Basketball

Wrestling and diving and hoops, oh my. All the action Saturday on Trib HSSN

February 21, 2020

The second round of the WPIAL basketball playoffs concludes Saturday afternoon with quarterfinals games in boys 6A, boys 4A, girls 5A and girls 3A.

Surrounded by Springdale defenders, Winchester Thurston’s Langston Moses goes up for a layup during their WPIAL Class 2A quarterfinal matchup on Friday at Shaler.

Winchester Thurston shocks Springdale to earn second playoff win in school history

Sometimes, it’s not the third but the fourth time that’s the charm, and the Winchester Thurston Bears experienced just that Friday night at Shaler.

Laurel Highlands players Rodney Gallagher (2) Tyvaughn Long (15) and Keandre Cook (1) react after scoring on Penn Hills on Friday, Feb. 21, 2020 in WPIAL basketball playoffs at Norwin Senior High School. Laurel Highlands defeated Penn Hills.

Laurel Highlands scores with 3.5 seconds left, stuns No. 1 Penn Hills in WPIAL quarterfinals

Laurel Highlands coach Rick Hauger called for a timeout, but the crowd was still raucous from Penn Hills’ game-tying 3-pointer.

Phenomenal freshman leads Upper St. Clair girls to upset win over Norwin

It’s not to be confused with the 1950s harmony group, the Four Freshmen, but four freshmen starters contributed to a big upset Friday night.

Jeannette’s Imani Sanders drives to the basket as Shenango’s Ryan Lenhart defends.

Shenango mans up, knocks off Jeannette in boys Class 2A quarters

Shenango had planned to come out in a 3-2 zone defense against Jeannette in the WPIAL Class 2A boys basketball quarterfinals, but coach Bob McQuiston had an 11th hour change of heart.

Bethel Park’s Maddie Dzeizgowski (13) pulls down a rebound against Fox Chapel uring a WPIAL Class 6A quarterfinal game Friday, Feb. 21, 2020, at North Hills.

Bethel Park girls pull away from Fox Chapel in Class 6A quarterfinals

Bethel Park and Fox Chapel were locked in a low-scoring struggle through three quarters of Friday’s WPIAL 6A first-round game at North Hills.

Fox Chapel’s Eli Yofan drives to the basket against Norwin on Jan. 7, 2020, at Fox Chapel High School.

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

Boys

Knoch senior Scott Fraser looks for an opening in the Highlands’ defense during their sectional matchup on Jan. 7, 2020.

Knoch ready for battle with three-time defending champ New Castle

The Knoch boys basketball team is starting to get restless.

Plum’s Chloe Fabio (32) tips the ball away from Gateway’s Marina Grado (23) Jan. 13, 2020 at Gateway High.

Plum girls learn from playoff loss to Penn Hills

With 2 minutes, 4 seconds left in the third quarter of its WPIAL Class 5A first-round game against Penn Hills at Fox Chapel, the Plum girls basketball team held a four-point lead and hoped to expand it toward the program’s first playoff victory since 2002.

Belle Vernon’s Devin Whitlock (4) takes a shot against Monessen on Saturday, Jan. 18, 2020.

Westmoreland County basketball playoff preview capsules: Games of Feb. 22, 2020

WPIAL basketball playoff preview

Shaler Area’s Christian White (right) defends against Gateway’s Elgin Oliver during a WPIAL Class 5A first-round playoff game Feb. 17 at North Hills.

Shaler Area boys basketball heartened by 1st-round victory

Any simmering problems the Shaler Area boys basketball team picked up during a rough stretch to end the season didn’t linger into the first round of the WPIAL Class 5A playoffs.

Hampton’s Katie Baker committed to Grove City.

Hampton girls basketball standout Baker commits to Grove City

The Hampton girls basketball program saw three players move on to college careers when Katie Baker was a sophomore. Now, she will become the first since then to do so.

Ellis’ Natalie Jasper drives past Aliquippa’s Kayla Czambel Friday, Feb. 15, 2019 at Fox Chapel Area High School. Natalie Jasper led Ellis School with 34 points Thursday night.

High school roundup for Feb. 21, 2020: Jasper powers Ellis School to upset of OLSH

Needing a strong performance to knock off defending WPIAL champion OLSH in a WPIAL Class 2A girls basketball quarterfinal, Ellis School frequently put the ball in the hands of Natalie Jasper on Thursday night.

WPIAL quarterfinal basketball in four brackets set for Friday

February 20, 2020

They say the third time is the charm. But what do you call the fourth time?

Aliquippa’s boys team poses with its second straight championship trophy after beating Lincoln Park, 49-45, in the WPIAL Class AA boys basketball championship game at the Petersen Events Center on Saturday, Feb. 27, 2016.

Decade’s best WPIAL finals: Boys basketball No. 4

There were a lot of changes to the WPIAL basketball championships over the last 10 years.

Bishop Canevin’s Dom Elliott, taking a shot in practice, hit the game-winning free throws Thursday night.

Elliott handles pressure, shoots Bishop Canevin boys past Union

Dom Elliott was honest about what was going through his mind in as he toed the line for two foul shots with five seconds remaining and Bishop Canevin trailing by one.

Southmoreland’s Sarah Pisula hugs teammate Charity Henderson after the team won 54-52 against Freeport in girls WPIAL basketball playoffs on Thursday, Feb. 20, 2020 at Penn-Trafford High School.

Undefeated Southmoreland girls survive stern test from Freeport

Southmoreland made history and continued its perfect season, but the Scotties had to earn every bit of it.

Aliquippa and Seton LaSalle tip off a WPIAl Class 3A playoff game Thursday, Feb. 20, 2020.

Aliquippa defense shuts down Seton LaSalle in boys Class 3A quarterfinals

The Aliquippa defense kept Seton LaSalle leading scorer Michael Bigley off the scoreboard for three quarters and limited him to one field goal and four total points as the Quips cruised to a 57-34 win over the Rebels on Thursday night.