JACKSON TWP — Success has always been hoped for, but seldom attained, by the Seneca Valley boys basketball team.

Victor Giannotta is helping to change that.

The veteran coach, who recently concluded his fourth season at SV, believed his Raiders would break the program record for wins in a season in 2007-08.

The previous mark was 14 victories and the squad ended its latest campaign 17-8.

That performance has earned Giannotta the Butler Eagle Boys Basketball Coach of the Year Award.

In voting by the Eagle sports department, he topped the ballots with 14 points, followed by Union's Karen Davis (9 points), Butler's Joe Lewandowski (6) and Slippery Rock's Sean Strickland (1).

"It's like my old man once told me: whatever you do, do it to the best of your ability, whether you're coaching a game or picking up garbage on the street," said Giannotta.

Before coming to SV, Giannotta led both Sewickley Academy and Peters Township to the playoffs, coaching the former to a state title in 1997.

"Vic knows how to build a program from grades one through 12," said SV assistant coach Rob Lombardo.

SV finished second in the WPIAL's Section 3-AAAA this season with a 7-5 record and made the playoffs in consecutive years for the first time in the program's 40-plus year history.

"Getting to 17 wins, it was great," said senior forward John Fitzpatrick. "People around school are talking about basketball now, and next year, they'll take it further.

"There's a basketball program in place now and it's all because of (Coach Giannotta)," added Fitzpatrick.

The Raiders, who lost consecutive games just twice this season, have improved every year during Giannotta's tenure.

SV defeated arch rival North Allegheny 56-40 Jan. 15, which proved to be the lone section loss for the Tigers, whose two other losses were by a combined five points.

"That was a big win for Seneca Valley, but, hopefully, beating NA becomes a habit," Giannotta said.

Giannotta's attitude in practice has helped the Raiders thrive.

"The players are able to have fun in practice — as long as they stay on task," he said.

"I think it's his clear-cut demeanor that gets through to the players," said Lombardo. "He keeps the practices pretty loose, but the kids know what needs to be done and they don't cross that line."

Giannotta has been around the game since growing up in the New York City borough of Queens.

A point guard at Hunter College in Manhattan, a Division III school, Giannotta's enthusiasm for basketball has not diminished since then.

"I think my passion for the game rubs off on the kids," Giannotta said. "But you have to keep things in perspective. There are more important things in life than a game of basketball."

Giannotta's assistants this season included Lombardo, Jim Powell and Joe Venasco.

Here is how voting for the Butler Eagle Boys Basketball Coach of the Year Award, which was conducted by the Eagle sports staff, broke down:<B>Player, Team............................Points</B>Vic Giannotta, SV.................................14Karen Davis, Union...............................9Joe Lewandowski, Butler.....................6Sean Strickland, SR..............................1