2023 WPIAL bracketology: HSSN forecasts the boys basketball playoff pairings
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Sunday, February 12, 2023 | 12:29 AM
New Castle’s Jonathan Anderson scores past Butler’s Lance Slater during their game on Friday, Jan. 6, 2023, at Butler High School.
The Path to the Pete will be revealed Monday when the WPIAL basketball playoff pairings are announced at 3 p.m. on TribLive HSSN.
While we wait to see what the WPIAL basketball committee decides, here’s a look at how HSSN’s Chris Harlan would seed the boys basketball brackets.
Check out the WPIAL girls basketball bracketology here
Class 6A
Chris Harlan’s bracket
No. 8 Norwin vs. No. 1 New Castle
No. 5 Butler vs. No. 4 Mt. Lebanon
No. 7 Seneca Valley vs. No. 2 Upper St. Clair
No. 6 Baldwin vs. No. 3 Central Catholic
Chris’ take: With only two sections, the matchups here are fairly straightforward. Section 1 champion New Castle is the No. 1 seed with a 19-2 overall record. Section 2 champion Upper St. Clair (14-8) draws the two seed.
Class 5A
Chris Harlan’s bracket
No. 16 Trinity vs. No. 1 Penn Hills
No. 9 Shaler vs. No. 8 South Fayette
No. 13 Fox Chapel vs. No. 4 Gateway
No. 12 McKeesport vs. No. 5 Mars
No. 15 Penn-Trafford vs. No. 2 Peters Township
No. 10 Woodland Hills vs. No. 7 Thomas Jefferson
No. 14 Kiski Area vs. No. 3 North Hills
No. 11 Bethel Park vs. No. 6 Moon
Chris’ take: This classification has the best debate for who deserves the No. 1 seed: Penn Hills (16-3), Peters Township (18-3) or maybe even North Hills (17-5)? Penn Hills won 13 in a row before losing to rival Woodland Hills, 55-40, on Friday in the section finale. That maybe opened the top spot for Peters Township, which has an 11-game win streak. Both teams are section champs and each has some solid nonsection wins. It’s a coin flip. Section 3 was the most balanced section, so North Hills, Mars, Moon and South Fayette all might earn Top 8 seeds.
Class 4A
Chris Harlan’s bracket
No. 16 West Mifflin/Knoch winner vs. No. 1 Lincoln Park
No. 9 Beaver vs. No. 8 Quaker Valley
No. 13 Blackhawk vs. No. 4 Hampton
No. 12 Elizabeth Forward vs. No. 5 South Allegheny
No. 15 Freeport vs. No. 2 Laurel Highlands
No. 10 Montour vs. No. 7 Highlands
No. 14 Avonworth vs. No. 3 Uniontown
No. 11 Belle Vernon vs. No. 6 North Catholic
Chris’ take: Where will the WPIAL committee seed Hampton? That’s the big question. The Talbots have a resume worthy of a Top 2 seed, but PIAA transfer rules will force them to play in the postseason without standout junior Peter Kramer, the team’s top scorer. Kramer transferred home from Shady Side Academy. This is the deepest of the six classifications. Quaker Valley (14-6) shared the Section 4 title with South Allegheny (18-4), but how do the Quakers compare with second-place finishers North Catholic (16-6) and Highlands (19-3)?
Class 3A
Chris Harlan’s bracket
No. 16 McGuffey vs. No. 1 Steel Valley
No. 9 Seton LaSalle vs. No. 8 Washington
No. 13 Derry vs. No. 4 Neshannock
No. 12 Ellwood City vs. No. 5 Deer Lakes
No. 15 Keystone Oaks vs. No. 2 Mohawk
No. 10 Beaver Falls vs. No. 7 Yough
No. 14 Brownsville vs. No. 3 Shady Side Academy
No. 11 Burrell vs. No. 6 Our Lady of the Sacred Heart
Chris’ take: Steel Valley’s overall record isn’t pretty at 12-9, but the Ironmen took on a tough nonsection schedule and are playing consistent basketball here in February. Nobody in 3A has an undefeated section record, so Steel Valley gets the nod at No. 1 as the only outright section champ. Neshannock (15-5) and Mohawk (19-2) shared the Section 1 title, Shady Side Academy (15-6) and Deer Lakes (13-8) tied in Section 3 and Washington (15-5) and Yough (15-7) tied in Section 4. Those three sets of co-champions will create extra work for the WPIAL basketball committee. And don’t forget, OLSH is a four-time reigning WPIAL champion.
Class 2A
Chris Harlan’s bracket
No. 16 Bentworth/Laurel winner vs. No. 1 Aliquippa
No. 9 Chartiers-Houston vs. No. 8 Shenango
No. 13 Propel Braddock Hills vs. No. 4 Greensburg Central Catholic
No. 12 Burgettstown vs. No. 5 Eden Christian
No. 15 South Side/Carmichaels winner vs. No. 2 Bishop Canevin
No. 10 Jeannette vs. No. 7 Northgate
No. 14 Clairton vs. No. 3 Fort Cherry
N0. 11 Nazareth Prep vs. No. 6 Serra Catholic
Chris’ take: The Quips probably won’t get much argument for the top spot. However, the No. 2 seed could spark some debate. Fort Cherry went 20-2 overall and 12-0 in Section 4, so the Rangers can make a case. However, their nonsection schedule wasn’t the strongest. Only one nonsection opponent had a winning record. Choosing an order for second-place finishers Eden Christian (15-5), Serra Catholic (13-9) Northgate (16-6), Shenango (14-8) and Chartiers-Houston (16-6) is probably the trickiest part here.
Class A
Chris Harlan’s bracket
No. 1 Imani Christian – bye
No. 9 Summit Academy vs. No. 8 Rochester
No. 13 Avella vs. No. 4 Monessen
No. 15 Mapletown vs. No. 5 Carlynton
No. 2 Union – bye
No. 10 Jefferson-Morgan vs. No. 7 Aquinas Academy
No. 3 Geibel Catholic – bye
No. 11 Western Beaver vs. No. 6 Neighborhood Academy
Chris’ take: With only three byes, the WPIAL committee has a decision to make. Complicating matters is that Geibel Catholic (15-6) and Monessen (20-2) shared the Section 2 title. Geibel has won 13 games in a row, including 75-55 over Monessen on Jan. 27. Monessen won the first matchup six weeks ago. The other section winners, Imani Christian (15-6) and Union (20-2), seemed locked into first-round byes.
Chris Harlan is a TribLive reporter covering sports. He joined the Trib in 2009 after seven years as a reporter at the Beaver County Times. He can be reached at charlan@triblive.com.
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