PIAA basketball semifinals top Monday’s 3 things to watch
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Monday, March 19, 2018 | 2:24 AM
The Mars and Quaker Valley boys basketball teams had just two days to put their quarterfinal wins behind them.
After winning Friday night, each team will make a quick turnaround and return to the court Monday, one win away from a trip to the state championships in Hershey. Mars (24-4) faces District 3 champion Milton Hershey (26-3) at Altoona. Quaker Valley (26-1) faces District 10 champion Sharon (26-2) at New Castle.
Both games start at 7 p.m.
Mars is trying to reach the state finals for the second time. The Planets were PIAA Class 3A runners-up in 2016.
Quaker Valley also has reached the state finals just once. The Quakers were Class 2A runners-up to Annville-Cleona in 1999.
GIRLS BASKETBALL SEMIFINALS
The WPIAL is already guaranteed at least one girls state finalist. Bishop Canevin (23-4) faces East Allegheny (27-1) in an all-WPIAL semifinal Monday night at Gateway. Tipoff is 6 p.m.
It's a rematch of the WPIAL Class 3A finals.
When they met two weeks ago, East Allegheny led for much of the game and was only about four minutes away from winning a WPIAL title. But two-time defending WPIAL champion Bishop Canevin rallied late and won 56-52 for its third consecutive title.
North Allegheny (28-0) also sits one win away from Hershey. The undefeated WPIAL champion faces District 1 runner-up Central Bucks South (26-3) in a PIAA Class 6A semifinal at 7:30 p.m., Monday in Chambersburg.
North Allegheny and Bishop Canevin each were PIAA runners-up last season.
WPIAL BOARD BUSINESS
The WPIAL board has its monthly meeting Monday afternoon where picking a couple of championship sites should be on the agenda. The board must decide where to hold the WPIAL softball finals this spring and the cross country championships next fall.
California (Pa.) University is renovating its softball field, so the WPIAL must find an alternate venue. The WPIAL considered Seton Hill and Pitt.
Separately, the WPIAL must choose a new cross country course after Cooper's Lake Campground decided it would no longer host the meet.
Chris Harlan is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at charlan@tribweb.com or via Twitter @CHarlan_Trib.
More High School Basketball
• Hall of fame basketball coach Joe Lafko steps down at Hampton• Dave Pucka, one of Plum’s own, hired to coach boys basketball team
• Corey Dotchin steps down as Highlands boys basketball coach
• PIAA taking bids to host basketball championships
• Basketball coach Rob Niederberger, who lifted Shaler from last place to WPIAL contender, resigns
