PIAA Class 2A boys basketball championship breakdown: Aliquippa vs. Lancaster Mennonite

By: Don Rebel
Thursday, March 23, 2023 | 10:15 PM

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Aliquippa vs. Lancaster Mennonite

2 p.m. Friday, Giant Center, Hershey

On the air: TV: PCN. Radio: WBVP-AM 1230, WMBA-AM 1460. Streaming audio: TribHSSN.TribLive.com

PIAA titles: Aliquippa 5 (1949, 1989, 1994, 1997, 2016), Lancaster Mennonite 0

Aliquippa (24-6)

Coach: Nick Lackovich

Probable starting lineup

No., Name, Ht., Yr., Pos.

2, Demarkus Walker, 5-7, jr., G

3, Donovan Walker, 6-1, sr., G

5, Quentin Goode, 5-9, jr., G

23, Cameron Lindsey, 6-3, jr., F/C

32, Jayace Williams, 6-2, jr., F

Notable: Aliquippa is appearing in its 11th PIAA championship game with five gold medals and five silver. … The Quips beat York William Penn (1949), Allentown Central Catholic (1989), Carbondale (1994), Wilkes-Barre Meyers (1997) and Mastery Charter North (2016). … The Quips’ five state title-game losses were to York Catholic in 1987, Camp Hill Trinity in 2001, Prep Charter in 2007, Conwell-Egan in 2015 and Devon Prep in 2022. … Aliquippa is 91-25 overall in the PIAA playoffs since its first appearance in 1949. … The Quips were 9-5 overall at one point but have now won 10 games in a row. Their last loss was to Class 4A state champion Lincoln Park, 66-54, on Feb. 4. … Aliquippa has defeated Karns City, West Branch, Bishop Canevin and Otto-Eldred, all by double-digit points, on its Road to Hershey. … The last time Aliquippa faced a team from District 3 in the PIAA postseason was when it lost to York Catholic 36 years ago in the 1987 3A finals, 63-54. … One of the Quips’ losses this year was to Harrisburg out of District 3.

Lancaster Mennonite (20-8)

Coach: Seth Buckwalter

Probable starting lineup

No., Name, Ht., Yr., Pos.

0, David Weaver, 6-7, sr., C

4, Myles Halvorson, 6-2, jr., F

5, Savier Sumrall, 5-10, sr., G

13, Chase Hurst, 5-8, fr., G

21, Camden Hurst, 6-2, sr., G

Notable: Lancaster Mennonite is making its first appearance in a PIAA boys basketball championship game. … The Blazers are 19-12 all-time in the PIAA postseason. … Lancaster Mennonite played in its third PIAA semifinal Tuesday and improved to 1-2. The Blazers lost in the state final four in 2002 to Kennett and in 2018 when they fell to Richland on a buzzer beater, 54-52. … The District 3 champs have played four Western Pennsylvania teams in the PIAA playoffs. Lancaster Mennonite beat Chartiers Valley in a 2014 second-round game, 68-64. The Blazers opened up the 2018 state playoffs with wins over Ligonier Valley and Westinghouse. Ligonier Valley was a District 6 team at the time. The Blazers beat Eden Christian Academy in the second round this year, 59-46 … Lancaster Mennonite has defeated St. John Neumann, Eden Christian, Mahoney Area and Holy Cross on the Road to Hershey. … Camden Hurst became the team’s all-time leading scorer in the state semifinal win over Holy Cross.

Tags: Aliquippa