Trib HSSN rewind: A look back at the 2018-19 boys basketball season

By: Chris Harlan
Friday, July 12, 2019 | 11:43 PM

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With Moon and Mars leading the way, it’s safe to say the 2018-19 WPIAL boys basketball season was out of this world.

It helps that the two Class 5A rivals combined for one of the most memorable finishes in WPIAL championship history. Andrew Recchia made a game-winning 3-pointer with 2.6 seconds left as Mars celebrated a 58-56 victory March 1 at Petersen Events Center.

Moon had held a 16-point second-half lead before Mars stormed back to win its second consecutive WPIAL title.

Andrew Recchia puts @MarsAreaSD ahead with 2.6 seconds left! #WPIAL #TribHSSN pic.twitter.com/SBMFJtHDaz

— TribLive HSSN (@TribLiveHSSN) March 2, 2019

Mt. Lebanon, New Castle, Lincoln Park, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart and Nazareth Prep also celebrated WPIAL basketball title at Petersen Events Center. It was the third consecutive championship for New Castle, each time defeating Quaker Valley in the finals.

It’s over!

For the third-straight year the 4A Boys ? goes to the Canes @NCTogether

New Castle defeats Quaker Valley 60-54 at the Pete#TribHSSN pic.twitter.com/HNJMVOfiPq

— TribLive HSSN (@TribLiveHSSN) March 2, 2019

Moon earned its redemption a few weeks later when it defeated Mars in a state semifinal and then beat Philadelphia’s Archbishop Wood in the PIAA final in Hershey. Moon senior Connor Ryan scored 17 of his game-high 28 points in the fourth quarter of the championship as Moon rallied late.

The victory was somewhat surprising because Philadelphia Catholic League boys teams were 14-3 in the state finals since joining the PIAA playoffs in 2009.

Moon finished 28-2 overall behind a strong senior class and star junior Donovan Johnson, who averaged 22.6 points and 9.4 rebounds per game as the TribLive HSSN Player of the Year.

FINAL: Moon 74, Archbishop Wood 64 #PIAA #TribHSSN pic.twitter.com/25B9hyuEvm

— Chris Harlan (@CHarlan_Trib) March 23, 2019

Johnson and Butler junior Ethan Morton headlined a high-scoring Trib 10 all-star team. Morton, a Purdue recruit, scored a school-record 51 points in a regular-season loss to Pine-Richland.

Here’s a look at Butler’s Ethan Morton, making a pull-up jumper. #TribHSSN #WPIAL pic.twitter.com/8AsJ78BVSY

— Chris Harlan (@CHarlan_Trib) January 30, 2019

In all, the WPIAL had three boys basketball teams reached the state finals. Lincoln Park won the Class 3A title and Vincentian Academy was the PIAA runner-up in Class A.

FINAL: Lincoln Park 73, Trinity 72 #TribHSSN #PIAA pic.twitter.com/qMlBALxVFy

— Chris Harlan (@CHarlan_Trib) March 23, 2019

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: Butler, Lincoln Park, Mars, Moon, Mt. lebanon, Nazareth Prep, New Castle, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, Vincentian Academy