Trib HSSN 2024-25 WPIAL Class 2A boys basketball preseason breakdown

By: Don Rebel
Wednesday, November 27, 2024 | 8:42 PM

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Here’s some big news. Class 2A is the biggest classification in WPIAL boys basketball.

This two-year cycle, 2A boys hoops has 31 teams. It also will have the largest playoff field as at least 19 teams will be participating in the postseason.

Here is a rundown of players to watch, the preseason Top 5 teams and other notables in WPIAL 2A boys basketball this season.

Preseason Player of the Year

Lucas Stanley, Union

6-3, Sr., guard/forward

22.5 ppg last season

Players to watch

Andrew Corfield, South Side

6-2, Jr., G, 19.3 ppg

David Kwiat, Neshannock

6-3, Jr., G/F, 17.1 ppg

Shane Cornali, Fort Cherry

6-2, Sr., F, 16.3 ppg

Forrest Betz, Brentwood

5-10, Sr., G, 15.5 ppg

Kymon’e Brown, Jeannette

5-11, Jr., G, 14.1 ppg

A.J. Tarpley, Greensburg Central Catholic

6-2, Soph., G, 13.8 ppg

Preseason Top 5

1. Greensburg Central Catholic (24-4 last season)

The Centurions enjoyed two long winning streaks of eight and 14 games last season on their way to 24 wins. They beat Frazier, Eden Christian and Northgate to reach the WPIAL 2A title game where they lost to Aliquippa. Sophomore A.J. Tarpley, a transfer from Greensburg Salem, will help ease the loss to graduation of Tyree Turner. Tarpley averaged nearly 14 points per game as a freshman last season. Plus GCC has three returning starters in senior guards Liam Gallagher and Braden Riley along with senior forward Brady O’Rourke.

2. Jeannette (18-10)

The Jayhawks are coming off a successful season that saw them finish second behind Greensburg Central Catholic despite a lineup filled with sophomores and freshmen. Jeannette lost to Northgate in the 2A quarterfinals and Fort Cherry in the PIAA quarters after stunning rival GCC in the state second round. Coming off a great football season, junior Kymon’e Brown is poised for success on the hardwood after averaging over 14 points a game in 2023-2024. Also back are juniors Xavier Odorisio-Farrow and Noah Sunder and sophomore Markus McGowan.

3. Fort Cherry (23-7)

What a year for the Rangers last season. They won their section by two games and then lost to WPIAL and PIAA champion Aliquippa in both the district and the state semifinals. Despite the loss to graduation of point guard Derek Errett, Fort Cherry returns four starters. Leading the way for the Rangers is first team all-section senior forward Shane Cornali, who averaged over 16 points per game. Nothing like a little golden confidence from the football success sprinkled on the boys basketball team before the first game is even played, although the Rangers may struggle out of the gates with several key players fighting for a PIAA football crown. Owen Norman (24.2 ppg) is gone, but there is plenty of talent coming back, including senior point guard Derek Errett, junior Shane Cornali and super sophomore Matt Sieg.

4. Neshannock (20-6)

Whether they are playing in Class 3A like they had the last couple of years or in 2A like they will be the next two years, the Lancers always seem to be in the mix for a title. Last year, they finished in second place behind Mohawk in Section 1 and reached the 3A semifinals before losing to eventual champion Deer Lakes in overtime. Junior David Kwiat was a first team all-section performer a year ago, averaging over 17 points per game. While an injury may slow him down early, Neshannock will also have senior guards Talen Anderton and Jack Rynd to lean on.

5. Northgate (18-8)

Following wins over Clairton and Jeannette in the 2024 WPIAL 2A playoffs, the Flames were burning bright in the hopes of reaching a second straight district title game. However, their season was doused with losses to Greensburg Central Catholic in the semifinals, Fort Cherry in the consolation round and Redbank Valley in the state playoffs. While Northgate must find a way to replace Josh Williams, they have size in 6-6 seniors Ty Daniels and Kadeene Kemp, along with Josh’s younger brother, junior guard Desmond Williams.

