High school roundup for Feb. 16, 2024: Clairton’s Iyanna Wade wins battle of top scorers in Class 2A 1st round

By: Triblive
Friday, February 16, 2024 | 11:42 PM

In a battle of two of the most dynamic scorers in WPIAL girls basketball, Clairton and Iyanna Wade came out on top Friday night.

Wade scored 52 points, including 17 in the fourth quarter and 12 in overtime, to lead the No. 10 Bears to a 78-65 victory over No. 7 Freedom in a Class A first-round game Friday night.

Wade led the WPIAL in scoring in the regular season, averaging 40 points per game. Keira Brown added nine points for the Bears (18-4), who will meet No. 2 Aliquippa in Wednesday’s quarterfinals.

Freedom’s Shaye Bailey, the 2022-23 Trib HSSN girls athlete of the year who averaged nearly 24 points per game this season, scored 25 points before fouling out. Olivia Henderson scored 27 points for the Bulldogs (12-11).

Aliquippa 53, California 18 – Carla Brown and Aunesty Johnson scored 16 points apiece as No. 2 Aliquippa (20-3) secured a first-round win in Class 2A. The Quips will face No. 10 Clairton in the quarterfinals Wednesday. Hayley Gibson scored six points to lead No. 15 California (10-13).

Fort Cherry 66, Beth-Center 16 – Raney Staub scored 30 points and Olivia Kemp added 11 to lead No. 4 Fort Cherry (18-5) to a Class 2A first-round win. Lauren Brown scored six points for No. 13 Beth-Center (11-11). The Rangers will face No. 12 South Side in Wednesday’s quarterfinals.

Rochester 48, Burgettstown 39 – Marque Taylor scored a game-high 21 points to lead No. 9 Rochester (16-7) in the Class 2A first round. The Rams will take on top-seeded Greensburg Central Catholic in Wednesday’s quarterfinals. Paige Klodowski scored 14, Kaitlyn Nease 13 and Martina Whyte 10 for No. 8 Burgettstown (14-10).

Serra Catholic 59, Brentwood 23 – Abby Genes scored 18 points to lead No. 3 Serra Catholic (19-4) to a Class 2A first-round win. Cate Clarke and Caitlyn Cooley added 10 points apiece for the Eagles, who will meet No. 11 Winchester Thurston in Wednesday’s quarterfinals. Mia March scored 10 points for No. 14 Brentwood (10-13).

South Side 43, Chartiers-Houston 38 – Bailey Strnisa scored 20 points, including nine in the fourth quarter, to lead No. 12 South Side (14-9) to a Class 2A first-round win. Allison Wingard scored 19 points for No. 5 Chartiers-Houston (16-7). The Rams will meet No. 4 Fort Cherry in Wednesday’s quarterfinals.

Winchester Thurston 51, Washington 38 – Jasmine Hollins scored 21 points to lead No. 11 Winchester Thurston (10-12) to a Class 2A first-round win. Dashae Cochran added 20 points for the Bears, who will meet No. 3 Serra Catholic in Wednesday’s quarterfinals. Olivia Woods scored 13 points and Kyndra Wynn had 11 for No. 6 Washington (14-9).

Boys basketball

Aquinas Academy 84, California 50 – Jacob Guillen scored 37 points to lead No. 7 Aquinas Academy (15-8) to a Class A first-round win. Sam Duer added 22 points for the Crusaders, who will face No. 2 Neighborhood Academy in Wednesday’s quarterfinals. Noah Neil scored 18 points and Vinny Manzella had 16 for No. 10 California (7-16).

Carlynton 55, Jefferson-Morgan 41 – Jake Moldovan scored 19 points to lead No. 6 Carlynton (8-14) past No. 11 Jefferson-Morgan (13-10) in a Class A first-round win. Jaydin McKnight and Lekhi Turner added 12 points apiece for the Cougars, who will face No. 3 Rochester in Wednesday’s quarterfinals.

Hampton 66, Central Valley 55 – Peter Kramer scored 24 points and Liam Mignogna added 23 to propel No. 2 Hampton (19-3) to a Class 4A first-round victory. Isaiah Jeter scored 27 points for No. 15 Central Valley (14-8). The Talbots will take on No.7 South Allegheny in Wednesday’s quarterfinals.

Lincoln Park 93, Freeport 63 – Meelek Thomas scored 30 points and Brandin Cummings added 23, hitting the 2,000-point mark for his career, to help No.1 Lincoln Park (20-3) to a Class 4A first-round win. Rhaki Lum added 17 points and Dorian Clark McGhee had 16 for the Leopards, who will meet No. 8 Knoch in Wednesday’s quarterfinals. Brady Sullivan scored 17 points, Brian Kijowski added 16 and Gavin Glista finished with 11 for the No. 16 Yellowjackets (7-15), who were within six points before the Leopards pulled away with a 20-11 advantage in the second quarter.

Monessen 78, Summit Academy 56 – Lorenzo Gardner led the way with 44 points for No. 4 Monessen (18-5) in a Class A first-round win. Darryl Ray added 15 points for the Greyhounds, who will face No. 5 Union in Wednesday’s quarterfinals. Abdullah Abdirahman scored 13 points for No.13 Summit Academy (4-13). Gardner is one of the WPIAL’s hottest scorers, having set a Westmoreland County single-game scoring record with 64 points last Friday against California.

North Catholic 73, Elizabeth Forward 53 – Max Hurray scored 24 points and Jude Rottmann added 15 to power No. 5 North Catholic (14-8) to a Class 4A first-round win. The Trojans, who jumped out to a 24-9 lead after one quarter, will meet No. 4 Uniontown in Wednesday’s quarterfinals. Isaiah Turner scored 20 points and Cy Herchelroath and Charlie Meehleib each added 11 for No. 12 Elizabeth Forward (14-8).

Rochester 72, St. Joseph 28 – Xavier Rigby scored 23 points to power No. 3 Rochester (16-6) to a Class A first-round win. The Rams, who will meet No. 6 Carlynton in Wednesday’s quarterfinals, took a 23-5 lead in the first quarter. Anthony Zavolta scored 11 points and Charlie Ross added 10 for No. 14 St. Joseph (3-20).

Uniontown 64, Quaker Valley 45 – Jamire Braxton scored 16 points to lead No. 4 Uniontown (20-3) to a Class 4A first-round win. Isaac Ellsworth added 15 points and Jeremiah Hager had 12 for the Red Raiders, who pulled away with a 23-7 run in the third quarter. Uniontown will meet No. 5 North Catholic in Wednesday’s quarterfinals. Joe Coyle scored 20 and Zachary Washington added 19 for No. 13 Quaker Valley (11-12).

West Greene 58, Avella 47 – Parker Burns scored 20 points to lead No. 8 West Greene (16-7) to a Class A first-round win, its first playoff victory since 1992. Darren Knight added 13 points for the Pioneers, who will face No. 1 Imani Christian in Wednesday’s quarterfinals. Nate Cilia scored 15 points, Westley Burchianti had 14 and Bryce Wright added 11 for No. 9 Avella (9-14).

Woodland Hills 64, Trinity 42 – Amere Brown and Lamar Williams each scored 14 points to lead Woodland Hills (9-13) in a Class 5A preliminary round game. Landon Akins added 12 and Jayden Hill had 11 for the Wolverines, who will meet top-seeded Moon in the first round Monday. Anthony Giorgi scored 12 points and Kaden Hathaway added 11 for Trinity (10-13).