A-K Valley basketball playoff preview capsules for Thursday, Feb. 19, 2025

By: Triblive And Michael Love And Bill Hartlep
Wednesday, February 19, 2025 | 5:15 PM

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Boys

Class 6A

Quarterfinals

5-Central Catholic (13-9) at 4-Fox Chapel (16-6)

8 p.m. Thursday

Winner plays: Winner of 1-Upper St. Clair (20-2)/9-Woodland Hills (12-11) on Monday in semifinals (time, site TBD)

Players to watch: Enzo Khalil, Central Catholic; Caden Kaiser, Fox Chapel

Layup lines: The Vikings finished third in Section 2-6A at 10-4. They lost their past three games after a four-game winning streak, including falling to Imani Christian, 76-74, in the section finale. Central Catholic held opponents to 46.8 ppg, second-best in WPIAL 6A. Junior guard Khalil scored 37 points in the overtime loss to Imani Christian earlier this month. Khalil was a first-team all-section honoree, and senior guard Calvin Vento was a second-team pick. … Fox Chapel was second in Section 1 at 10-4 and has won five of its past seven games, including a 63-61 win over Avonworth in the regular-season finale. The Foxes, who allow 46.7 points per game, lost their final two Section 1 games to New Castle and Butler. Senior forward Kaiser, a first-team all-section selection, is Fox Chapel’s leading scorer at 16.2 ppg. Senior guard Asher White and junior forward John Rehak were second-team all-section picks.

Girls

Class 2A

Quarterfinals

6-St. Joseph (16-7) at 3-Clairton (17-4)

7 p.m. Thursday

Winner plays: Winner of 2-Geibel Catholic (21-1)/7-West Greene (16-7) on Monday in semifinals (site/time TBD)

Players to watch: Kasey Cienik, St. Joseph; Iyanna Wade, Clairton

Layup lines: The winner not only advances to the semifinals but also clinches a spot in the PIAA playoffs … St. Joseph seeks its fourth straight trip to the semifinals and hopes to also wrap up its fourth state-tournament berth in a row. The Spartans punched their ticket to the quarterfinals with a 61-13 victory over Section 1 foe Sewickley Academy in the first round Monday. Senior Gia Richter led the way with 21 points, and Cienik, a junior guard/forward added 13 points. The win got St. Joseph back on track after a tough loss to rival Riverview in the regular-season finale a week earlier. The Spartans are fourth in Class A in scoring average at 53.5 points. … Clairton led all of Class A in scoring during the regular season at 66.2 per game. The Bears, the Section 2 runner-up, closed out the regular season with seven straight wins. Their last loss was to section rival and No. 4 seed Serra Catholic. Wade, a senior guard, leads the WPIAL with an average of 41.6 points over 21 games. It is the third consecutive time she has finished the regular season as the WPIAL’s top scorer. Clairton made last year’s Class 2A quarterfinals before falling to No. 2 Aliquippa, 35-34. The Bears hope to make a run to their first WPIAL title since winning back-to-back crowns in 2001 and 2002.

Tags: Central Catholic, Clairton, Fox Chapel, St. Joseph