Deer Lakes joins select group of A-K Valley basketball teams to reach PIAA finals

By: Bill Hartlep
Wednesday, March 22, 2023 | 5:15 PM

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Chants of “We want chocolate” were music to the ears of the Deer Lakes boys basketball players Tuesday as they finished off a 61-56 victory over Penn Cambria in the PIAA Class 3A semifinals.

The win earned the WPIAL champion Lancers (21-8) a trip to Hershey for their first appearance in the PIAA championship game.

They are set to face District 12 champion West Catholic (19-10) at 2 p.m. Saturday at the Giant Center.

Here’s some news and notes surrounding the matchup:

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Deer Lakes is the first A-K Valley team to reach the PIAA boys basketball finals since 1993 when Valley lost to Pottstown, 85-66, in the Class AAA championship game.

This will be Deer Lakes’ first trip to the state boys basketball title game, but the Lancers girls team won a state basketball title in 1985. They defeated Palmyra, 45-43, to win the Class AAA championship.

Fox Chapel (1977) and Valley (1979) are the only A-K Valley boys basketball teams to win a state title.

West Catholic also debuting

West Catholic defeated District 3 champion Trinity, 52-49, in its first PIAA semifinal appearance Tuesday, leading the Burrs into the state championship for the first time in program history.

The District 12 champions were led by point guard Adam “Budd” Clark, who had 13 points, six rebounds and four assists, and Temple commit Zion Stanford, who added 13 points and four rebounds.

“This is a moment that they’ll remember forever,” West Catholic coach Miguel Bocachica told PennLive after the game. “It’s a very exciting time. I’m in my fifth year here now and there’s been a lot of firsts, but this is probably the biggest one overall for the program. I’m just super happy for the kids.”

The West Catholic girls won the 2021 title in Class 3A by defeating Mohawk, 67-56.

West Catholic is one of seven District 12 (Philadelphia Catholic League) basketball teams that advanced to the state finals this season.

Familiar trip

The drive to Hershey won’t be completely new for some members of the Deer Lakes basketball team.

Three players also were members of the Lancers soccer team that lost to Lewisburg, 6-0, in the 2020 PIAA Class 2A title game at Hersheypark Stadium, a long goal kick across the parking lot from the Giant Center.

Michael Butler and Nate Litrun were sophomores and Christian Dietrich was a freshman that season as the Lancers captured the WPIAL Class 2A title and then won two games in the state tournament.

Only district champions competed that fall because of limitations brought on by the coronavirus pandemic.

Butler and Litrun, along with freshman Collin Rodgers, helped the Lancers claim the WPIAL Class 2A boys soccer title last fall.

PIAA Class 3A boys basketball championship

Deer Lakes (21-8) vs. West Catholic (19-10)

2 p.m. Saturday, Hershey’s Giant Center

On the air: PCN-TV

Tickets: PIAA.org or Ticketmaster

Bill Hartlep is the TribLive sports editor. A Pittsburgh native and Point Park graduate, he joined the Trib in 2004, covering high school sports. He held various editing roles before assuming his current position in 2019. He can be reached at bhartlep@triblive.com.

Tags: Deer Lakes