Decade’s best WPIAL finals: Boys basketball No. 2
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Monday, February 24, 2020 | 7:52 PM
Central Valley celebrates with the championship trophy after defeating Chartiers Valley in double overtime in the WPIAL Class AAA boys basketball championship at the A.J. Palumbo Center on Friday, Feb. 28, 2014.
There were a lot of changes to the WPIAL basketball championships over the last 10 years.
They expanded from two days to three days and from eight boys and girls finals to a dozen championship games. The district also switched venues, moving from the Palumbo Center at Duquesne to the Petersen Events Center on the Pitt campus.
Bigger and better has led to some fantastic championship moments over the course of the just completed decade. So as we prepare for the first finals of the 20s, here is a look back with a countdown of the top 10 WPIAL boys and girls basketball championship games from the last 10 years.
Boys No. 2 – Double dose of CV goes to double OT
Not only was the 2014 WPIAL Class AAA boys basketball championship a battle of CV’s as Chartiers Valley faced Central Valley, it was also the only boys title game to go beyond one overtime period this past decade.
The one question fans, coaches and players asked afterward: Was it a charge, a foul or a no call? The call by the officials was a foul that sent Central Valley senior Tony Gates to the line with 0.6 seconds left in a tie game.
Gates became a Warriors legend when he hit the first of two in a 70-69 classic victory that gave Central Valley its first, and to date, only district basketball crown.
Click below for Trib HSSN’s Chris Harlan’s recap with photos, highlights and interviews.
Central Valley 70, Chartiers Valley 69 in double overtime
Previous Top 10:
Girls No. 2 – The Knights’ night
Boys No. 3 – Out of this world
Boys No. 5 – Class A cat fight
Girls No. 5 – Royal run begins
Boys No. 6 – Three-peat chopped
Girls No. 7 – Thrilling three-peat
Girls No. 8 – High flying Hawks
Tags: Central Valley, Chartiers Valley
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