Second half of WPIAL section boys basketball tips off Friday

By: Don Rebel
Thursday, January 16, 2020 | 10:38 PM

Penn Hills has a two-game lead at the midway point in Section 1-5A boys basketball.

The two teams deadlocked in second place square off on the first night of the second half of section play Friday.

Both Laurel Highlands and McKeesport are 4-2 in the section and tied for second place. But they are closer to being out of the top four then they are to first place.

The Mustangs and Tigers are one game in front of Gateway and Albert Gallatin in a crowded section.

The Mustangs-Tigers matchup feature two of the top scorers in the district with fabulous freshman Rodney Gallagher of Laurel Highlands averaging over 22 points per game and senior Deamontae Diggs of McKeesport averaging over 20 points per game.

In the first meeting, Laurel Highlands won at home, 65-58.

Mirror images in section games

There is not one, but two matchups on Friday from Section 2-5A matching a 6-1 team against a 4-3 team.

Both Chartiers Valley and Thomas Jefferson ended the first half tied for first place with 6-1 section records. Both the Colts and Jaguars are on the road on Friday, facing teams right behind them in the standing with records of 4-3.

Chartiers Valley visits Trinity while Thomas Jefferson is at South Fayette.

Fight for first

Three boys basketball teams are deadlocked for first place in Section 2-2A. Two of them meet Friday.

The first half of section play ended with Brentwood, Jeannette and Serra Catholic all at 5-1 on top of the section with a two-game lead over fourth-place Chartiers-Houston.

In the first half, Brentwood beat Jeannette, Jeannette beat Serra Catholic and Serra knocked off Brentwood.

In the first meeting between the three in the second half Friday, Jeannette will host Brentwood.

The first meeting at Brentwood was won by the Spartans, 50-48.

Brentwood won its first 10 games, but has since dropped three straight.

Tags: Brentwood, Chartiers Valley, Jeannette, Laurel Highlands, McKeesport, Serra Catholic, South Fayette, Thomas Jefferson, Trinity