Seneca Valley and postseason play — for the vast majority of four decades, the two seemed to be polar opposites when it came to boys basketball.

The Raiders had been to the WPIAL tournament just a handful of times when current coach Victor Giannotta took over the program in May 2004. In the nine seasons since then, he has helped the Raiders become a relevant and dangerous team come playoff time.

The success of the program over the last several years has undoubtedly urged some talented athletes to play who otherwise would not have been seen on the hardwood.

SV’s latest campaign concluded with Saturday night’s PIAA loss to District 10 champion Cathedral Prep. Despite the disappointing end to the season, this year added to the Raiders’ reputation as a talented and well-coached team.

After suffering four straight section losses late in the year, I did not think Seneca would make much noise in the postseason. Following a 64-61 home loss to Hampton Feb. 5, Giannotta, while not happy about the result of the game, assured me that his team was fine and would be mentally ready for the playoffs. I admit, I thought otherwise.

Then again, I’m not a coach and Giannotta’s track record speaks for itself.

A win over Butler in the regular-season finale stopped the losing skid. The Raiders then proceeded to knock off section champions Central Catholic and Upper St. Clair in the first and quarterfinal round, respectively, by a combined score of 116-75. That run guaranteed the Raiders a state playoff berth for the third time in five years.

Seneca Valley was a dismal 2-21 the season before Giannotta arrived from Peters Township. When he accepted the job, he was quoted as saying, “It’s not going to be turned around over night.”

That wasn’t just coach speak. He knew SV’s program had an uphill climb in front of it, but he took the job anyway, believing he could turn the Raiders into winners.

His first two years yielded a combined section record of 2-26. The Raiders’ first playoff appearance and playoff win on Giannotta’s watch came in February 2007. Two long-awaited achievements — a section title and a state playoff berth — followed in 2009.

The Raiders had solid talent returning this season, but the schedule promised to be brutal against the likes of New Castle, North Allegheny and Hampton, all of which are still alive in the state tournament.

Giannotta did not allow his team to get too high after wins or too low after losses. The team’s 17 victories, tied for the most in a single season in program history, are a reflection of that.

Many high school basketball programs have a successful history to draw upon. That was not the case at Seneca Valley for the longest time. But thanks in large part to Giannotta, future Raider teams now have a precedent and a standard to strive for.