2023 WPIAL bracketology: HSSN forecasts the boys basketball playoff pairings

By: Chris Harlan
Sunday, February 12, 2023 | 12:29 AM

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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.