Notable

• There will be a new champion in Class 2A with two-time champion Aliquippa moving up to Class 3A. The classification has a history of repeat winners. In this century, the only schools to win a 2A title and not repeat the following year were Aliquippa in 2000, Beaver Falls in 2005, Jeannette in 2008, Monessen in 2011 and Seton LaSalle in 2014.

• For the second straight year, one of the top teams in 2A will be a tad slow out of the gates as Fort Cherry waits for key players to conclude their football season. The Rangers battle District 9 champion Port Allegany in a PIAA Class A semifinal Friday, nearly a week after repeating as WPIAL Class A football champions. Last season in the same boat, the Rangers basketball team started the season with a 6-4 record in December before finishing 23-7.

• A new season brings hope for all teams, including those that struggled last winter. Three WPIAL boys basketball teams bring a double-digit losing streak into the new season and will try to win early and turn that skid into a distant memory. Both Laurel and Leechburg lost their final 15 games last year, while Mapletown moves up to 2A with a 10-game losing streak that it is trying to halt.

• One of the district’s veteran coaches will begin the season hitting a one milestone with the hopes of hitting another soon thereafter. When Union hits the court to open the new season Friday at Ellwood City, it will be Mark Stanley’s 500th game in his 22 seasons at Union and New Castle. His first victory of the year will be win No. 250.

• Following realignment, Class 2A has the most teams in WPIAL boys basketball over the next two-year cycle. There are now 31 teams in the classification, two more than the 29 in Class 5A. Class 3A is third with 25 teams. Those three are the only classifications with four sections. Three teams moved down from 3A, including Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, Neshannock and Brentwood, while seven teams moved up from Class A. Hoping to be referred to as the Magnificent 7 by season’s end are California, Jefferson-Morgan, Mapletown, West Greene, Rochester, Union and Western Beaver.

• The playoff format is Class 2A will be a little different than some of the other classes. Since Sections 1, 3 and 4 have eight teams, the top five finishers will qualify for the playoffs while in the seven-team Section 2, only the top four teams earn postseason berths. If there is a tie for fourth place in Section 2 or fifth place in the other three sections and head-to-head does not break the tie, all of the tied teams will qualify. If there are no ties, then Class 2A will be a 19-team playoff field and will have three preliminary round games.

• There are plenty of other unranked preseason teams to watch out for in Class 2A. Mike Iuzzolino is the new coach at Sewickley Academy and several transfers are expected to make them a legitimate contender again in 2A. Also, Brentwood and Eden Christian Academy are teams to watch in Section 2. Clairton and Frazier in Section 1 were 2A playoff teams a year ago with some returning talent. Our Lady of the Sacred Heart should contend in a loaded Section 4, along with South Side and the top two teams in Section 1 of Class A last season in Rochester and Union.

• This is the 90th anniversary of Class 2A in WPIAL boys basketball. The first champion in 1935 was Cecil, now part of the Canon-McMillan school district. Some other notable 2A champions through the years include:

75 years ago: Irwin (now Norwin) won the 1950 Class 2A crown, its third title in four years.

50 years ago: Midland won the 2A championship in 1975, the sixth championship in its seven-years run of titles between 1971-1976.

25 years ago: Aliquippa took home 2A gold for the second time in three years to open up a new century in 2000.

10 years ago: It was the Quips again, as Aliquippa defeated Seton LaSalle to win the 2015 2A crown.

Alignment

Section 1: Bentworth, California, Clairton, Frazier, Greensburg Central Catholic, Jeannette, Riverview, Springdale

Section 2: Brentwood, Eden Christian Academy, Leechburg, Northgate, Propel Braddock Hills, Sewickley Academy, Winchester Thurston

Section 3: Beth-Center, Burgettstown, Carmichaels, Chartiers-Houston, Fort Cherry, Jefferson-Morgan, Mapletown, West Greene

Section 4: Laurel, Neshannock, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, Rochester, Shenango, South Side, Union, Western Beaver