2024 WPIAL Class 2A girls basketball championship breakdown: Serra Catholic vs. Greensburg C.C.

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Wednesday, February 28, 2024 | 3:46 PM

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WPIAL Class 2A girls basketball championship

No. 1 Greensburg Central Catholic vs. No. 3 Serra Catholic

7 p.m. Thursday at Petersen Events Center

On the air: Audio broadcast: Trib HSSN; Video livestream: NFHS

WPIAL titles: Serra Catholic 4 (2005, ’03, 1999, ’92); GCC 5 (2007, ’06, ’03, 1997, ’91)

Serra Catholic (21-4)

Coach: Mike Voit

Projected starting lineup

No., Name, Ht., Cl., Pos.

3, Niki Sfanos, 5-5, so., G

15, Bri Battles, 5-10, sr., G/F

24, Abby Genes, 5-8, so., G

33, Caitlyn Cooley, 5-5, sr., G

34, Cate Clarke, 5-8, sr., G

How they got here: Defeated Brentwood (59-23), Winchester Thurston (67-42) and Aliquippa (42-36)

Notable: Serra Catholic last made the WPIAL finals in 2020-21 and lost to Neshannock, 54-44, at North Allegheny. The Eagles returned to the title game with a 43-36 win over Aliquippa in the semifinals as Abby Genes scored 13 points and Bri Battles had nine points and 15 rebounds. They finished second to GCC in Section 3, losing both matchups, 66-53 and 59-47. Serra played a 3-2 zone in the second matchup. Voit is in his first season as coach. Serra lost to Aliquippa in last year’s quarterfinals and reached the second round of the PIAA playoffs before falling to Redbank Valley. GCC beat the Eagles in the fifth-place consolation 67-37. The Eagles made the WPIAL semifinals two years ago.

Greensburg Central Catholic (19-5)

Coach: Chris Skatell

Projected starting lineup

No., Name, Ht., Cl., Pos.

5, Jayla Peterson, 5-7, so., G

12, Mya Morgan, 5-8, sr., G

14, Avery Davis, 5-8, sr., G

23, Erica Gribble, 5-10, so., G

24, Abby Dlugos, 5-10, so., F

How they got here: Defeated Northgate (77-10), Rochester (63-41) and South Side (73-38)

Notable: GCC is back in the championship for the first time since 2015-16 as it chases its first title since 2006-07. Erica Gribble scored her 1,000th career point, and finished with a game-high 26, and senior Mya Morgan scored 22 in a 73-38 win over South Side in the semifinals. GCC is averaging 71 points in three mercy-ruled wins in the playoffs. The Centurions rely on ball movement, 3-point shooting and transition points. Senior Avery Davis is another key scoring threat. Sophomores Jayla Peterson and Abby Dlugos are the other starters who have been strong in the postseason. … The GCC boys also reached the finals, making this the first time GCC’s girls and boys made the basketball finals in the same season.

Bill Beckner Jr. is a TribLive reporter covering local sports in Westmoreland County. He can be reached at bbeckner@triblive.com.

Tags: Greensburg C.C., Serra Catholic