Trib HSSN basketball team of the week – Belle Vernon Leopards girls

Coach – Cornelious Nesbit (second season)

Record – 17-3 overall, 11-1 in Section 3-4A

#Earned – A promising future for a young Belle Vernon girls basketball team that has never won a WPIAL championship is blossoming earlier than expected.

The Leopards, with no senior starters, have won 11 straight games and have whittled the chase for a Section 3-4A crown from a three-way tie, to a two-team deadlock, and now they are alone in first place following two huge wins in a six-day span these last two weeks.

Heading into section showdowns at South Park and home to Elizabeth Forward, Belle Vernon was locked in a three- way tie for the top perch with the Eagles and Warriors.

First, the Leopards’ defense helped turn the game in their favor as they held the Eagles to only two points in the second quarter, claimed the lead and never looked back as they pulled away for a 42-32 win.

Then on Wednesday, Belle Vernon was in foul trouble again and visiting Elizabeth Forward made the Leopards pay, building a 16-point lead.

However, a big run in the second half helped get Belle Vernon back in the game as it held on to beat and sweep defending section champion Elizabeth Forward, 55-53.

There was no letdown after those two big wins as the Leopards traveled to Laurel Highlands on Thursday and jumped on the Mustangs with 43 first-half points in winning their 17th game in 20 contests, 60-37.

Scoring stars – Versatility makes Belle Vernon dangerous, as the Leopards have a solid mix of guards on the perimeter and size on the blocks that could cause matchup issues for opponents.

The team is also very balanced when it comes to the scoresheet.

Against South Park, the Leopards did not have any scorers break into double digits, as junior Abby Russell led the way with nine points and sophomore Aubrey Brown finished with eight in limited minutes due to foul trouble.

In the game against Elizabeth Forward, Russell and Brown led the way again — Brown scored 16 points and Brown, again in foul trouble, added 10 points.

Finally against Laurel Highlands, Emerson LaCarte, a senior off the bench, scored a team-high 14 points, while junior Saylor Lee contributed 12 points and freshman Lyla McConnell added 10 points.

LaCarte and fellow senior Mia Roebuck have embraced their new roles as team leaders off the bench with several big buckets during this 11-game winning streak.

2026 Trib HSSN Basketball Teams of the Week

Week 2 – Beaver Falls Tigers girls

Week 1 – Knoch Knights boys