Basketball
MSA Sports Top Ten – WPIAL Girls Basketball Playoff Rankings 2017
February 12, 2017
Every week during the regular season, we put together the MSA Sports Top Ten WPIAL Girls Basketball rankings. With the regular season behind us and 76 teams preparing for the district postseason, we now present our Girls Basketball Playoff seedings. This is our two cents in the process of building the basketball brackets in which the district uses the 1 vs 16, 2 vs 15, 3 vs 14, 4 vs 13, 5 vs 12, 6 vs 11, 7 vs 10 and 8 vs 9 format using the rule of thumb of avoiding teams from the same section playing in Round One. Keep in mind they are NOT a straight ranking because you have to fiddle to avoid section teams playing each other in the opening round. There are plenty of byes and NO Preliminary Round games in this postseason.
WPIAL Coaches Corner – Zach Skrinjar
In this feature titled “Coach’s Corner”, I will be interviewing a different coach every week and asking them questions about their personal life and about coaching. Hopefully their answers will not only shed some light on how they coach their respective teams, but also allow readers to get to know the men behind the fields/courts. This week highlights Fox Chapel boys basketball coach Zachary Skrinjar. Coach Skrinjar is in his 8th season as head coach of the Foxes, after four years as an assistant. Also a social studies teacher in the North Hills school district, Coach Skrinjar is hoping to bring Fox Chapel their first WPIAL title in 40 years. Let’s take a look inside Coach Skrinjar’s corner:This Week on the MSA Sports Network – 02/11/2017
February 11, 2017
Love is in the air because of Valentine's Day and because ALL fans love our exclusive coverage of EVERY district playoff game which tips off this week on the MSA Sports Network. Our postseason coverage begins with the WPIAL Playoff Pairings Show and continues with First Round boys and girls hardwood action along with District 6 boys and girls basketball playoff games, District 9 regular season high school basketball and college hoops featuring Carlow University.Scholastic Notebook – 02/10/2017
February 10, 2017
For the second consecutive year, Latrobe’s Austin Butler is one of the best scorers in the WPIAL. It’s a rare two-year scoring run. In the latest scoring statistics, Butler leads the WPIAL at 29.8 points a game. Last season, he finished the regular season second in the league in scoring at 25.7 points. Only Waynesburg’s Darton McIntire (25.8) averaged more. No one else in the WPIAL is averaging more than 27 this year. Latrobe has one regular-season game left Friday night against Penn Hills, which means Butler will probably finish as the league’s leading scorer.MSA Sports Top Ten – WPIAL Boys Basketball – 02/07/2017
February 7, 2017
Here are the latest MSA Sports Top Ten WPIAL Boys Basketball rankings for the 2016-2017 season...including NEW #1 teams in Class 6-A, Class 5-A and Class 4-A. Check out the weekly boys rankings every Tuesday, along with boys hoops talk during The WPIAL Roundball Report every Wednesday night at 6:00pm and boys basketball broadcasts throughout the regular season with exclusive coverage of every boys WPIAL playoff game in February all here on the MSA Sports Network. WPIAL CLASS 6-A: 1. FOX CHAPEL FOXES (18-1) (Last Week #2) 2. PINE-RICHLAND RAMS (19-1) (Last Week #1)
WPIAL Alum Q&A – Dale Clancy
February 6, 2017
While Seton-LaSalle has a strong basketball tradition on the girls' side, the boys' team has won just one title since the 1980s. That triumph came in 2014, with point guard Dale Clancy leading the way for the Rebels. Clancy, who is now a star for the University of Pittsburgh Johnstown, is under the microscope for the WPIAL Q&A. Prior to claiming gold, the Rebels enjoyed a very successful campaign in 2012-13, as Clancy helped the team go 21-3, including a perfect mark of 12-0 in section play. Seton-LaSalle bested Mohawk in the first round of the WPIAL playoffs, as well, before falling to Quaker Valley in the quarterfinals.MSA Sports Top Ten – WPIAL Girls Basketball – 02/06/2017
