What to watch for in WPIAL sports on Jan. 14, 2023: Tournament action on hardwood

By: Don Rebel
Saturday, January 14, 2023 | 12:25 AM

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Mid-January seems like a perfect time to get away and hit the road.

That’s exactly what five district basketball teams are doing this weekend.

The undefeated Blackhawk (11-0) girls team heads north to the Big Apple where it will take on Nazareth Regional (5-5) out of Brooklyn on Saturday in the Rose Classic Super Jam in Brooklyn.

Four other teams are headed east for the Martin Luther King Jr. Hoops for Hope event at Chambersburg.

Imani Christian (5-5) boys take on Theodore Roosevelt out of Washington D.C.(15-0) at 4 p.m. followed by Aliquippa (6-2) boys against New Town (Md.) (7-2) at 6 p.m.. Also at Chambersburg, North Allegheny (7-3) girls will face Imhotep Charter (6-5) at 4:30 p.m. and Woodland Hills (5-7) girls will battle Dallastown (5-4) at 7:30 p.m.

More tournament hoops

There are three more tournament/events this weekend involving WPIAL teams closer to home.

Woodland Hills will host the MLK Weekend Showcase. The Saturday boys hoops schedule:

• Northgate (8-4) takes on Westinghouse (0-7) at 1 p.m.

• Host Woodland Hills (8-4) will face Burrell (6-6) at 3 p.m.

• Kiski Area (5-8) takes on Linsly School (W. Va.) (6-6) at 5 p.m.

In the Ron Galbreath Classic at Westminster College, there are seven WPIAL boys and one district girls team in action Saturday. The boys schedule:

• Blackhawk (7-4) vs. Franklin (7-4) at 1:30 p.m.

• Armstrong (9-3) vs. Neshannock (8-3) at 3 p.m.

• Mars (8-2) vs. New Castle (10-1) at 6:30 p.m.

• Central Catholic (5-5) vs. Lincoln Park (11-0) at 8 p.m.

The girls game has Mohawk (8-6) battling West Middlesex (5-6) at noon.

Finally, it’s Day 2 of the MVI Shootout Classic at California High School with the following girls basketball schedule set for Saturday:

• South Allegheny (5-7) at California (6-5) at 2 p.m.

• Serra Catholic (7-1) vs. Belle Vernon (7-6) at 3:30 p.m

• Clairton (5-3) vs. Monessen (5-4) at 6 p.m.

• Thomas Jefferson (6-7) vs. Charleroi (8-3) at 7:30 p.m.

(All records above are through Thursday.)

Saturday mat tournaments

There are a couple of wrestling tournaments on Saturday.

It’s Day 2 of the Burgettstown Invitational with 25 WPIAL teams participating, including Burgettstown, Avonworth, Beaver, Bentworth, Carlynton, Central Valley, Chartiers-Houston, Elizabeth Forward, Greensburg Salem, Hampton, Highlands, Hopewell, Jefferson-Morgan, Keystone Oaks, Mars, Mt. Lebanon, North Hills, Penn Hills, Ringgold, Shaler, South Side, Southmoreland, Upper St. Clair, Washington and West Greene.

Also on Saturday, Indiana (Pa.) will host Mid-Winter Mayhem with seven District 7 teams involved including Franklin Regional, Kiski Area, Laurel, North Allegheny, Penn-Trafford, Thomas Jefferson and West Allegheny.