Leechburg, Deer Lakes qualify for PIAA boys basketball playoffs

By: Doug Gulasy
Monday, February 25, 2019 | 11:46 PM

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Deer Lakes’ and Leechburg’s boys basketball teams are following the leader right into the PIAA tournament.

The Lancers and Blue Devils qualified for the state playoffs Monday night thanks to WPIAL semifinal wins by the teams that beat them in the quarterfinals last week.

The WPIAL’s follow-the-leader format for PIAA tournament qualifying allows teams that lose in the quarterfinals to advance to the state playoffs pending results in later rounds.

North Catholic’s 61-49 win over Aliquippa in the WPIAL Class 3A semifinals boosted Deer Lakes into the PIAA playoffs for the first time since 1985. The Lancers lost to North Catholic in last week’s quarterfinals.

Leechburg, meanwhile, will play in the state postseason for a second consecutive year thanks to Vincentian’s 61-49 win over Monessen in the Class A semifinals. The Blue Devils lost last week to Vincentian.

With the Vincentian win over Monessen, St. Joseph’s season came to an end. The Spartans would have qualified for the state playoffs with a Monessen win.

Tags: Deer Lakes, Leechburg