Alle-Kiski Valley basketball playoff capsules: Saturday, Feb. 22, 2020

By: Greg Macafee
Friday, February 21, 2020 | 7:12 PM

Purchase Photo Options

Boys

Class 6A

Quarterfinals

No. 2 Fox Chapel (21-1) vs. No. 7 Central Catholic (12-10)

1 p.m. Saturday at Plum

Winner plays: Winner of No. 3 Mt. Lebanon (16-6)/No. 6 Bethel Park (14-8) on Wednesday in the semifinals

Coaches: Zach Skrinjar, Fox Chapel; Brian Urso, Central Catholic

Points scored/allowed: Fox Chapel, 58.8/43.2; Central Catholic, 57.8/55.5

Players to watch: Eli Yofan, Fox Chapel (so., G); Ben Sarson, Central Catholic (sr., F)

About Fox Chapel: Fox Chapel allows a WPIAL-best 43.2 points per game. Only three teams have scored 50 or more points against the Foxes.

About Central Catholic: Before their 50-35 victory over No. 10 Penn-Trafford in the first round, the Vikings had split their final six games. They have victories over Mt. Lebanon, Penn Hills, Pine-Richland and Nazareth Prep. The Vikings are searching for their first WPIAL title since 2008.

Class 4A

Quarterfinals

No. 1 Highlands (19-3) vs. No. 9 Ringgold (14-9)

12 p.m. Saturday at North Hills

Winner plays: Winner of No. 4 Uniontown (20-2)/No. 5 Blackhawk (12-10)

Coaches: Tyler Stoczynski, Highlands; Phil Pergola, Ringgold

Points scored/allowed: Highlands, 72.6/51.2; Ringgold, 66.4/60.1

Players to watch: Korry Myers, Highlands (sr., G); Demetrius Butler, Ringgold (jr., G/F)

About Highlands: The Golden Rams, a WPIAL finalist in 2015-16, have been to the semifinals twice in the past three years. They have the second-highest scoring offense in WPIAL Class 4A. Highlands won 9 of its final 10 games with the loss against District 10’s Erie, 55-52, in the regular-season finale.

About Ringgold: The Rams haven’t won a WPIAL title since 1990 during Pergola’s first stint as coach. Pergola, who guided Ringgold to the PIAA Class AAAA title in 1995, has won more than 600 career games at four schools (California, Charleroi, Ringgold, Mon Valley Catholic). Ringgold won six of its first seven games and finished the season by splitting their final six. They have wins over West Allegheny, Elizabeth Forward and West Mifflin. In the first round against Ambridge, the Rams bested a lineup with four players listed 6-foot-5 or taller.

No. 2 Knoch (19-3) vs. No. 7 New Castle (16-7)

1:30 p.m. Saturday at North Allegheny

Winner plays: Winner of No. 3 Quaker Valley (17-5)/No. 6 Belle Vernon (17-6)

Coaches: Ron McNabb, Knoch; Ralph Blundo, New Castle

Points scored/allowed: Knoch, 74.0/53.5; New Castle, 65.5/55.1

Players to watch: Ryan Lang, Knoch (so., G); Sheldon Cox, New Castle (jr., G)

About Knoch: The Knights have the highest-scoring offense in WPIAL Class 4A. After losing their regular season opener, they won 16 straight games before a loss to Highlands. They scored more than 90 points three times this season and have scored 80-plus seven times.

About New Castle: The Red Hurricanes are three-time defending WPIAL champions. Seventh-seeded New Castle has played tough competition, including losses to Mars, Allderdice and Pine-Richland and wins over Sharon, Beaver Falls, Lincoln Park and Central Catholic. In their first-round victory over Mt. Pleasant, Sheldon Cox finished made nine 3-pointers.

Greg Macafee is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Greg by email at gmacafee@triblive.com or via Twitter .

Tags: Belle Vernon, Central Catholic, Fox Chapel, Highlands, Quaker Valley, Ringgold