After first-round byes, top seeds in Class 5A, 2A finally join boys basketball playoffs in 3 games to watch Friday

By: HSSN Staff
Friday, February 23, 2018 | 8:42 AM

After enjoying first-round byes, the top seeds in Class 5A and 2A finally join the WPIAL playoff action Friday night with a trip to the semifinals on the line.

All of the games can be heard on the TribLive High School Sports Network.

CLASS 5A: Moon vs. Franklin Regional at North Hills, 8 p.m.

The two teams met once earlier this season and also in last year’s playoffs, contests both won by Moon.

With 15 points from Connor Ryan and 13 from Austin Ryan, No. 6 seed Moon (18-5) earned a 52-48 nonsection victory over No. 3 Franklin Regional (18-4) on Jan. 19.

Moon won 75-61 in last year’s quarterfinals.

Class 5A: McKeesport vs. Trinity at Baldwin, 8 p.m.

The Section 1 rivals split their regular-season series. Trinity won the first matchup 65-62, and McKeesport won the rematch 83-72.

No. 4 seed McKeesport (15-8) finished a game ahead of No. 5 Trinity (19-4) for first place in the section. Terron Taylor leads McKeesport scorers at 20.3 points per game.

Trinity’s Joey Koroly averages 16.7.

Class 2A: Serra Catholic vs. Chartiers-Houston at Peters Township, 8 p.m.

The WPIAL basketball committee seeded No. 4 Serra Catholic (18-4), a second-place team, ahead of No. 5 Chartiers-Houston (18-5), the champion of a different section.

The decision also awarded Serra a first-round bye.

Chartiers-Houston will try to prove the committee wrong behind Cameron Hanley (20.8 ppg) and Andrew Clark (16.7).

Serra’s Jimmy Moon averages 16.4.

Chris Harlan is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at charlan@tribweb.com or via Twitter @CHarlan_Trib.