PIAA Class 4A girls basketball championship preview: Blackhawk vs. Scranton Prep

By: Chris Harlan
Friday, March 22, 2024 | 2:13 PM

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PIAA Class 4A girls basketball championship

Blackhawk vs. Scranton Prep

Noon Saturday at Giant Center, Hershey

PIAA titles: Blackhawk 4 (1999, 2000, ’14, ’15), Scranton Prep 0

Blackhawk (26-3)

Coach: Greg Huston

Probable starting lineup

No., Player, Ht., Yr., Pos.

5, Andrea Kinger, 5-6, jr., G

11, Alena Fusetti, 5-10, sr., G

20, Aubree Hupp, 5-10, so., F

25, Haley Romigh, 5-10, sr., G/F

30, Piper Romigh, 5-10, sr., G/F

How they got here: WPIAL runner-up Blackhawk defeated Harbor Creek, 54-38; St. Marys, 63-33; Fairview, 43-19; and Wyomissing, 47-31.

Notable: Blackhawk has reached the state finals for the second year in a row. The Cougars were runners-up after losing to Lansdale Catholic, 53-45. … The team’s top scorers are Fusetti (15.6 ppg) and Hupp (13.8). … This is Huston’s first year as Blackhawk’s coach. A Blackhawk graduate, Huston coached the Beaver girls basketball team for 14 years. He replaced coach Steve Lodovico, who resigned after winning four WPIAL titles and two state titles with the Cougars. … Blackhawk finished second in the WPIAL but defeated three district champions en route to the state finals (Districts 9, 10 and 3). … District 3 champion Wyomissing was undefeated before its semifinal loss to Blackhawk. Hupp had 22 points in the win, and Fusetti had 11.

Scranton Prep (23-5)

Coach: Robert Beviglia

Probable starting lineup

No., Player, Ht., Yr., Pos.

2, Ashlyn Moore, 5-8, jr., G

10, Maya Jenkins, 5-7, jr., G

12, Claire McGrath, 5-7, jr., G

24, Jenna Hillebrand, 5-9, jr., G

44, Bella Dennebaum, 5-8, jr., F

How they got here: District 2 champion Scranton Prep defeated North Schuylkill, 55-22; Villa Joseph Marie, 58-39; Central Columbia, 46-25; and Universal Audenried, 79-53.

Notable: Scranton Prep is making its first appearance in the state finals. … The team’s nickname is the Classics. … Scranton Prep lost in the 2023 state semifinals to eventual champion Lansdale Catholic. … The team has three scorers averaging double figures: Hillebrand (15 ppg), Jenkins (11.7) and Dennebaum (10.6). … Hillebrand scored 30 points in the team’s win over Universal Audenried Charter, and Dennebaum had 19. … This is Beviglia’s ninth season as coach at his high school alma mater, where he also teaches.

Chris Harlan is a TribLive reporter covering sports. He joined the Trib in 2009 after seven years as a reporter at the Beaver County Times. He can be reached at charlan@triblive.com.

Tags: Blackhawk