Here are the latest MSA Sports Top Ten WPIAL Girls Basketball rankings for the 2016-2017 season. Check out the weekly girls rankings every Monday, along with girls hoops talk during The WPIAL Roundball Report every Wednesday night at 6:00pm and girls basketball broadcasts throughout the regular season with exclusive coverage of every girls WPIAL playoff game in February sponsored by Carlow University all here on the MSA Sports Network. WPIAL CLASS 6-A: 1. NORTH ALLEGHENY TIGERS (19-1) (Last Week #1) 2. PINE-RICHLAND RAMS (19-1) (Last Week #2) 3. PENN HILLS INDIANS (17-2) (Last Week #3)
WPIAL Coaches Corner – Chris Minerd
February 5, 2017
In this feature titled “Coach’s Corner”, I will be interviewing a different coach every week and asking them questions about their personal life and about coaching. Hopefully their answers will not only shed some light on how they coach their respective teams, but also allow readers to get to know the men behind the fields/courts. This week spotlights California girls basketball coach Chris Minerd. This is Coach Minerd’s 7th season as the Trojans head coach. He has led his team to the playoffs in 5 of the last 6 years, including a WPIAL Semifinal berth in 2014. Let’s take a look inside Coach Minerd’s corner:This Week on the MSA Sports Network – 02/05/2017
The regular season comes to an end in district high school basketball while the team wrestling postseason switches from the district to the state this week on the MSA Sports Network. We have section coverage of WPIAL, District 6 and District 9 boys and girls high school basketball, college hoops featuring Carlow University, postseason mat action with the PIAA Team Wrestling Playoffs and plenty of pucks with more audio and video coverage of PIHL high school hockey, plus we have The WPIAL Roundball Report, The PIHL Power Play Show and Inside the WPIAL Wrestling Circle ALL here at MSAsports.net Monday, February 6th:Scholastic Notebook – 02/03/2017
February 3, 2017
The spirit of 66 ended for one WPIAL girls team. But one boys team is close to getting into the same spirit. The subject is section winning streaks. The Quigley Catholic girls had what was the longest section winning streak in the WPIAL at 66, but it ended Thursday night after a 56-48 loss to Cornell. Turn to WPIAL boys basketball and look at Lincoln Park. The Leopards have a 64-game section winning streak. Lincoln Park has two section games remaining, and if the Leopards win both, they will finish the regular season with a 66-game streak. Lincoln Park plays Riverside and Ellwood City in its final two section games.MSA Sports Top Ten – WPIAL Boys Basketball – 01/31/2017
January 31, 2017
Here are the latest MSA Sports Top Ten WPIAL Boys Basketball rankings for the 2016-2017 season...including NEW #1 teams in Class 5-A and Class 4-A. Check out the weekly boys rankings every Tuesday, along with boys hoops talk during The WPIAL Roundball Report every Wednesday night at 6:00pm and boys basketball broadcasts throughout the regular season with exclusive coverage of every boys WPIAL playoff game in February all here on the MSA Sports Network. WPIAL CLASS 6-A: 1. PINE-RICHLAND RAMS (18-0) (Last Week #1) 2. FOX CHAPEL FOXES (16-1) (Last Week #3) 3. PENN HILLS INDIANS (15-2) (Last Week #2)
WPIAL Alum Q&A – Sydney Bordonaro
Sydney Bordonaro might be considered the best girls basketball player in Burrell history, as she helped establish the Bucs as a championship contender in each of her four varsity seasons. Now on the west coast, Bordonaro's success has translated to the college level at Pepperdine. She's the focus of this week's WPIAL Alum Q&A. As a high-school freshman in 2011-12, Bordonaro made a big impact, averaging in double figures in scoring, and contributing to Burrell's 18-5 campaign, which included an 11-3 mark in section play, and a playoff win in a preliminary round contest.MSA Sports Top Ten – WPIAL Girls Basketball – 01/30/2017
January 30, 2017
Here are the latest MSA Sports Top Ten WPIAL Girls Basketball rankings for the 2016-2017 season...including a NEW #1 team in Class 6-A. Check out the weekly girls rankings every Monday, along with girls hoops talk during The WPIAL Roundball Report every Wednesday night at 6:00pm and girls basketball broadcasts throughout the regular season with exclusive coverage of every girls WPIAL playoff game in February sponsored by Carlow University all here on the MSA Sports Network. WPIAL CLASS 6-A: 1. NORTH ALLEGHENY TIGERS (17-1) (Last Week #2) 2. PINE-RICHLAND RAMS (17-1) (Last Week #1)This Week on the MSA Sports Network – 01/30/2017
