Westmoreland high school basketball playoff preview capsules for Feb. 27, 2024

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Monday, February 26, 2024 | 4:57 PM

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WPIAL basketball playoffs

Boys

Class 2A

Semifinals

3-Northgate (18-5) vs. 2-Greensburg Central Catholic (22-2)

6 p.m. Tuesday at Gateway

Winner plays: Winner of 3-Fort Cherry (19-5)/2-Aliquippa (19-5) in championship 1 p.m. March 2 at Petersen Events Center

Coaches: Cam Williams, Northgate; Christian Hyland, GCC

Players to watch: Kaden Kemp, Northgate; Liam Gallagher, GCC

Layup lines: Northgate jumped out to an early double-digit lead and then held back Jeannette, 55-44, in the quarterfinals. Kemp, a 6-foot-5 junior, had 11 points and six blocks, including three in a row in the fourth quarter. Senior guard Josh Williams had a game-high 14 points. The fast-paced Flames reached the championship game last year, losing to section rival Aliquippa, 52-40. They went two rounds deep in the state tournament. … Greensburg Central Catholic rolled past Eden Christian, 69-41, to earn its fourth straight trip to the semifinals. Tyree Turner scored 20 points, Franco Alvarez added 14, Gallagher had 13 and Sean Walker chipped in 10. The Centurions made nine 3-pointers, four by Gallagher, to methodically peel away after a tight first quarter. GCC last made the WPIAL finals in 2020-21 when it lost to Our Lady of the Sacred Heart in Hyland’s second season. The 22 wins are the most in the program since 2016-17 when GCC went 25-2.

Class A

Consolation tournament

Carlynton (9-15) at Monessen (19-5)

7 p.m. Tuesday

Winner: Earns fifth place in the WPIAL and PIAA playoff spot

Coaches: Jake Trombetta, Carlynton; Dan Bosnic, Monessen

Players to watch: Jake Moldovan, Carlynton; Lorenzo Gardner, Monessen

Layup lines: The loser is eliminated from the state playoff race. … Carlynton scored 21 in the fourth quarter to pull away from Aquinas Academy, 67-54, in the consolation first round. Moldovan scored 31 points, Mark Jameson had 12 and Devonte Dean added 10. … Monessen bounced back from a quarterfinal loss to Union with a 64-44 win at home against Section 2 foe West Greene. Gardner finished with a game-high 23 points, and Devontae Robinson added 15. The Greyhounds outscored West Greene in the second half 39-20. … The loser is eliminated from state-playoff contention.

Bill Beckner Jr. is a TribLive reporter covering local sports in Westmoreland County. He can be reached at bbeckner@triblive.com.

Tags: Carlynton, Eden Christian, Greensburg C.C., Greensburg Salem, Highlands, Jeannette, Monessen, Northgate