A-K Valley PIAA basketball playoff preview capsule for March 13, 2026

By: Bill Hartlep
Thursday, March 12, 2026 | 5:35 PM

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PIAA basketball playoffs

Boys

Class 4A

Quarterfinals

Deer Lakes (14-14) vs. Obama Academy (18-9)

7 p.m. Friday at North Allegheny

District seeds: Deer Lakes 7-4; Obama Academy 8-1

Winner plays: Winner of 12-5 Carver E&S (22-6)/7-3 North Catholic (21-6) on Monday in PIAA semifinals (Time, site TBD)

Players to watch: Collin Rodgers, Deer Lakes; Eric James, Obama Academy

Layup lines: Deer Lakes advanced to the quarterfinals with a 46-37 win over Hickory in the PIAA second round. Collin Rodgers had 18 points, and Evan Moore added 17 while battling foul trouble for the Lancers, who rebounded from losses to Quaker Valley and North Catholic in the WPIAL tournament to defeat Huntingdon in the PIAA first round. The Lancers shot 12 of 14 from the free-throw line in the fourth quarter to seal the second-round win. Deer Lakes last advanced past the quarterfinals in 2022 when it was the PIAA runner-up to West Catholic. … Obama Academy edged Erie’s Cathedral Prep, 70-69, in the second round, knocking off the District 10 champion. Naron Jackson’s putback with 7.6 seconds left was the difference. Eric James had 25 points, and Zion Conner added 23 points and 12 rebounds. Obama Academy used a 24-15 run in the fourth quarter to clinch the win. The Eagles reached the PIAA tournament by knocking off Allderdice to win their second City League championship. Obama then beat Clearfield in a subregional game and Warren in the PIAA first round. The Eagles have won seven straight games.

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