We go from the chill of January to the hot high school action of the February Frenzy as we tip off the 'Stretch Run' of the high school basketball regular season this week on the MSA Sports Network. We have section coverage of WPIAL, District 6 and District 9 boys and girls high school basketball, college hoops featuring Carlow University, postseason mat action with the WPIAL Team Wrestling Playoffs and plenty of pucks with more audio and video coverage of PIHL high school hockey, plus we have The WPIAL Roundball Report, The PIHL Power Play Show and Inside the WPIAL Wrestling Circle ALL here at MSAsports.net Monday, January 30th:
WPIAL Coaches Corner – Ralph Blundo
January 29, 2017
In this new feature titled “Coach’s Corner”, I will be interviewing a different coach every week and asking them questions about their personal life and about coaching. Hopefully their answers will not only shed some light on how they coach their respective teams, but also allow readers to get to know the men behind the fields/courts. This week highlights New Castle boys basketball coach Ralph Blundo. Coach Blundo is in his 7th season coaching the Hurricanes. He won a WPIAL title in 2012 in 3-A. Then his team moved up to 4-A and won back to back titles in 2013 and 2014, capped by a PIAA state crown in 2014. He currently has the ‘Canes ranked #1 in 4-A this season. Let’s take a look inside Coach Blundo’s corner:Scholastic Notebook – 01/27/2017
January 27, 2017
If A.J. Myers and Cameron Hanley ever get together and grab a bite to eat, it would only be appropriate if they went to Applebee’s, just so they could order off the 2 for $20 menu. Myers and Hanley are members of the Chartiers-Houston boys basketball team. On the menu that is the leading scorers list for the WPIAL, Myers and Hanley are the only 2 for 20 you can find. Myers, a 6-foot-1 senior guard, is averaging 26 points a game. He is the sixth-leading scorer in the WPIAL. Hanley, a 6-foot junior guard, is averaging 21.7. No other WPIAL team has two players averaging 20.MSA Sports Top Ten – WPIAL Girls Basketball – 01/23/2017
January 23, 2017
Here are the latest MSA Sports Top Ten WPIAL Girls Basketball rankings for the 2016-2017 season. Check out the weekly girls rankings every Monday, along with girls hoops talk during The WPIAL Roundball Report every Wednesday night at 6:00pm and girls basketball broadcasts throughout the regular season with exclusive coverage of every girls WPIAL playoff game in February sponsored by Carlow University all here on the MSA Sports Network. WPIAL CLASS 6-A: 1. PINE-RICHLAND RAMS (16-0) (Last Week #1) 2. NORTH ALLEGHENY TIGERS (15-1) (Last Week #2) 3. PENN HILLS INDIANS (12-2) (Last Week #3)
WPIAL Coaches Corner – Win Palmer
In this new feature titled “Coach’s Corner”, I will be interviewing a different coach every week and asking them questions about their personal life and about coaching. Hopefully their answers will not only shed some light on how they coach their respective teams, but also allow readers to get to know the men behind the fields/courts. This week highlights Sewickley Academy boys basketball coach Win Palmer. Now in his 17th season coaching in the WPIAL, Coach Palmer has 3 WPIAL championships and one PIAA crown. Also the school’s athletic director and softball coach, Palmer previously coached in Virginia before coming to Sewickley. Let’s take a look inside Coach Palmer’s corner:This Week on the MSA Sports Network – 01/22/2017
January 22, 2017
As the two games that will decided the participants in this years Big Game in pro football, the focus continues to be on the second half of section play and the start of postseason in the winter high school sports season this week on the MSA Sports Network.Scholastic Notebook – 01/20/2017
January 20, 2017
It was six years ago that Kyle DeGregorio went through a painful experience of being let go as Baldwin’s boys basketball coach. But DeGregorio eventually found new coaching life a little farther south down Route 51, and has given the Belle Vernon program a new heartbeat. Belle Vernon is 10-3 and tied with McGuffey and South Fayette for first place in WPIAL Class 4A Section 3. Two of those tied teams square off Friday when Belle Vernon plays host to South Fayette.
