-stellar section foes, the response is, “That’s great, but they haven’t played anybody.” That can’t be said about the Crusaders, who have played a who’s who of nonsection opponents, from Class 6A on down.
Here’s the breakdown of games against notable foes. First the wins: Class 6A Central Catholic, 71- 42; Springdale, 72-44; Sto-Rox, 56-51. And the losses: Chartiers Valley, 82-68; Quaker Valley, 51-47; Berlin Brothersvalley, 71-63; Mt. Lebanon, 55-52; Fox Chapel, 7971. All of those WPIAL teams, aside from Central Catholic, are among the top four seeds in their respective classes. District 5 Berlin Brothersvalley is 21-1 and ranked No. 1 in the state in Class 1A in several polls.
“As a staff, we thought it was best to play the best teams in the area,” said third-year coach Gino Palmosina. “A lot of times it’s like, ‘Why would you want to play them?’ But for us, we want to play the best. It’s a learning experience. [Last week], we played Mt. Lebanon and Fox Chapel. Programs like that don’t make many mistakes. We use it as a teaching point.”
Canevin can play with anybody — lesson learned. The Crusaders played those two Class 6A teams last week with two of their usual starters coming off the bench. That was done because those two starters, 6-6 junior Jayden Gales and junior Kai Spears, aren’t eligible in the playoffs due to transfer rules.
Gales, the team’s leading scorer at 17 points a game, transferred from Nazareth Prep, and Spears from Pine-Richland. Palmosina wanted to start those games with players who will be there when the Crusaders host the St. JosephAvella winner in Friday’s quarterfinals. The Crusaders were the only team in the class to earn a firstround bye.
The Crusaders might not have as much depth without Gales and Spears, but they are still deep in talent. Their starting five now consists of 6-4 senior Dom Elliott, 6-2 junior Kevaughn Price, senior Nevan Crossey, junior Jhamil Fife and sophomore Shea Champine. Elliott averages 15 points a game and Price 12. The Crusaders will also get a player back this week when junior Tre Champine returns to the lineup after missing the past month with a knee injury. Champine won WPIAL titles last season at Vincentian, which has since closed.
This Canevin team likes to run, and it typically has no problem filing the basket. The Crusaders average 73.7 points a game, which ranks third among all WPIAL teams.
“It’s our athleticism,”
Palmosina said. “We’re very athletic. Sometimes I’m watching the game and I’m like ‘Holy smokes. Did that just happen?’ Our bigs. Our guards. It’s their speed and quickness.”
Palmosina said his squad is better than last year’s team, which was the No. 2 seed in the postseason before losing to Cornell in the semifinals. The Crusaders have only reached the WPIAL final once. That came in 2006 when a team led by Antonio DiMaria lost to Herb Pope and Aliquippa in the championship game.
Elizabeth Forward
When Elizabeth Forward (8-4) takes the floor against Deer Lakes (9-3) Thursday in a Class 4A first-round game, the Warriors will do so with one of the youngest starting fives in the WPIAL. They start two freshmen, two sophomores and a junior. It’s a talented group, though, one that has helped the Warriors bounce back from going 15-29 the previous two seasons. Their previous playoff win came in 2014.
“It’s definitely an exciting time,” third-year coach Matt Loftis said. “Obviously our freshman and sophomore classes, we’re getting a lot from those two groups. We’re anticipating some good groups that are in seventh and eighth grade. The last two years we took some lumps, but things are heading in the right direction.”
Freshman point guard Vernon Settles (17.2 ppg) and sophomore guard Zach Boyd (17.1 ppg) lead the Warriors in scoring. Daniels scored a careerhigh 29 in a win Feb. 17 at Uniontown. Also starting are freshman Charlie Meehleib, sophomore Mekhi Daniels and junior Ethan Bowser.
“He’s a special kid,” Loftis said of Settles, who ranks second among WPIAL freshmen in scoring. “He had some injuries early in the season that held him back, but he’s now healthy and he’s really hit his stride the last two or three weeks. He has such a quick burst. He’s the best ball handler we’ve had since I’ve been here. He’s been fantastic.”
The Warriors have not played a game since Jan. 20. They were shut down last week due to COVID-19 issues, but returned to practice Sunday after a sevenday layoff.
Freeport
Cole Charlton and the Freeport Yellowjackets made Blackhawk blue in the face Monday.
Charlton, a junior forward and the team’s leading scorer, was one of the biggest heroes in the preliminary round, making two free throws with 6.1 seconds left to give Freeport a 65-64 win in a Class 4A game at Blackhawk. It was Freeport’s first playoff win since 2010.
The free throws came about due to Blackhawk being whistled for an over-theback foul after the Cougars’ Ryan Jones missed a free throw which would have completed a three-point play. Jones’ acrobatic shot had given the Cougars a 6463 lead.
Freeport (6-8), the No. 17 seed, will play No. 1 Belle Vernon (11-1) in Thursday’s first round. The Yellowjackets have not advanced past the first round since 2004.