Trib HSSN boys basketball team of the week for Jan. 22, 2024

By: Don Rebel
Monday, January 22, 2024 | 5:10 PM

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Trib HSSN boys basketball team of the week: Central Catholic Vikings

Coach: Brian Urso (fifth season)

Record: 4-1 in Section 1-6A, 9-5 overall

Last year: Central Catholic finished in second place in Section 1-6A with a record of 7-3, two games behind New Castle. Following a regular season split, the Vikings defeated the Red Hurricanes in the WPIAL championship game. Central Catholic lost to State College in the PIAA second round.

#Earned: Following a slow start, the Vikings have won eight of their last 10 games, including two victories last week. On Tuesday, Central Catholic jumped out to a 17-7 lead after one quarter and went on to beat visiting North Allegheny in a big section contest, 50-37. On Saturday, host Central Catholic led by five points after the first quarter and by 13 points at halftime before outscoring Penn-Trafford, 22-6, in the third quarter to blow out the Warriors, 61-38. Central Catholic is third in Class 6A team defense, allowing only 47.1 points per game.

Scoring stars: Several key offensive players graduated from last year’s district tile winning team, so Central Catholic has leaned on a balanced attack. That was evident in the two wins last week. Against North Allegheny, seniors Vernon Settles scored 14 points while Payton Wehner added 11. In the victory over Penn-Trafford, three Vikings scored in double digits with senior Alex Pitcher scoring 13 points and junior Bradley Gompers and sophomore Enzo Khalil each scoring 12 points.

Remember when: Central Catholic entered the 2023 WPIAL boys basketball playoffs as the No. 3 seed in Class 6A. The Vikings escaped the quarterfinals with an overtime victory over Baldwin, 80-75, then defeated 2021 champion Upper St. Clair in the semifinals, 65-41, and rolled past New Castle in the title game, 61-52. It was the second WPIAL boys basketball championship in school history. The Vikings won gold 15 years earlier when they beat Moon in the 2008 Quad-A finals, 55-54.

2024 Trib HSSN Boys Basketball Teams of the Week

Week 2 – Gateway Gators

Week 1 – Greensburg Central Catholic Centurions

Tags: Central Catholic