Basketball

Penn-Trafford’s Kamryn Pieper (left) celebrates with Maura Suman after defeating Norwin, 37-36, on Thursday, Feb. 10, 2022, in Harrison City.

Westmoreland WPIAL basketball playoff capsules for Feb. 23, 2022

February 22, 2022

Wednesday’ games

Apollo-Ridge went 4-18 under coach Greg Fox during a rebuilding season in 2021-22.

Apollo-Ridge boys basketball hopes rebuild is quick

Greg Fox figured it might go like this.

Pine-Richland’s Owen Luellen shoots as Butler’s Raine Gratzmiller draws an offensive foul during their game Feb. 4.

What to watch for in WPIAL sports on Feb. 22, 2022: First round ends with appealing matchups

February 21, 2022

Welcome to the final day of the first round in the 2022 WPIAL basketball playoffs.

Peters Township’s Journey Thompson scores past Garnet Valley’s Morgan Falcone during the 2019 PIAA Class 6A girls championship game.

Trib HSSN Girls Basketball Player of the Week for Feb. 21, 2022

When Journey Thompson started her high school career at Peters Township, she was a starter on a perfect team.

Lincoln Park’s Brandin Cummings celebrates a 3-pointer against Montour during the first half of a Section 2-4A game Jan. 14.

Trib HSSN Boys Basketball Player of the Week for Feb. 21, 2022

Lincoln Park sophomore Brandin Cummings has always been close with his older brother Nelly, who starred with the Leopards and graduated in 2017 before playing his college ball at Bowling Green and Colgate.

Shaler’s Logan Bernesser shoots a free throw against South Fayette in a WPIAL Class 5A playoff game Monday, Feb. 21, 2022.

Logan Bernesser powers Shaler past South Fayette in overtime win

Shaler senior Logan Bernesser registered a double-double in a dominating first-round performance.

Shady Side Acdemy’s Peter Kramer scores on a reverse past Laurel’s Kobe DeRosa during their WPIAL Class 3A playoff game on Monday, Feb. 21, 2022, at Fox Chapel High School.

High school roundup for Feb. 21, 2022: Laurel Highlands, other top seeds cruise in 5A 1st round

Rodney Gallagher scored 22 points and Keondre DeSheids followed with 21 to lead No. 1 Laurel Highlands to a 74-44 victory over Woodland Hills in a first-round game in the WPIAL Class 5A boys basketball playoffs Monday night.

Highlands’ Jimmy Kunst, celebrating after scoring against Knoch on Feb. 3, 2021, had 24 points in a first-round win over Albert Gallatin on Monday night.

High-octane Highlands roars past Albert Gallatin in Class 5A first round

Backed by junior guard Jimmy Kunst’s 24 points and a 32-point second quarter, fifth-seeded Highlands made quick work of No. 12 Albert Gallatin, 76-44, in the first round of the WPIAL Class 5A playoffs Monday night.

Ligonier Valley senior Matthew Marinchak loses his glasses as he drives past Avonworth’s Colin Crawford on Monday in a WPIAL Class 3A playoff game.

Avonworth uses speed on defense, offensive spurts to take down Ligonier Valley

It took Avonworth a little more than a quarter to hit its stride Monday in its WPIAL Class 3A first-round game, but when it did, Ligonier Valley couldn’t keep up.

St. Joseph’s Julie Spinelli brings the ball upcourt against Apollo-Ridge on Jan. 19.

St. Joseph girls halt playoff losing streak

The St. Joseph girls basketball team is back in the WPIAL postseason win column.

Freeport’s Abby DeJidas shoots a three-pointer against Highlands on Feb. 7, 2022, at Highlands High School.

Alle-Kiski Valley WPIAL basketball playoff capsules for Feb. 22, 2022

Boys

Jenna Dawson (right) and her Belle Vernon teammates face Quaker Valley in the playoffs Tuesday.

Westmoreland WPIAL basketball playoff capsules for Feb. 22, 2022

Tuesday’s games

Allderdice celebrates its City League title with a 60-44 victory over Brashear on Feb. 20, 2022, at the Petersen Events Center.

Allderdice fends off Brashear to win City League boys title

February 20, 2022

Coming off an upset win over Obama Academy in the City League semifinals, the Brashear boys entered Sunday’s championship game with designs on their first title since 1989.

Deer Lakes’ Armend Karpuzzi (left) celebrates with Justin Brannagan after Brannagan’s 3-pointer to beat Blackhawk, 39-37, at the buzzer during WPIAL Class 2A first-round playoff action Friday, Feb. 18, 2022, at Deer Lakes High School.

Trib HSSN Boys Basketball Team of the Week for week ending Feb. 20, 2022

Outside of Quaker Valley and Montour, the top two seeds in the WPIAL Class 4A boys basketball playoffs, the hottest team in the classification coming into the postseason was Section 1 third-place finisher Deer Lakes.

Mohawk’s Erynne Capalbo (right) helped lead the Warriors into the 2021 WPIAL playoffs.

Trib HSSN Girls Basketball Team of the Week for week ending Feb. 20, 2022

While most of last season’s WPIAL basketball champions continued to enjoy great success this winter, that wasn’t the case for the Mohawk girls basketball program.

Obama Academy’s Samaree Perkins (left), coach Monique McCoy and Rickie Johnson talk about Sunday’s Championship game victory over Allderdice.

Obama Academy gets past Allderdice, wins 5th City League championship

In just 11 seasons, Obama Academy has established itself as a City League power in girls basketball. The Eagles on Sunday won their fifth City crown since the school opened for the 2011-12 school year with a 58-40 victory over Allderdice.