PIAA basketball playoffs roundup for March 16: East Allegheny’s Johnson scores 47 in quarterfinal win

By: HSSN Staff
Friday, March 16, 2018 | 10:45 PM

Amani Johnson has scored more than 2,000 points in her high school basketball career, and her effort Friday night made sure she can continue to add to that total.

The senior Kennesaw State recruit scored 47 points to lift WPIAL runner-up East Allegheny to a 77-66 victory over District 3 runner-up York Catholic in the PIAA Class 3A girls basketball quarterfinals at Bald Eagle Area.

Johnson had four 3-pointers and was 11 of 16 from the free-throw line. Myla Bortoluzzi added 12 points on four 3-pointers for the Wildcats (27-1), who will get a rematch with WPIAL champion Bishop Canevin (23-4) in the PIAA semifinals Monday at a time and site to be determined.

Bishop Canevin defeated East Allegheny, 56-52, in the WPIAL title game on March 3, dealing the Wildcats their only loss.

Abby Pilkey had 24 points to lead York Catholic, which trailed 36-22 at halftime.

Bellwood-Antis 63, Chartiers-Houston 48 — Alexa Williamson had 29 points but it wasn't enough for Chartiers-Houston, which dropped a PIAA Class 2A quarterfinal game at Johnstown High School.

Keaira Walker added 11 points for the WPIAL runner-up Bucs (21-7).

Ally Campbell scored 23 points for District 6 third-place finisher Bellwood-Antis (26-3).

North Allegheny 44, Bethel Park 34 — North Allegheny, the state's top-ranked Class 6A girls basketball team, kept its undefeated streak going Friday, but it didn't come easy.

Courtney Roman scored 11 points, including a key 3-point shot late in the game, and the WPIAL-champion Tigers held off WPIAL fourth-place Bethel Park, 44-34, in a PIAA quarterfinal at Baldwin to advance to the semifinals.

North Allegheny (28-0) will face Central Bucks South on Monday at a site and time to be determined. District 1 runner-up Central Bucks South defeated District 11 fourth-place William Allen, 60-40, in the quarterfinals.

North Allegheny never trailed, but the Tigers were tested.

Bethel Park (19-7), which lost to North Allegheny, 57-43, during the regular season, nearly held the Tigers scoreless in the third quarter before Brynn Serbin's 3-point shot with 2 seconds left avoided the shutout and enabled North Allegheny to carry a 33-26 advantage into the fourth.

Lizzy Groetsch scored 10 points for North Allegheny, going 10 for 10 from the free-throw line.

Boys basketball

Quaker Valley 89, Huntingdon 53 — Coletrane Washington had 24 points, eight rebounds and seven assists to help WPIAL runner-up Quaker Valley (26-1) earn a PIAA Class 4A quarterfinal win at Johnstown High School.

Danny Conlan led all scorers with 26 points and Ricky Guss added 13 for the Quakers, who will play District 10 champion Sharon (26-2) in the semifinals Monday at a time and site to be determined.

Nick Rigdy had 12 points for Huntingdon (23-2), the District 6 champion.

Mars 60, Highlands 51 — The Planets (24-4) outscored Highlands, 20-10, in the fourth quarter en route to a PIAA Class 5A quarterfinal win at Gateway.

Robby Carmody scored 24 points before fouling out with 3:49 left in the game. The Notre Dame recruit now has 2,332 points in his career, eighth on all-time WPIAL list.

Andrew Recchia scored 13 and was 8 of 8 from the foul line in fourth quarter. The Golden Rams (20-6) were led by Luke Cochran, who had 16, and Shawn Erceg with 13.

Tags: East Allegheny, Quaker Valley